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海豚身上所發現的疾病與人類的疾病相似，這可為人類提供線索，瞭解人類健康如何可能因暴露於受污染的沿岸海水中或海鮮中而遭到影響。由官方、學界與非營利性質科學家所組成的小組在19日美國科學促進會（American Association for the Advancement of Science）年會上作出上述說明。
美國海洋暨大氣總署海洋暨人類健康小組與此研究的計畫主持人舒特卡（Carolyn Sotka）表示：「海豚與人類同為哺乳類，且其日常食物中所涵蓋的海鮮和我們食用的大多數相同。然而與我們不同的是，海豚一天24個小時都暴露在海洋潛在的健康危險因子中，像是有毒的藻類或糟糕的水質。」 舒特卡說：「我們的生態與生體上的相似性使得海豚成為一種重要的前哨物種（sentinel species），不僅警示我們健康風險，也探討人類健康如何可自新的醫學發現中獲益。」
海洋暨大氣總署研究人員及其合作機構已發現到，棲息在美國喬治亞州沿岸河口的瓶鼻海豚擁有海洋生物所記錄過最高程度的多氯聯苯。多氯聯苯是種持久性污染物，因為對健康證實有不利影響，自1970年代後期便已在美國禁用。喬治亞海豚所測得的高程度多氯聯苯，最大濃度達2900 ppm，這可能會破壞其免疫功能。
在這些海豚體內發現的多氯聯苯化合物中的獨特特徵，與喬治亞布朗斯維克（Brunswick）附近超級基金場址中的目標污染物一致。 科學家同樣關切，自布朗斯維克30英哩外海洋保護區採樣的海豚體內，亦有高程度的多氯聯苯。這可推論汙染物正透過海洋食物網絡，沿著海岸而移動著。 美國海洋暨大氣總署海洋與人類健康中心霍林斯（Hollings）海洋實驗室暨此調查的團隊共同主持人史瓦克博士（Lori Schwacke）表示：「獲得喬治亞海豚的實驗結果時，我們受到污染程度的警示，而著手調查這些嚴重程度的化學物累積會如何影響海豚的健康。」 2009年8月，研究團隊對該族群的海豚進行「捕捉後釋放的生理醫學檢查研究」，發現其甲狀腺激素功能降低，肝酵素指數提高，並有免疫功能破壞的跡象。環境健康國家中心與疾病控制與預防中心則正進行一項前導研究，檢驗鄰近海岸的社區居民體內所潛藏的環境汙染物。研究人員正在調查，沿海海豚族群與人類社區居民是否因享用同樣的海產資源，而擁有類似的汙染暴露程度。
註：超級基金(Superfund)
Diseases found in dolphins are similar to human diseases and can provide clues to how human health might be affected by exposure to contaminated coastal water or seafood, said a panel of government, academic and nonprofit scientists speaking today at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS.
"Dolphins and humans are both mammals, and their diet includes much of the same seafood that we consume. Unlike us, however, they are exposed to potential ocean health threats such as toxic algae or poor water quality 24 hours a day," said Carolyn Sotka of the NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative and lead organizer of the session.
"Our ecological and physiological similarities make dolphins an important sentinel species to not only warn us of health risks, but also provide insight into how our health can benefit from new medical discoveries," Sotka said.
Researchers from NOAA and its partner institutions have discovered that bottlenose dolphins inhabiting estuaries along the Georgia coast have the highest levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, PCBs, ever reported in marine wildlife.
PCBs are a group of persistent contaminants that have been banned in the United States since the late 1970s due to documented adverse health effects. The high levels of PCBs measured in the Georgia dolphins, a maximum concentration of 2,900 parts per million, may be suppressing their immune function.
The unique signature of the PCB compounds found in these dolphins is consistent with contaminants of concern at a Superfund site near Brunswick, Georgia.
Scientists are equally concerned about the high PCB levels in dolphins sampled near a marine protected area 30 miles from Brunswick. This suggests that the contaminants are moving along the coast through the marine food web.
"When we received the lab results for the Georgia dolphins, we were alarmed by the contaminant levels and set out to investigate how these heavy chemical burdens were affecting their health," said Dr. Lori Schwacke with NOAA's Center for Oceans and Human Health at the Hollings Marine Lab and co-lead investigator on the team.
Last August, the researcher team conducted a dolphin "capture-release medical physical" on this population and found decreased levels of thyroid hormones, elevated liver enzymes and indications of suppressed immune function.
A pilot study is being undertaken by the National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to examine potential environmental contaminants in residents of nearby coastal communities.
The researchers are investigating whether coastal dolphin populations and human communities sharing the same seafood resources experience similar exposures.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
