arsenic

Heavy metals and metalloid levels in the tissues of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) from Spain: sex, age, and geographical location differences

Enlace mardeaves ESPECIES,Larus michahellis,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,,,,
Vizuete, J., Hernández-Moreno, D., López-Beceiro, A., Fidalgo, L.E., Soler, F., Pérez-López, M. and Míguez-Santiyán, M.P., 2022. Heavy metals and metalloid levels in the tissues of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) from Spain: sex, age, and geographical location differences. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(36), pp.54292-54308.

Mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), and arsenic (As) were measured in liver, kidney, and feathers of adult, juvenile, and chick seagulls (Larus michahellis) collected from the northwest of Spain. Age, sex, and the geographical location of samples were considered variables that can influence metal bioaccumulation, for which concentrations were determined by means of ICP-MS. The mean concentrations (dry weight) found in seagulls were 7.01 ± 0.37 mg Hg/kg, 22.82 ± 2.83 mg Cd/kg, 7.36 ± 1.36 mg Pb/kg, 18.64 ± 0.63 mg Se/kg, and 10.64 ± 0.59 mg As/kg. Regarding the different factors analyzed, Hg was the only metal showing sex-related differences, being significantly higher (p < 0.05) the concentrations found in feathers of males (1.26 ± 0.12 mg/kg) than those in females (0.99 ± 0.11 mg/kg). A highly significant (p < 0.01) increase in levels of some metals was found in liver related to the increase of age: Hg (adults (A) 3.33 ± 0.22 mg/kg vs chicks (C) 1.76 ± 0.28 mg/kg), Cd (A 4.74 ± 0.62 mg/kg vs C 1.79 ± 0.2), Pb (A 0.65 ± 0.12 mg/kg vs juveniles 0.4 ± 0.11 mg/kg), and Se (A 7.56 ± 0.43 mg/kg vs C 5.24 ± 0.53 mg/kg). Positive correlations between Cd-Hg and Se–Hg were found in liver (p < 0.001), kidney (p < 0.001), and feathers (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). The associations found may reflect antagonistic interactions between Se and Cd on Hg toxicity. The results suggest that L. michahellis can reveal local contamination around the foraging and breeding sites and can be a very useful monitoring instrument for assessing heavy metal contamination and sentinel species of environmental health..

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Metal content in the liver, kidney, and feathers of Northern gannets, Morus bassanus, sampled on the Spanish coast

Enlace mardeaves Morus bassanus,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Nardiello, V., Fidalgo, L.E., López-Beceiro, A., Bertero, A., Martínez-Morcillo, S., Míguez, M.P., Soler, F., Caloni, F. and Pérez-López, M., 2019. Metal content in the liver, kidney, and feathers of Northern gannets, Morus bassanus, sampled on the Spanish coast. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, pp.1-9.

The value of birds as bioindicators for monitoring the environmental inorganic elements has been globally recognized. In this context, due to its well-known ecology and population stability, the Northern gannet (Morus bassanus) could be particularly useful. Dead Northern gannets (n = 30) were collected and samples from the liver, kidney, and feathers were taken, dried, mineralized, and finally analyzed via ICP-MS. Metals and metalloids, namely As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn, associated with environmental pollution and toxicity on living organisms, were evaluated. The mean highest concentrations of As, Hg, and Zn were found in the liver (0.916, 7.026, and 89.81 mg/kg dry weight, respectively). For Cd, the kidney showed the highest mean concentration (17.51 mg/kg dry weight), whereas for Pb, this value corresponded to the feathers (0.399 mg/kg dry weight). Significant differences were found between the age classes in terms of contaminant concentrations, with the adults exhibiting higher metal levels. This difference was significantly relevant for Pb and Hg, where the effect of age was observed for all the considered tissues. When considering the effect of gender, no significant differences were observed, in agreement with similar studies performed in other geographical regions. Finally, positive correlations between the concentrations of Hg and Pb in the feathers and in the liver (r = 0.688, p < 0.001 and r = 0.566, p < 0.001, respectively) were observed, as well as between the feather and kidney concentrations (r = 0.685, p < 0.001) indicating the possibility to use feathers, a non-invasive biomonitoring tissue, for better understanding Hg and Pb exposure in seabirds.

Heavy metal and arsenic content in seabirds affected by the Prestige oil spill on the Galician coast (NW Spain)

Enlace mardeaves Alca torda,Fratercula arctica,PUBLICACIÓN CIENTÍFICA,REPOSITORIO,Uria aalge ,,,
Pérez-López, M., Cid, F., Oropesa, A.L., Fidalgo, L.E., Beceiro, A.L. & Soler, F., 2006. Heavy metal and arsenic content in seabirds affected by the Prestige oil spill on the Galician coast (NW Spain). Science of the total environment, 359(1), pp.209-220.

Seabirds are top consumers in marine foodchains which offer opportunities to detect and assess the toxicological effects of different inorganic elements on the marine ecosystem. In order to provide baseline data concerning trace element levels in seabird species from NW Spain, zinc, copper, arsenic, chromium, lead, cadmium and mercury concentrations were analyzed in liver of three different seabird species (common guillemot, Atlantic puffin and razorbill) affected by the Prestige oil spill in September 2002 on the Galician coast. In general, with the exception of mercury, levels of all the analyzed elements were similar or lower in comparison with those reported for the same species in other Atlantic areas, and did not exceed levels indicative of increased environmental exposure.