Heavy Metals in Brown Bears from the Central European Carpathians

O Čelechovská,Z Pospíšil,S Ondruš,I Literák

doi:10.2754/avb200675040501

O Čelechovská, Z Pospíšil + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.2754/avb200675040501

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess heavy metal load in the brown bear (Ursus arctos) living in the central European Carpathians. Between 2002 and 2004, fifteen bears were examined to evaluate the distribution of cadmium, lead, mercury and copper in the animals' muscles (diaphragm), spleen, liver and kidney. The highest content of cadmium, lead and mercury was found in the kidney (17.4 ± 5.2 mg kg-1, 1.16 ± 0.39 mg kg-1, 0.39 ± 0.25 mg kg-1), whereas the lowest content of the metals was observed in the muscles (0.017 ± 0.009 mg kg-1, 0.299 ± 0.308 mg kg-1, 0.013 ± 0.011 mg kg-1). Second highest concentration of cadmium, lead and mercury was detected in the liver (0.83 ± 0.24 mg kg-1, 0.99 ± 0.61 mg kg-1, 0.11 ± 0.05 mg kg-1). Copper distributions and concentrations in bear tissues were as follows (in descending order): liver (23.9 ± 6.7 mg kg-1), > kidneys (9.0 ± 3.3 mg kg-1), > muscles (1.9 ± 1.6 mg kg-1) and > spleen (1.0 ± 0.2 mg kg-1). As compared with heavy metal load observed in bear tissues between 1988 and 1990, the concentration of cadmium in the muscles and liver was significantly lower (p < 0.01). On the contrary, mercury values were significantly higher in the liver (p < 0.05), kidney and muscle (p < 0.01). Lead and copper tissue concentrations did not change substantially.

Highlights

Heavy metals are a part of the Earth’s crust and their biosphere incidence, distribution and form are influenced by anthropogenic activities rather than natural processes (Nriagu 1988, 1991; Nriagu and Pacyna 1988)
Immissions caused by burning fossil fuels and waste, car exhausts and residua of widely used pesticides can result in the environment contamination by inorganic and organic compounds
Heavy metals in brown bear tissues were detected in the Karelian area of Address for correspondence: Doc.Ing

Summary

Introduction

Heavy metals are a part of the Earth’s crust and their biosphere incidence, distribution and form are influenced by anthropogenic activities rather than natural processes (Nriagu 1988, 1991; Nriagu and Pacyna 1988). Heavy metal contamination in the Slovak Carpathians can be influenced by industrial plants affecting the local environment for the past several decades. They are mainly thermal power stations consuming brown coal (Keegan et al 2006), copper and aluminium works (W ilcke et al 1998, 1999), or extractive industry (Miadoková et al 2000). The aim of our study was to determine the content and distribution of cadmium, lead, mercury and copper in tissues of brown bears living in the western Carpathians of central Slovakia between 2002 and 2004, to compare heavy metal concentrations with the values observed in the same location between 1988 and 1990 (Îilinãar et al 1992), and to comment on the overall dynamism

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