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Albertos S, Berenguer NI, Sánchez-Virosta P, Gómez-Ramírez P, Jiménez P, Torres-Chaparro MY, Valverde I, Navas I, María-Mojica P, García-Fernández AJ, Espín S. Mercury Exposure in Birds Linked to Marine Ecosystems in the Western Mediterranean. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2020; 79:435-453. [PMID: 33106911 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-020-00768-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), particularly as methylmercury (MeHg), is a nonessential, persistent, and bioaccumulative toxic element with high biomagnification capacity and is considered a threat to marine environments. We evaluated total Hg concentrations in liver, kidney, and brain in 62 individuals of 9 bird species linked to marine ecosystems from western Mediterranean admitted in a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WRC) (Alicante, Spain, 2005-2020). Age- and sex-related differences in Hg levels, as well as the cause of admission to the WRC, were also evaluated in certain species. The species studied were: northern gannet (Morus bassanus), European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis), great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis), razorbill (Alca torda), common tern (Sterna hirundo), and black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus). Concentrations in feathers of 27 individuals, and concentrations in internal tissues in 7 other individuals of 7 different species were also reported but not statistically evaluated due to the limited number of samples. Results suggest that individuals were chronically exposed to Hg through diet. The differences in Hg concentrations among species may be explained by their diet habits. Mercury concentrations strongly correlated between tissues (r = 0.78-0.94, p < 0.001, n = 61-62). Some individuals of certain species (i.e., European shag, northern gannet, and great cormorant) showed Hg concentrations close to or above those described in the literature as causing reproductive alterations in other avian species. Consequently, certain individuals inhabiting western Mediterranean could be at risk of suffering long-term, Hg-related effects. Some of the species evaluated are listed within different categories of threat according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and are endangered at a national level, so this study will provide valuable information for assessors and authorities in charge of the management of the environment and pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Albertos
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Neus I Berenguer
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Virosta
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pilar Gómez-Ramírez
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
- Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pedro Jiménez
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - María Y Torres-Chaparro
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Irene Valverde
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Isabel Navas
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
- Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pedro María-Mojica
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
- "Santa Faz" Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Consellería de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente, Cambio Climático y Desarrollo Rural, Alicante, Generalitat Valenciana, Spain.
| | - Antonio J García-Fernández
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
- Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Silvia Espín
- Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, Area of Toxicology, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
- Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
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Vizuete J, Pérez-López M, Míguez-Santiyán MP, Hernández-Moreno D. Mercury (Hg), Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Selenium (Se), and Arsenic (As) in Liver, Kidney, and Feathers of Gulls: A Review. REVIEWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2019; 247:85-146. [PMID: 30413976 DOI: 10.1007/398_2018_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), and arsenic (As) are metals or metalloids of high concern because of their effects on the environment and, specially, their potential toxicity on the animals inhabiting there. Due to their relevance, these elements have been object of several biomonitoring studies in different animal species around the world. Birds are widespread and, as species, are able to supply specific and relevant information about the regions where they live, being useful as bioindicators, as long as they are not birds with a strong migratory character. The main goal of this review is to summarize data collected from different studies using seabirds, paying special attention to gulls, in order to be helpful for coming studies and regulatory affairs.Several tissues have been used to evaluate Hg, Cd, Pb, Se, and As concentrations in seabirds, being focused the present review in those analyzing the liver, kidneys, and feathers. The most frequently analyzed tissue for Hg was the liver, followed by feathers, and finally kidney. For Cd levels, most of the studies were carried out in the liver, followed by feathers and kidneys. Pb, Se, and As levels were determined to a lesser extent. Feathers should be taken carefully as indicator of accumulation of pollutants, since procedure during analysis may lead to controversial results.Some authors reported that interspecific differences in the exposure of elements are determined by multiple factors, including properties of the contaminant, species, feeding habits, migratory status, sex, and age.The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the analyzed elements' occurrence in different species of seabirds, including gulls. Therefore, it can be a useful database providing for Hg, Pb, Cd, Se, and As levels in different tissues of seabirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Vizuete
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UEX), Toxicology Area, Cáceres, Spain
| | - Marcos Pérez-López
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UEX), Toxicology Area, Cáceres, Spain
- INBIO G+C Research Institutes, Cáceres, Spain
| | - María Prado Míguez-Santiyán
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UEX), Toxicology Area, Cáceres, Spain.
- INBIO G+C Research Institutes, Cáceres, Spain.
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Liao F, Gu W, Li D, Liang J, Fu X, Xu W, Duan R, Wang X, Jing H, Dai J. Characteristics of microbial communities and intestinal pathogenic bacteria for migrated Larus ridibundus in southwest China. Microbiologyopen 2018; 8:e00693. [PMID: 29978594 PMCID: PMC6460275 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Larus ridibundus, a migratory wild bird, has become one of the most popular gull species in southwest China in recent years. There has been no information on the gut microbiota and intestinal pathogenic bacteria configuration in wild L. ridibundus, even though the public are in close contact with this bird. In this study, 16S rRNA amplicon‐sequencing methods were used to describe the microbial community structure and intestinal pathogenic bacteria were isolated to identify their characteristics. The taxonomic results revealed that Firmicutes (86%), Proteobacteria (10%), and Tenericutes (3%) were the three most abundant phyla in the gut of L. ridibundus. Enterococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, and Mycoplasmataceae were the most predominant families, respectively. The number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs), the richness estimates and diversity indices of microbiota, was statistically different (p < 0.05). However, beta diversity showed that no statistical significance (p > 0.05) between all the fecal samples. The most frequently isolated intestinal pathogenic bacteria from L. ridibundus were enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (32%) and Salmonella (21%). Pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) results of Salmonella species revealed a high degree of similarity between isolates, which was not observed for other species. None of the potentially pathogenic isolates were identical to human‐isolated counterparts suggesting that there was little cross‐infection between humans and gulls, despite close proximity. In brief, this study provided a baseline for future L. ridibundus microbiology analysis, and made an understanding of the intestinal bacterial community structure and diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Liao
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province, Kunming, Yunnan, China.,The Affiliated Hospital of Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Wenpeng Gu
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, The Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China.,Department of Acute Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China
| | - Duo Li
- Department of Acute Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China
| | - Junrong Liang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoqing Fu
- Department of Acute Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China
| | - Wen Xu
- Department of Acute Infectious Diseases Control and Prevention, Yunnan Provincial Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Kunming, China
| | - Ran Duan
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Wang
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Huaiqi Jing
- National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Beijing, China
| | - Jiejie Dai
- Center of Tree Shrew Germplasm Resources, Institute of Medical Biology, The Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Vaccine Research and Development on Severe Infectious Diseases, Yunnan Innovation Team of Standardization and Application Research in Tree Shrew, Kunming, China
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Szumiło-Pilarska E, Falkowska L, Grajewska A, Meissner W. Mercury in Feathers and Blood of Gulls from the Southern Baltic Coast, Poland. WATER, AIR, AND SOIL POLLUTION 2017; 228:138. [PMID: 28344366 PMCID: PMC5346437 DOI: 10.1007/s11270-017-3308-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Gulls were assessed as sentinels of contamination in the coastal zone of the Southern Baltic, research material being obtained from dead birds collected on Polish beaches and near fishing ports in 2009-2012. In feathers and blood of four gull species: herring gull (Larus argentatus), common gull (Larus canus), black-headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus), and great black-backed gull (Larus marinus), concentration of total mercury (HgT) was assayed, taking into account the type of feathers, sex, and age. Stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C) were used as tracers of trophic position in the food web. In the study, feathers and blood were compared as non-invasive indicators of alimentary exposure introducing mercury into the system. In order to do that, the correlations between mercury concentrations in the blood, feathers, and the birds' internal tissues were examined. The strongest relations were observed in the liver for each species R2Common Gull = 0.94, p = 0.001; R2Black-headed Gull = 0.89, p = 0.001; R2Great Black-backed Gull = 0.53, p = 0.001; R2Herring Gull = 0.78, p = 0.001. While no correlation was found with feathers, only developing feathers of juvenile herring gulls were found to be a good indicator immediate of exposure through food (R2muscle = 0.71, p = 0.001; R2kidneys = 0.73, p = 0.001; R2heart = 0.89, p = 0.001; R2lungs = 0.86, p = 0.001; R2brain = 0.83, p = 0.001). Additionally, based on studies of herring gull primary feathers, decrease of mercury concentration in the diet of birds over the last two decades is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Szumiło-Pilarska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Lucyna Falkowska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Grajewska
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Al. Piłsudskiego 46, 81-387 Gdynia, Poland
| | - Włodzimierz Meissner
- Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdańsk, ul. Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
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Mansouri B, Pourkhabbaz A, Babaei H, Hoshyari E, Khodaparast SH, Mirzajani A. Assessment of trace-metal concentrations in Western Reef heron (Egretta gularis) and Siberian gull (Larus heuglini) from southern Iran. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2012; 63:280-7. [PMID: 22481524 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-012-9762-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2011] [Accepted: 03/20/2012] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of heavy metals, namely, chromium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and iron, in Western Reef heron (Egretta gularis) (n = 15) and Siberian gull (Larus heuglini) (n = 15) to (1) compare metal concentrations between two bird species with different trophic level, molting pattern, and life strategy; (2) examine species- and sex-related variations in trace-metal accumulation; and (3) determine the significance between heavy-metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle. Bird samples were collected from November to December 2010 throughout the Hara Biosphere Reserve, and heavy metals were assayed by using a Shimadzu AA 680 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer; the results were given as μg/g dry weight. Metal concentrations were different between the bird species as well as among bird tissues, but there was no difference (except chromium and iron in kidney) between sex (male vs. female). Mean levels in kidney of Western Reef heron and Siberian gull were chromium (0.96, 2.32 μg/g), copper (6.31, 10.55 μg/g), cobalt (0.12, 0.14 μg/g), nickel (1.13, 1.32 μg/g), and iron (37.92, 39.64 μg/g), respectively, whereas in liver they were chromium (1.05, 2.75 μg/g), copper (8.93, 12.63 μg/g), cobalt (0.09, 0.17 μg/g), nickel (1.1, 2.27 μg/g), and iron (34.03, 44.21 μg/g), respectively. Results showed that heavy-metal concentrations in Western Reef heron were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > nickel > chromium > cobalt, whereas in Siberian gull they were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > chromium > nickel > cobalt. Results also showed that in both species, the highest chromium and nickel concentrations were measured in female birds and the lowest in male birds, whereas the highest copper, cobalt, and iron (except iron in liver) concentrations were measured in male birds and the lowest in female birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Borhan Mansouri
- Young Researchers Club, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran.
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