Hadera: Sharks gathering off Israel’s Mediterranean coast near the Hadera power plant may serve as real-time indicators of environmental contamination in the marine ecosystem, according to a new University of Haifa study that found unusually high concentrations of industrial and rare earth elements in their blood. Lead researcher Dr. Danny Morik told The Press Service of Israel (TPS-IL) that the findings raise new questions about the long-term impact of industrial activity, desalination plants and power stations on marine life in one of the world’s most environmentally stressed seas.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the study found heavy metals such as arsenic, mercury, and lead in the sharks’ blood, with levels higher than those found in sharks elsewhere in the world. Dr. Morik explained that sharks, as apex predators, undergo bioaccumulation, storing metals in their bodies due to their long lifespans. This makes them effective bioindicators of environmental health, as water samples often fail to capture the full extent of contamination due to solubility and currents.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed Environmental Pollution, examined blood samples from 27 adult dusky sharks and sandbar sharks that gather seasonally near Hadera. Warm water discharged from the nearby power plant attracts large numbers of sharks every winter. Researchers from the University of Haifa’s Morris Kahn Marine Research Station, along with scientists from Brazil and the Bahamas, employed advanced laboratory methods to analyze the blood samples, identifying dozens of chemical elements at varying concentrations.
Morik emphasized that the Mediterranean Sea’s vulnerability is exacerbated by its enclosed structure, slow water exchange, and dense industrial and urban activity along its coastline. These conditions may enhance the accumulation of pollutants within marine ecosystems. While the findings do not directly prove harm to the sharks, they indicate a potential presence of these metals in smaller fish species commonly consumed by humans.
Additionally, the study revealed the presence of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) in the sharks’ blood. Morik highlighted the global dependence on these 15 substances, essential for advanced industries such as solar panels, batteries, and LEDs. The increasing demand for REEs opens questions about their potential toxicity, underscoring the need for further research.
Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency