Trace element accumulation in short-tailed albatrosses (Diomedea albatrus) and black-footed albatrosses (Diomedea nigripes) from Torishima Island, Japan

Abstract

Concentrations of 19 trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) were determined in liver, kidney, muscle, feather and stomach content of short-tailed albatross and feather of black-footed albatross from Torishima Island, Japan. For most of the elements, concentrations in liver and kidney were higher than those in musde and feather, whereas concentrations of Ga, Sr and Ba were highest in feather of short-tailed albatross. Metal concentrations in tissues of short-tailed albatross were within the range of those reported for albatrosses from other locations. Conceptions of Cr, Mn, Hg and Pb were relatively low in the tissues of short-tailed albatross. indicating less contamination by these metals in this species of Torishima Island. No significant differences were observed in metal concentrations in feather between short-tailed albatross and black-footed albatross. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the trace element accumulation in tissues of short-tailed albatross.