Loading…
Heavy metals in the livers of waterfowl from the ouse washes, England
The concentrations of zinc, copper, lead, cadmium and mercury were determined on a mg kg −1 dry weight basis, in the livers of 301 waterfowl collected drring September–January 1971–1972 and 1972–1973, on the Ouse Washes. The main purpose was to obtain estimates of the background levels of the metals...
Saved in:
Published in: | Environmental pollution. Series A. Ecological and biological 1982-01, Vol.29 (4), p.317-327 |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Citations: | Items that this one cites Items that cite this one |
Online Access: | Get full text |
Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
Summary: | The concentrations of zinc, copper, lead, cadmium and mercury were determined on a mg kg
−1 dry weight basis, in the livers of 301 waterfowl collected drring September–January 1971–1972 and 1972–1973, on the Ouse Washes. The main purpose was to obtain estimates of the background levels of the metals from a relatively unpolluted area. Generally levels were found to be low, with means less than 3·7 mg kg
−1 for mercury, 603 mg kg
−1 for copper and 175 mg kg
−1 for zinc. Eighty six per cent of all samples had lead levels of less than 0·6 mg kg
−1 as did 82% of the samples for cadmium. Lead levels as high as 414 mg kg
−1, in a wigeon
Anas penelope and 94 mg kg
−1, in a shoveler
A. clypeata, were found. These are compared with results from other studies.
A positive linear trend was found between levels of mercury in livers of waterfowl species and the percentage weight of animal food in their diet. Negative linear trends were also found between the levels of both zinc and cooper, compared with the percentage weight of animal food. An apparent correlation between these metals and the moulting cycle of birds is also suggested. |
---|---|
ISSN: | 0143-1471 |
DOI: | 10.1016/0143-1471(82)90070-8 |