Beavers indicate metal pollution away from industrial centers in northeastern Poland.

Aleksandra Giżejewska,Julien Fattebert,Anna Spodniewska,Dariusz Barski

doi:10.1007/s11356-014-3769-8

Abstract

Heavy metals are persistent environmental contaminants, and wild animals are increasingly exposed to the harmful effects of compounds of anthropogenic origin, even in areas distant from industrial centers. We used atomic absorption spectrometry to determine levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in liver and kidney of wild Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) in Poland. Cd concentrations in liver (0.21 ± 0.44 μg/g) and in kidney (2.81 ± 4.52 μg/g) were lower in juvenile than in adult beavers. Pb concentrations in liver (0.08 ± 0.03 μg/g) and kidney (0.08 ± 0.03 μg/g) were similar among all individuals, while both Cu and Zn levels were higher in liver (Cu 9.2 ± 4.5 μg/g; Zn 35.7 ± 3.5 μg/g) than in kidney (Cu 3.7 ± 1.1 μg/g; Zn 21.5 ± 2.7 μg/g). Cu levels also differed between juveniles and adults. We reviewed the literature reporting metal concentrations in beavers. Our results indicate metal contamination in beavers away from important industrial emission sources and suggest the natural environment should be regularly monitored to ensure their levels are below recommended, legal values.

Highlights

Wild animals are exposed to environmental contaminants of both natural and anthropogenic origin and are suitable bioindicators of environmental pollution (O’Brien et al 1993; Mason and Stephenson 2001; Ansara-Ross et al 2013; Petkovšek et al 2014)
We found no differences between female (n=6) and male (n=4) beavers for any of the four metal concentrations in liver or kidney (Fig. 1)
Cu levels were significantly lower in adults than in juveniles (U=0.0; Z=2.452; p=0.014), and in kidney, Cu levels were significantly higher in adults than in juveniles (U=2.0; Z=−2.025; p=0.043)

Summary

Introduction

Wild animals are exposed to environmental contaminants of both natural and anthropogenic origin and are suitable bioindicators of environmental pollution (O’Brien et al 1993; Mason and Stephenson 2001; Ansara-Ross et al 2013; Petkovšek et al 2014). With growing public awareness of environmental pollution, regular monitoring of pollutants in the environment is essential to ensure levels of pollutants are below harmful or recommended, legal values (Nasreddine and Parent-massin 2002; European Commission 2006) Such monitoring should be carried out in industrialized areas and in natural and agricultural ecosystems away from the source of emissions (Nasreddine and Parent-massin 2002; Szkoda et al 2012)

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