Comparison of the Metal Concentrations in Organs of Two Bird Species from Western of Iran

This study was conducted to measure the concentration of several elements (Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn) in organs of Coot, Fulica atra, and Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos, in order to: (1) determine the significant between metal concentrations in different organs (kidney, liver, pectoral muscle, and feather), (2) to evaluate species differences in metal exposure and accumulation, and (3) to study gender-related trends in metal accumulation. The metal concentrations in organs of F. atra and A. platyrhynchos decreased in the following order: Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd. These results revealed that there were no significant differences between males and females except for Cu in liver and feather, and Pb in kidney.     

Metal Concentrations in Two Commercial Fish from Persian Gulf,in Relation to Body Length and Sex

The relationship between sex, size (length and weight) and metal concentrations in the tissues of two commercially valuable fish species (silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus and tiger tooth croaker, Otolithes ruber) from Persian Gulf were evaluated. Concentrations of the metals in fish species ranged as follows: Mn 0.743–11.279; Cd 0.175–2.375; Pb 2.406–11.297; Zn 10.837–80.389; Fe 2.263–86.110; Cu 1.503–6.333 μg/g dry weight, respectively. Metal content in both fish varied with type of metals, organ, and sex. Results showed that, except in a few cases, significant relationships between metal concentrations and fish size were negative.     

Metal Concentrations in Tissues of Two Fish Species From Qeshm Island, Iran

The purpose of this study was to determine the concentrations of metals, cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in Liza vaigiensis and Johnius carutta, in order to: compare metal concentrations between two species with different gender, and to determine the significance between metal concentrations in the gill, liver and muscle. The highest mean concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel in different tissues of these two fish species were found in the liver of L. vaigiensis at 0.68, 0.83, 0.37 and 1.42 μg g⁻¹, respectively; while the lowest mean concentrations of cadmium, chromium, lead and nickel were observed in the muscle of J. carutta at 0.16, 0.16, 0.03 and 0.29 μg g⁻¹, respectively. The results showed that the metal concentrations in both species were higher in the females than in the males (except chromium in gill and cadmium in muscle of J. carutta). Also, the results indicated that the metal concentrations were different among fish tissues (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001), but there was no difference (except lead in gills of J. carutta) between sex (male vs. female).     

Methylmercury Concentrations in Six Fish Species from Two Colombian Rivers

The objective of this study was to determine whether fish collected from the La Miel or Nechí Rivers (Colombia) differed in muscle methyl mercury (meHg) concentration. Two fish from six different species were collected from markets adjacent to each river. Overall, fish collected from the market adjacent to the Nechí River contained higher levels of meHg. This result however is being driven by very high meHg concentrations in four individual fish, three of which are Pimelodid, long-whiskered catfish. These catfish may represent ideal sentinel organism for the detection of meHg contamination in Colombian rivers.     

Comparison of the Metal Concentrations in the Feathers of Three Bird Species from Southern Iran

Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology - This study was conducted to determine the concentration of metals, namely cadmium, lead, cobalt and copper, in the feathers of chukar...     

Heavy Metal Distribution in Chicks of Two Heron Species from Korea

This study presents concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium in tissues of black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) (n = 8) and grey heron (Ardea cinerea) (n = 9) chicks from Pyeongtaek heronry, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, 2001. Iron (respectively, 45.8 ± 24.0 μg/wet g, 155 ± 123 μg/wet g), zinc (38.3 ± 5.34 μg/wet g, 50.9 ± 14.0 μg/wet g), and copper (9.93 ± 2.26 μg/wet g, 30.2 ± 12.9 μg/wet g) concentrations in feathers, manganese concentrations in livers (3.26 ± 0.68 μg/ wet g, 1.50 ± 0.58 μg/wet g), kidneys (1.43 ± 0.27 μg/wet g, 0.84 ± 0.34 μg/wet g), and bones (1.34 ± 0.50 μg/wet g, 3.17 ± 1.31 μg/wet g) were different between black-crowned night heron and grey heron chicks. Lead concentrations in bones (0.11 ± 0.04 μg/wet g, 0.61 ± 0.42 μg/wet g) and cadmium concentrations in liver (13.5 ± 2.30 μg/wet kg, 10.3 ± 1.59 μg/wet kg), kidney (6.61 ± 2.54 μg/wet kg, 2.31 ± 1.29 μg/wet kg), and muscle (5.25 ± 5.91 μg/wet kg, 1.37 ± 0.90 μg/wet kg) differed between chicks of the two heron species. The differences of heavy metal concentrations in tissues in herons and egrets were reported to other similar studies. Heavy metal concentrations for both heron species were at background levels. In both species, lead concentrations were higher in livers than in bones and cadmium concentrations were higher in livers than in kidneys. We suggest that it is not chronic exposure but acute exposure to lead and cadmium contamination around breeding site that leads to these observations. Therefore, lead and cadmium concentrations in tissues can be used as a bioindicator of acute local contamination.     

Mercury Concentrations in Commercial Fish Species of Lake Phewa, Nepal

Mercury (Hg) concentrations in four commercial fish species (Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, Spiny Eel Mastacembelus armatus, African catfish Clarias gariepinus, and Sahar Tor putitora), were investigated in Lake Phewa, Nepal. Mean values of total mercury (THg mg kg^?1, ww) in these fishes were 0.02, 0.07, 0.05, and 0.12 respectively. Methylmercury contributed 82 % of THg. The lowest value was detected in O. niloticus, an exclusive plant feeder. The biomagnification rate of Hg through the fish community was 0.041 per δ¹⁵N (‰). The present investigation produced an important baseline data of Hg pollution in the fish community in this region.     

Mercury Distribution in Organs of Two Species of Fish from Amazon Region

Total mercury concentrations were determined in muscle, liver and kidney of Cichlia ocellaris and Colossoma macropomum sampled at Tapajos and Carnapijo Rivers in Amazon ecosystem during the flood period of 2009. In background area the highest levels of mercury were observed in liver of piscivorous (0.3 ± 0.03 ug/g dry wt) and non piscivorous fish (0.20 ± 0.1 ug/g dry wt), but in contaminated area the highest level of mercury in piscivorous fish was detected in liver (0.45 ± 0.27 ug/g dry wt) and in muscle (0.26 ± 0.05 ug/g dry wt) of non piscivorous fish. These results suggested that the presence of anthropogenic source plays a key role in the pattern of mercury distribution in fish tissues.     

A Multivariate Analysis of Metal Concentrations in Two Fish Species of the Nyl River System,Limpopo Province,South Africa

Increased toxicity due to high metal concentrations may hinder the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems in sustaining life. The non-biodegradable nature of metals may result in bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms. Due to ecological and social aspects it is imperative for monitoring schemes to identify possible impacts to the systems integrity. This paper discusses accumulation patterns of seven metals (Al, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr and Zn) in tissues of two fish species, namely Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis mossambicus at two selected sites, the first located upstream of Modimolle (NRS1), and the second located downstream of the town (NRS2). Gills, liver, muscle and skin tissues were analysed for metal concentrations using standard microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques. Statistical results indicated higher concentrations of metals at NRS2 in comparison to NRS1, indicating that Modimolle plays a potential role in introducing metals into the aquatic system.     

Mercury Concentrations in Commercial Fish from Freshwater and Saltwater

Research was performed to investigate the concentration of mercury in muscle and liver of fish species from freshwater (Barbus xanthopterus, Barbus grypus, Liza abu) and saltwater (Cynoglossus arel, Periophthalmus waltoni, Otolithes ruber) in Khouzestan, Iran. In freshwater fish, muscle was polluted in comparison with liver except for Barbus xanthopterus which high levels of mercury were measured in liver. In saltwater fish liver was contaminated than muscle except for Cynoglossus arel which high level of mercury was found in muscle. Significant variations in metal values were evaluated using student’s t test at P < 0.05. Mercury concentrations were well above the permissible limits suggested by WHO and FDA guidelines.     

Metal concentrations in pelagic seabirds from the North Pacific Ocean

Concentrations of four essential elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu) and two toxic metals (Cd and Hg) were measured in selected tissues of 19 pelagic seabird species collected in the North Pacific and neighboring waters. Essential metal concentrations were generally highest in the liver and less variable than toxic metals among species and also within each species. Fe concentrations in the muscle were higher in Alcidae than in the other families, whereas the opposite trend was found for Fe and Mn in the liver. Zn concentrations varied among species, depending on the Cd concentrations. On the other hand, toxic metal concentrations were highest in the liver or kidney and varied widely among species, greatly depending on differences in the diet among species. Extraordinarily high Hg concentrations were found in Black-footed Albatrosses,Diomedea nigripes, exceeding 300 g/g wet weight in some, and seemed to be due to constraints on the elimination of Hg. Also, some geographical differences in Cd and Hg concentrations of the seabirds were observed. The concentrations of Cd and Hg reported here, however, seem to be natural rather than due to environmental pollution.     

Relationship Between DDE Concentrations and Laying Sequence in Eggs of Two Passerine Species

Passerine eggs make useful biomonitors of environmental pollutants. Among passerines, it is not known whether organochlorine contaminants in eggs within the same clutch are independent observations or follow a laying order effect. Intraclutch variation of DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis[(p-chlorophenyl)]ethylene) concentrations was studied in eggs collected from prothonotary warblers (Protonotaria citrea) and European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) nesting on National Priority List sites in lower Alabama and central Colorado, respectively. All 209 eggs collected for this study contained detectable levels of DDE. Mean concentration of DDE across all prothonotary warbler eggs (mean 8.71 g/g ± 1.19, n = 20) was almost two orders of magnitude greater than mean concentrations of DDE in all starling eggs (mean 0.70 g/g ± 0.06, n = 189). In both species, there was a large amount of variability among individual eggs of the same clutch and no significant relationship between laying order and DDE concentration. Variation among eggs laid in the same sequential order was high and effectively masked any potential trends in laying order effect. We hypothesized that the variability was caused by the spatial heterogeneity of DDE on our study sites, the nature of egg development within a female passerine, or a combination of these factors. Investigators focusing on lipophilic contaminants should exercise caution when making inferences about contaminant concentrations in an entire clutch of passerine eggs after the collection and analysis of a single egg because our data show that DDE levels in a single egg collected for analysis do not consistently reflect DDE levels in the eggs remaining in the nest.     

A Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Fish and an Invertebrate from the Gulf of Antalya

This study was conducted to determine the levels of Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb in the Red mullet (Mullus barbatus), Grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) and Green tiger prawn (Panaeus semisulcatus) species caught in the Gulf of Antalya and to assess the health risks associated with their consumption. The average values (mg/kg d.w.) were calculated to be Pb (0.29 ± 0.14), Cd (0.02 ± 0.03), Zn (5.64 ± 1.58) and Cu (1.64 ± 1.02) in M. barbatus; Pb (0.22 ± 0.12), Cd (0.02 ± 0.01), Zn (7.66 ± 2.29) and Cu (1.33 ± 0.82) in M. cephalus; Pb (0.25 ± 0.16), Cd (0.04 ± 0.05), Zn (13.33 ± 3.34) and Cu (5.15 ± 2.09) in P. semisulcatus. The detected levels of the studied metals were below the legal and daily intake limits according to national and international standards, although the mean Pb level in M. barbatus was close to the legal limit (0.30 mg/kg). Target hazard quotient values were also all below 1, meaning that there is no health risk.     

Metal Concentrations in the Eggs of Endangered Florida Scrub-Jays from Central Florida

We analyzed metal levels in the eggs of the endangered Florida scrub-jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens), an extremely sedentary and modestly long-lived passerine bird. Eggs were obtained as part of the long-term study of this species at the Archbold Biological Station, located in south central Florida. Following a brief and usually short dispersal, Florida scrub-jays remain in a permanent territory in their scrub oak habitat, where they feed mainly on insects and acorns. As they are low on the food chain and sedentary, we expected levels of contaminants to be comparatively low and to reflect the local environment. No significant yearly differences existed for any metal between eggs collected in 1997 (n = 11) and 1998 (n = 5). Arithmetic mean metal concentrations (whole egg, dry weight) were low for arsenic (34 ppb), cadmium (25 ppb), mercury (74 ppb), and lead (66 ppb), intermediate for chromium (226 ppb), and higher for selenium (1,470 ppb) and manganese (2,230 ppb). Except for the low mercury value, all these means were within the range of mean values reported for a wide range of nonpasserine species, including those at high trophic levels, but are lower than concentrations associated with abnormalities in birds. The three essential elements (chromium, selenium, and manganese) were approximately normally distributed, whereas arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury were highly skewed (arithmetic mean much higher than geometric mean). Received: 30 November 1998/Accepted: 19 April 1999     

Metal Concentrations in Marine Fishes Collected from Hara Biosphere in Iran

The metal levels (Hg, As, Cu, and Zn) in tissues of edible fish species (Pampus argenteus, Sillago sihama, Liza klunzingeri and Platycephalus indicus) were evaluated. The metal concentrations were found to follow the order: liver > kidney > gill > muscle, except for Zn from P. argenteus showing an inversion of liver and kidney. Generally, the benthic species (P. indicus and S. sihama) showed a marked potential for tolerating high metal levels. Significant negative correlations were found between fish size/age and metals concentration in the most organs. The element levels in the muscles were lower than the maximum allowable concentrations, except for mercury in S. sihama and P. indicus.