Abstract
Simple SummaryHeavy metal pollution of environmental ecosystems has become rather a significant factor in assessing them, as heavy metals can significantly influence animal health. The objective of this study was to examine a possible association between contents of selected heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, lead, chrome, zinc, and manganese in intestines of foxes and between prevalence of fox intestinal parasites. The association was not fully proven. On the contrary, sensitivity of parasites to cadmium was demonstrated; with increasing cadmium content in the intestine of the host, prevalence of parasites decreased to zero. No parasites were found in the intestine, when concentration of accumulated cadmium exceeded the level of 0.05 milligrams per kilogram, which represents the limit for meat (excluding offal) of bovine animals, sheep, pig, and poultry according to the Regulation (EU) No. 488/2014 amending the Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006). Thus, even cadmium content below the above limit showed an impact on parasite biodiversity.The aim of this study was (i) to compare levels of accumulated heavy metals in the fox intestines with and without parasites. Moreover, our research also dealt with (ii) examination of the relationship between heavy metal content in fox intestines and between the presence of fox intestinal parasites. The intestines of 34 hunter-killed foxes were dissected to detect the occurrence of parasites. In 15 intestinal samples, parasitic intestinal helminths were found. Heavy metal content in small intestine tissue and in parasites was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The prevalence of parasites was significantly dependent on Cd content in the host’s small intestine (p < 0.01). To conclude, the authors suggest that parasites are sensitive to Cd levels; their prevalence in the intestines of the fox host decreases to zero with increasing Cd content.
Highlights
Wildlife, farm animals, and humans are exposed to increasing environmental pollution
Specific animal indicators for detection of pollution in aquatic ecosystems have already been proposed; amounts of heavy metals found in the Hysterothylacium aduncum nematode were used to assess the contents of waterborne contaminants [6]
High metal accumulation capacity has previously been reported for fish parasites, especially for spiny-headed worms from the phylum Acanthocephala
Summary
Farm animals, and humans are exposed to increasing environmental pollution. Pollutant contents in their bodies and average pollutant concentrations in the environment are required to correlate identically at all locations and conditions [1] Due to their functional influence in animal hierarchy [2], that is because of their position in the food chains [3], parasites exert the potential to be regarded as bio-indicators of heavy metals, especially when anthropogenic pollution must be monitored [1,4]. Due to their higher potential to accumulate heavy metals before contamination occurs in animal tissues used for human consumption, parasites are considered bio-indicators capable of indicating possible environmental burdens. Specific animal indicators for detection of pollution in aquatic ecosystems have already been proposed; amounts of heavy metals found in the Hysterothylacium aduncum nematode were used to assess the contents of waterborne contaminants [6]
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