Brains of Native and Alien Mesocarnivores in Biomonitoring of Toxic Metals in Europe

Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are involved in mammalian brain damage. However, little is known about Pb and Cd brain levels in wildlife that reflect the geochemical background. The aims of the study include the estimation of Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations, and the determination of relations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PloS one 2016-08, Vol.11 (8), p.e0159935
Main Authors: Kalisinska, Elzbieta, Lanocha-Arendarczyk, Natalia, Kosik-Bogacka, Danuta, Budis, Halina, Podlasinska, Joanna, Popiolek, Marcin, Pirog, Agnieszka, Jedrzejewska, Ewa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Animal reproduction
Animals
Background levels
Baseline studies
Bioindicators
Biological monitoring
Biology
Biology and Life Sciences
Biomonitoring
Brain
Brain - drug effects
Brain - metabolism
Brain damage
Brain injury
Brain research
Cadmium
Cadmium content
Carnivora - classification
Carnivora - metabolism
Diet
Earth Sciences
Ecology and Environmental Sciences
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Environmental Pollutants - toxicity
Environmental pollution
Europe
European otter
Geochemistry
Heavy Metal Poisoning
Heavy metals
Hunting
Kidneys
Lead
Lead content
Lutra lutra
Lutrinae
Mammalia
Mammals
Martes foina
Martes martes
Medical research
Meles meles
Mercury
Mercury (metal)
Metals
Metals - metabolism
Metals - toxicity
Metals, Heavy - analysis
Mustela putorius
Neovison vison
Nervous system
Nyctereutes procyonoides
Parasitology
Physical Sciences
Physiological aspects
Poisoning
Procyon lotor
Studies
Vulpes vulpes
Wildlife
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Summary:Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are involved in mammalian brain damage. However, little is known about Pb and Cd brain levels in wildlife that reflect the geochemical background. The aims of the study include the estimation of Hg, Pb and Cd concentrations, and the determination of relationships between these elements in the brains of 94 mesocarnivores. Road-killed or hunted animals were obtained from north-western Poland near the Polish-German border. The investigation covered the native Eurasian otter Lutra lutra, badger Meles meles, pine marten Martes martes, beech marten M. foina, European polecat Mustela putorius, red fox Vulpes vulpes, and alien species: feral and ranch American mink Neovison vison, raccoon Procyon lotor and raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides. Depending on the diet and environmental pollution, the carnivore brains accumulated toxic metals in varying amounts. The highest median Hg levels (in mg/kg dry weight, dw) were found in the piscivorous Eurasian otter and feral mink (2.44 and 3.96), Pb in the omnivorous raccoon (0.47), while Cd in minks (~0.06). We indicated that Pb-based ammunition is a significant source of the element in scavengers from hunting area, and we also found a significant correlation between Pb and Cd levels in the fox brain. Finally, this study is the first to suggest background levels for brain Pb and Cd in mesocarnivores (
ISSN:1932-6203
1932-6203
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0159935