**4. Omics and dolphin: future considerations**

This review integrates the available information on the effects of pollution using an omics approach on dolphins and other cetaceans considered as ideal organisms to assess and monitor pollution in coastal or ocean systems. Although there are wide applications of omic approaches in other model and non-model aquatic organisms involving environmental matters, there are very few studies from an omic perspective in dolphins. There is much evidence in the literature of the analytical power that these tools have their contribution in providing relevant information on the MOA of contaminants in cells, tissues, organisms or populations to help to assess the health status of marine systems, to identify potential biomarkers of exposure and response to the contaminant as well to predict adverse effects on marine organisms. Information provided from this study may be useful for risk assesment analysis that may impact future environmental regulations. However, there are still several limitations that need addressing in their application in dolphins. (1) One of the main challenges is with sampling (non-invasive/biopsy). There are prohibitive costs and time delays associated with obtaining the permits required to obtain samples in wildlife organisms in some countries. A non-ideal but possible option is the sampling of strandings. (2) The application of omic studies in ecotoxicology still has many challenges. The increase of these studies at different omic levels has grown impressively thus requiring improved bioinformatics and computational tools for better analysis regarding environmental stressors, such as pollutants. (3) Likewise, the collaboration between academic government entities and industry still needs to be improved.
