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Bandouchova H, Novotna Kruzikova K, Zukal J, Linhart P, Sedlackova J, Veitova L, Kalocsanyiova V, Pikula J, Svobodova Z. Natural mercury exposure of European insectivorous bats may exceed a recognized toxicity threshold. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024:10.1007/s10646-024-02785-5. [PMID: 39028383 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02785-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Heavy metals are an important group of toxic substances harmful for many organisms. Of these, mercury is one of the most monitored in the environment. Several matrices are used for the monitoring of environmental load, including a range of organisms; bats, however, have only been examined rarely. Insectivorous bats are apex predators threatened by several human interventions in their natural environment, including heavy metal pollution. The aim of this study was to analyze the content of total mercury in the fur, flight membrane, and pectoral muscle of greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis). Total mercury concentrations were also measured in carabid beetles from the catch locality Zastávka u Brna. Samples were obtained from 43 bat carcasses at two different localities in the Czech Republic (Zastávka u Brna, Malá Morávka). Total mercury content varied between 1.76-72.20 µg/g in fur, 0.04-0.14 µg/g in skin, and 0.05-0.20 µg/g in muscle. Total mercury values in the fur of some individuals from Malá Morávka exceeded the recognized toxicity limit. Furthermore, there was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in content of total mercury in fur between localities, and there was a clear effect of age on concentrations in fur, skin, and muscle, the concentrations being significantly correlated (fur and skin rs = 0.783; fur and muscle rs = 0.716; skin and muscle rs = 0.884). These findings confirm the usefulness of fur samples from living bats for biomonitoring mercury burden in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Bandouchova
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kamila Novotna Kruzikova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare & Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Zukal
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Linhart
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare & Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Sedlackova
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Veitova
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Kalocsanyiova
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Pikula
- Department of Ecology & Diseases of Zoo Animals, Game, Fish and Bees, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Svobodova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare & Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
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Parker MC, Fritts SR, Weaver SP, Meierhofer MB, Dutton J. Inter- and intraspecific variability of total mercury concentrations in bats of Texas (USA). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 259:119570. [PMID: 38971354 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to mercury (Hg) may cause deleterious health effects in wildlife, including bats. Texas produces more Hg pollution than any other state in the United States, yet only one study has examined Hg accumulation in bats. This study measured the concentration of total Hg (THg) in fur (n = 411) collected from ten bat species across 32 sites in eastern and central Texas, USA. Fur THg concentrations were compared among species, and when samples sizes were large enough, between sex and life stage within a species, and the proximity to coal-fired power plants. For all sites combined and species with a sample size ≥8, mean THg concentrations (μg/g dry weight) were greatest in tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus; 6.04), followed by evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis; 5.89), cave myotis (Myotis velifer; 2.11), northern yellow bats (Lasiurus intermedius; 1.85), Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis; 1.03), and red bats (Lasiurus borealis/blossevillii; 0.974), and lowest in hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus; 0.809). Within a species, fur THg concentrations did not significantly vary between sex for the five examined species (red bat, northern yellow bat, cave myotis, evening bat, Brazilian free-tailed bat) and only between life stage in evening bats. Site variations in fur THg concentrations were observed for evening bats, tri-colored bats, and Brazilian free-tailed bats. Evening bats sampled closer to point sources of Hg pollution had greater fur THg concentrations than individuals sampled further away. Sixteen percent of evening bats and 8.7% of tri-colored bats had a fur THg concentration exceeding the 10 μg/g toxicity threshold level, suggesting that THg exposure may pose a risk to the health of bats in Texas, particularly those residing in east Texas and on the upper Gulf coast. The results of this study can be incorporated into future management and recovery plans for bats in Texas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Parker
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Sarah R Fritts
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | | | - Melissa B Meierhofer
- Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA; Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Giunta F, Hernout BV, Langen TA, Twiss MR. A systematic review of trace elements in the tissues of bats (Chiroptera). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 356:124349. [PMID: 38866315 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Bats constitute about 22% of known mammal species; they have various ecological roles and provide many ecosystem services. Bats suffer from several threats caused by anthropization, including exposure to toxic metals and metalloids. We analyzed 75 papers in a systematic literature review to investigate how species, diet, and tissue type impact bioaccumulation. Most studies documented element accumulation in fur, liver, and kidney; at least 36 metals and metalloids have been measured in bat tissues, among the most studied were mercury and zinc. Comparisons with known toxicological thresholds for other mammals showed concerning values for mercury and zinc in bat hair, lead and some essential metals in liver, and iron and calcium in kidneys. Moreover, accumulation patterns in tissues differed depending on bat diet: insectivorous bats showed higher metal concentrations in fur than in liver and kidney while frugivorous species showed higher values in liver and kidney than in fur. Finally, among the bat species that have been studied in more than two papers, the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) show values of mercury in hair and copper in liver that exceed the known thresholds; as does copper in the liver of the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Most studies have been conducted in temperate North America and Eurasia, areas with the lowest bat species diversity; there is a paucity of data on tropical bat species. This review points out several information gaps in the understanding of metal contamination in bats, including a lack of measured toxicity thresholds specific for bat tissues. Data on trace element bioaccumulation and its associated health effects on bats is important for conservation of bat species, many of which are threatened.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Giunta
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Beatrice V Hernout
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, Potsdam, NY, USA; Exponent Inc, 1075 Worcester St, Natick, MA, 01760, USA
| | - Tom A Langen
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA
| | - Michael R Twiss
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, 13699, otsdam, NY, USA; Faculty of Science, Algoma University, 1520 Queen Street East, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, P6A 2G4, Canada.
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Sotero DF, Benvindo-Souza M, de Carvalho Lopes AT, de Freitas RMP, de Melo E Silva D. Damage on DNA and hematological parameters of two bat species due to heavy metal exposure in a nickel-mining area in central Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:1000. [PMID: 37495738 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11526-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to heavy metals in mining zones is a significant threat, which can affect ecosystem services and contribute to the decline of wild bat populations. The present study investigated the impacts caused by mining on two bat species in central Brazil, the nectarivorous Glossophaga soricina and the frugivorous Carollia perspicillata. The bats were collected from a nickel-mining zone (treatment) and a protected area (control). The leukocyte profile of each species was compiled and genotoxicity (comet assay) and mutagenicity (micronucleus test) were determined using the appropriate procedures. Glossophaga soricina presented significantly higher frequencies of eosinophils and monocytes in the mining zone in comparison with the protected area, whereas C. perspicillata presented higher frequencies of lymphocytes in the mining zone, but significantly lower frequencies of monocytes. Concomitantly, G. soricina also presented a higher frequency of DNA damage, although no variation was found in this parameter in C. perspicillata when comparing environments. We also found no significant differences between populations in terms of the frequency of micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities. Overall, the results of the study indicate that bats are susceptible to immunological disorders and DNA damage in mining zones, with the nectarivorous G. soricina appearing to be relatively more susceptible and thus a potentially effective bioindicator of the impact of contamination in these environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiany Folador Sotero
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Avenida Esperança, S/N, Campus Samambaia, 74.690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Marcelino Benvindo-Souza
- Postgraduate Program in Natural Resources of the Cerrado at the State University of Goiás, Anápolis, Brazil
| | - Alice Tâmara de Carvalho Lopes
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Avenida Esperança, S/N, Campus Samambaia, 74.690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Renata Maria Pereira de Freitas
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Avenida Esperança, S/N, Campus Samambaia, 74.690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Daniela de Melo E Silva
- Mutagenesis Laboratory, Federal University of Goiás, Avenida Esperança, S/N, Campus Samambaia, 74.690-900, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil.
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Çil EA, Uncumusaoğlu AA, Ergen ŞF, Gürbüzer P. Evaluation of water and sediment quality of İnaltı Cave (Northern Türkiye) by using multivariate statistical methods. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:667. [PMID: 37178185 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11262-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metals, which are among the important pollutants that threaten ecosystems, have been a particularly intriguing subject of accumulation studies. The present study aimed to reveal the water and sediment quality, pollution status, and their usability for living organisms in 10 stations for the first time in İnaltı cave, which has two underground ponds. Concentrations of 9 heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cr, Al) and 1 metalloid (As) were determined in samples taken. These results were compared to the limit values in Sediment Quality Guides (SQGs) and analyzed further using different sediment evaluation methods. SQG values revealed that the amounts of Cd and Ni are of concern. Examining the concentrations of metals in the water, the ranking by concentration was found to be Al > Cr > Pb > Cu > As > Mn and the elements were considered not to pose any environmental risk. The enrichment of detected Cd metal in the sediment is remarkable. In addition, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and hierarchical clustering analysis were carried out in order to make the obtained data easier to understand and interpret. While designing the most appropriate action plans for water management, more clear and understandable information can be obtained by using these methods and interpreting the raw data. In the cave, individuals belonging to the Niphargus genus, a member of the Malacostraca class, Niphargidae Family, were identified in the sediment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eylem Aydemir Çil
- Department of Environmental Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Sinop University, Sinop, Turkey.
| | - Arzu Aydin Uncumusaoğlu
- Department of Environmental Engineering Faculty of Engineering, Giresun University, Giresun, Turkey
| | | | - Pınar Gürbüzer
- Department of Limnology, Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, Turkey
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Cultivable Bacteria Associated with the Microbiota of Troglophile Bats. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12192684. [PMID: 36230424 PMCID: PMC9559301 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Troglophile bats live in colonies, often in sites exploited for agro-pastoral purposes. Determining the composition of the microbiome of bats is an important step in understanding their ecology and biology and can also provide information on the spread of pathogenic bacteria in their populations. This study aimed to determine how epidemiological factors shape the microbiome of troglophile bats and evaluate the occurrence of potentially pathogenic bacterial species. A total of 413 Gram-negative and 183 Gram-positive strains were isolated from 189 individuals of four species of troglophile bats living in Sicilian and Calabrian territory (Italy). Besides few potentially pathogenic bacteria, several strains with a hypothesized symbiotic role were found. Abstract Background: The study of bats is of significant interest from a systematic, zoogeographic, ecological, and physiological point of view. The aim of this study is to investigate the culturable aerobic enteric, conjunctival, and oral bacterial flora of bats to determine their physiological microbiome and to investigate the possible occurrence of pathogenic bacteria. Methods: Five hundred and sixty-seven samples were collected from 189 individuals of four species of troglophile bats (Myotis myotis, Myotis capaccinii, Miniopterus schreibersii, and Rhinolophus hipposideros) living in Sicilian and Calabrian territory (Italy). All samples were tested for Gram-negative bacteria; conjunctival and oral swabs were also submitted to bacteriological examination for Gram-positive bacteria. Results: Four hundred thirteen Gram-negative strains were isolated. Of these, 377 belonged to 17 different genera of the family Enterobacteriaceae and 30 to five other families. One hundred eighty-three Gram-positive strains were isolated. Of these, 73 belonged to the Staphylococcaceae family, 72 to the Bacillaceae family and 36 to four other families. Besides some potentially pathogenic strains, several bacterial species have been found that are common to all the bat species studied. These could perhaps play a physiological or nutritional role. Conclusion: A great variety of bacterial species were identified in the cultivable microbiota of southern-Italian troglophile bats, including several potentially pathogenic strains and numerous putatively symbiotic species.
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Cory-Toussaint D, Taylor PJ, Barnhoorn IEJ. Non-invasive sampling of bats reflects their potential as ecological indicators of elemental exposure in a diamond mining area, northern Limpopo Province, South Africa. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:13647-13660. [PMID: 34591248 PMCID: PMC8803726 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-16466-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Bats have been proposed as reliable bioindicators for monitoring bioaccumulation of elements and chemicals in natural and transformed ecosystems. Non-invasive methods are becoming more popular as research moves away from destructive methodologies. We present the first concentrations of 23 elements in Mops condylurus and Tadarida aegyptiaca (Molossidae) fur and blood from an opencast diamond mine and reference area using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrations of B, K, Rb and Cd in the bats' fur were significantly higher in the mining footprint compared to the reference area (P < 0.05). Other elements such as Zn and Hg were significantly higher in the blood of bats from the mining footprint than the reference area (P < 0.05), whereas Mn was significantly higher in the blood of bats from the reference area than from the mining footprint (P < 0.05). Sixteen of the 22 elements above the limit of detection, with the exception of Ba, were significantly higher in the fur samples than in the blood due to elements being incorporated over time into the fur as it grows, whereas blood reveals short-term exposure to elements. Concentrations of most of the elements were reasonably low except Al, Fe and Zn. In general, the element concentrations particularly in the fur samples were comparable with other international studies reporting elemental fur concentrations from anthropogenically impacted and natural areas. Fur and blood have the potential to be viable indicators of environmental toxicity, but research is required on toxic thresholds and physiological and ecological unknowns around element concentrations in bat tissues and organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dawn Cory-Toussaint
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Venda, P. Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Republic of South Africa.
| | - Peter J Taylor
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Venda, P. Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Republic of South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Afromontane Unit, University of the Free State - QwaQwa Campus, P. Bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba, 9866, South Africa
| | - Irene E J Barnhoorn
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Venda, P. Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, Republic of South Africa
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Brewer CT, Rauch-Davis WA, Fraser EE. The Use of Intrinsic Markers for Studying the Migratory Movements of Bats. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3477. [PMID: 34944252 PMCID: PMC8698158 DOI: 10.3390/ani11123477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Mortality of migratory bat species at wind energy facilities is a well-documented phenomenon, and mitigation and management are partially constrained by the current limited knowledge of bat migratory movements. Analyses of biochemical signatures in bat tissues ("intrinsic markers") can provide information about the migratory origins of individual bats. Many tissue samples for intrinsic marker analysis may be collected from living and dead bats, including carcasses collected at wind energy facilities. In this paper, we review the full suite of available intrinsic marker analysis techniques that may be used to study bat migration, with the goal of summarizing the current literature and highlighting knowledge gaps and opportunities. We discuss applications of the stable isotopes of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, sulfur; radiogenic strontium isotopes; trace elements and contaminants; and the combination of these markers with each other and with other extrinsic markers. We further discuss the tissue types that may be analyzed for each and provide a synthesis of the generalized workflow required to link bats to origins using intrinsic markers. While stable hydrogen isotope techniques have clearly been the leading approach to infer migratory bat movement patterns across the landscape, here we emphasize a variety of lesser used intrinsic markers (i.e., strontium, trace elements, contaminants) that may address new study areas or answer novel research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erin E. Fraser
- School of Science and the Environment, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 20 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada; (C.T.B.); (W.A.R.-D.)
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Bats are an excellent sentinel model for the detection of genotoxic agents. Study in a Colombian Caribbean region. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106141. [PMID: 34562432 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Wildlife animals have been affected by human activities and the diminution of the areas needed to develop wildlife. In Colombia, artisanal and industrial mining focuses on gold extraction, which uses mercury and causes contamination in water sources. Bats may be susceptible to chemical contamination and primarily to bioaccumulated heavy metal contaminants in the food chain. The primary source of exposure is contaminated food and water ingest, followed by dermic exposition and inhalation. The objective was to evaluategenotoxic damage and mercury concentration in bats. Forty-five samples of blood and organs of bats captured in Ayapel and Majagual were collected. Erythrocytes were searched for micronuclei by peripheral blood smear. Mercury concentration in 45 liver and spleen samples was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (DMA80 TRICELL, Milestone Inc, Italy). Bats from four families were studied: Phyllostomidae (6 species), Molossidae (3 species), Vespertilionidae (1 species), and Emballonuridae (1 species). Mercury was found in all bat species from the different dietary guilds. Insectivores had the highest concentration of mercury in the liver (0,23 µg/g) and spleen (0,25 µg/g) and the highest number of micronuclei (260 micronuclei/10,000). The specimens captured in Majagual had the highest frequency of micronuclei (677 micronuclei/10,000), and those captured in Ayapel had the highest mercury concentration (0,833 µg/g). This is the first study in Colombia to report that bats could act as sentinels to the environment's genotoxic chemical agents. Mercury and a high frequency of micronuclei were found in the tissues of captured bats. In addition to mercury contamination, there could also be other contaminants affecting Chiroptera.
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Oliveira FW, Schindler MSZ, Corá DH, Thiel N, Siebel AM, Galiano D. Oxidative state of the frugivorous bat Sturnira lilium (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) in agricultural and urban areas of southern Brazil. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2020; 27:30868-30874. [PMID: 32524408 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-09552-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to contaminants is one of the main threats to all living organisms. In this context, bats have been used to indicate environmental contaminants in urban and agricultural environments, since they are extremely sensitive to changes in the ecosystem and easily accumulate waste in their body tissues. Among bats, Sturnira lilium, is a frugivorous species widely distributed and abundant in Brazil that uses an extensive variety of habitats and shelters. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the oxidative state of S. lilium individuals in agricultural and urban areas in southern Brazil. Individuals were sampled in agricultural and urban areas from November 2017 to March 2018 through the mist-net method. Parameters of the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, non-protein thiols (NPSH), and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) were determined based on liver tissue. A total of 46 individuals were captured, 29 of them in urban areas and 17 in agricultural areas. We found that S. lilium individuals from agricultural areas showed a significant increase in TBARS, NPSH, and SOD activity, compared to individuals from urban areas. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme CAT did not differ. The present findings suggest that the species S. lilium, which are widely distributed and abundant in Brazil in urban and agricultural areas, can usefully be employed in biomonitoring programs. Further studies are to be encouraged to refine our knowledge on the potential DNA damage caused by environmental contamination, as well as identify potential contaminants to bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Weinmann Oliveira
- Laboratório de Genética e Ecotoxicologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Ambiental, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
| | - Monica Santin Zanatta Schindler
- Laboratório de Genética e Ecotoxicologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Ambiental, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
| | - Denyelle Hennayra Corá
- Laboratório de Tecnologia Ambiental, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
| | - Nathana Thiel
- Laboratório de Genética e Ecotoxicologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
| | - Anna Maria Siebel
- Laboratório de Genética e Ecotoxicologia Molecular, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Comunitária da Região de Chapecó, Chapecó, SC, Brazil
| | - Daniel Galiano
- Laboratório de Zoologia, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Campus Realeza, Rua Edmundo Gaievisk, 1000, Realeza, PR, 85770-000, Brazil.
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Copat C, Ferrante M, Hernout BV, Giunta F, Grasso A, Messina A, Grasso R, Spena MT. Trace Element Bioaccumulation in Stone Curlew ( Burhinus oedicnemus, Linnaeus, 1758): A Case Study from Sicily (Italy). Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E4597. [PMID: 32605267 PMCID: PMC7370152 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21134597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
: The study aimed to highlight the degree of trace element contamination along three sites of Sicily: the Magnisi peninsula (MP), located in proximity to the Augusta-Priolo-Melilli petrochemical plant; the Ragusa agro-ecosystem (RA), characterized by a rural landscape; and the Gela plain (GP), characterized by intensive agriculture and a disused petrochemical plant. We collected biological samples (abraded back feathers and blood) of the Stone Curlew (Burhinus oedicnemus Linnaeus, 1758) as well as soil samples to determine the trace elements concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Se and V using ICP-MS analysis. The results found for the three sites show different trends of accumulation, which depend on the different management and geological characteristics of the areas. The Gela plain and Magnisi peninsula showed a higher degree of contamination (As, Co, Cu, Mn and Se for the Gela plain; Pb and Hg for the Magnisi peninsula). Nevertheless, no critical values were found for either the environment-if the results are compared with the legal limits fixed by the Legislative Decree No. 152/2006, approving the Code on the Environment-or for living organisms-if the results are compared with the toxicological thresholds for birds, especially if the short-term exposure results from the blood values are considered. Only the Se levels in animal blood from the RA and GP were found slightly higher than the minimum level required in bird diets. The positive scenario can be attributed on the one hand to the interruptions of emissions of the Gela refinery around 5 years ago, and on the other hand to the more intense and strict controls that are implemented in the area surrounding the petrochemical pole of Augusta-Priolo-Melilli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Copat
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.C.); (M.F.); (A.G.)
| | - Margherita Ferrante
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.C.); (M.F.); (A.G.)
| | - Béatrice V. Hernout
- Institute for a Sustainable Environment, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Ave, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA;
- Department of Biology, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Ave, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA
| | - Flavia Giunta
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (R.G.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Alfina Grasso
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Advanced Technologies “G.F. Ingrassia”, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia 87, 95123 Catania, Italy; (C.C.); (M.F.); (A.G.)
| | - Andrea Messina
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (R.G.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Rosario Grasso
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (R.G.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Maria Teresa Spena
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Science, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124 Catania, Italy; (A.M.); (R.G.); (M.T.S.)
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12
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de Souza MB, de Souza Santos LR, Borges RE, Nunes HF, Vieira TB, Pacheco SM, de Melo E Silva D. Current Status of Ecotoxicological Studies of Bats in Brazil. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2020; 104:393-399. [PMID: 31993678 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-020-02794-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bats are sensitive to contaminants generated by agricultural activities, mining, and urbanization. In this review, we update the status of bat toxicology in Brazil. Agriculture, for example, in addition to habitat fragmentation and loss, undoubtedly affects non-target organisms through the use of pesticides. Other factors such as trace metals are a neglected problem in the country, as they can deposit on insects and plants reaching bats through the ingestion of these foods. Of the 184 species of bats in the country, only 4.9% have been investigated. The frugivorous species, Artibeus lituratus, has frequently been studied for the effects of pesticide exposure, and impacts at the cellular level on metabolism and reproduction have been observed. Given the scarcity of studies on bat ecotoxicology, we encourage national researchers and scientists elsewhere to increase knowledge of the effects of chemical contaminants on bats in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelino Benvindo de Souza
- Laboratório de Mutagênese, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, ICB I - Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, CEP: 74690-900, Brasil.
- Laboratório de Biologia Animal - Instituto Federal Goiano - IF Goiano, Rodovia Sul Goiana, Km 01, Zona Rural, Rio Verde, GO, CEP: 75.901-970, Brasil.
| | - Lia Raquel de Souza Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Animal - Instituto Federal Goiano - IF Goiano, Rodovia Sul Goiana, Km 01, Zona Rural, Rio Verde, GO, CEP: 75.901-970, Brasil.
| | - Rinneu Elias Borges
- Laboratório de Zoologia - Universidade de Rio Verde - UniRV, Fazenda Fontes do Saber, Rio Verde, GO, CEP: 75.901-970, Brasil
| | - Hugo Freire Nunes
- Laboratório de Mutagênese, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, ICB I - Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, CEP: 74690-900, Brasil
| | - Thiago Bernardi Vieira
- Laboratório de Ictiologia de Altamira, Universidade Federal do Pará, Campus Altamira, Rua Coronel José Porfírio 2515, São Sebastião, Altamira, PA, CEP: 68372-040, Brasil
| | - Susi Missel Pacheco
- Departamento de Pesquisa, Instituto Sauver, Av. Pernambuco 2623 sala 404, Floresta, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP: 90240005, Brasil
| | - Daniela de Melo E Silva
- Laboratório de Mutagênese, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, ICB I - Universidade Federal de Goiás, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, CEP: 74690-900, Brasil
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13
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Andreani G, Cannavacciuolo A, Menotta S, Spallucci V, Fedrizzi G, Carpenè E, Isani G. Environmental exposure to non-essential trace elements in two bat species from urbanised (Tadarida teniotis) and open land (Miniopterus schreibersii) areas in Italy. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 254:113034. [PMID: 31465904 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 08/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Bats are particularly suited as bioindicators of trace element pollution due to their longevity and their position in the trophic chain. In this study, the concentrations of ten non-essential trace elements (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb, Sr, Th, Tl) were determined in the tissues (whole body, skin-fur, skinned body, liver, kidney and bone) of lactant Tadarida teniotis from a nursery colony in Rome. A large number of bats from this nursery died before fledging and had bone deformities and fractures. The concentrations of non-essential trace elements in bone and whole body were also analysed in adult specimens of Miniopterus schreibersii from a colony located in a natural park in Northern Italy. In lactant T. teniotis, the Pb concentration decreased in the following order: bone>liver>skinned body>whole body>skin-fur>kidney, and exceeded the toxic threshold associated with negative effects reported for different mammalian species. The levels of the other non-essential trace elements were within a range indicative of low environmental contamination in both species. Significant interspecies differences (P < 0.05) were observed for concentrations of Pb and Ba, higher in the bones of T. teniotis, and of Cd, Hg and Sr, higher in the bones of M. schreibersii. In lactant T. teniotis, the different sources of Pb exposure, through inhalation and/or food, may represent a potential threat to the colony of this synanthropic European bat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Andreani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Annunziata Cannavacciuolo
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", via Appia Nuova 1411 Roma, Italy; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Simonetta Menotta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Valentina Spallucci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana "M. Aleandri", via Appia Nuova 1411 Roma, Italy
| | - Giorgio Fedrizzi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna, Chemical Department, via P. Fiorini 5, Bologna, Italy
| | - Emilio Carpenè
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
| | - Gloria Isani
- Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, via Tolara di sopra 50, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Bologna, Italy
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Benvindo-Souz M, Borges RE, Pacheco SM, Santos LRDS. Micronucleus and other nuclear abnormalities in exfoliated cells of buccal mucosa of bats at different trophic levels. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 172:120-127. [PMID: 30690342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The micronucleus (MN) test in exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa is a relatively non-invasive method for the monitoring of populations exposed to genotoxic risks. In this study, the MN test was used as bats conservation strategy. The highest frequencies of micronuclei were recorded in the frugivorous bats sampled in both urban and agricultural environments, as well as in insectivorous bats from the urban zone. Female of this group (insectivorous) presented higher frequency of MN when compared to males. Other guilds showed no difference in gender assessments in each environment, as well as in the correlation between weight and MN. In addition to micronuclei, a number of other types of nuclear abnormality were recorded, including binucleated cells and karyolysis in the frugivores from the agricultural environment. Binucleated cells were also relatively common in urban frugivores and insectivores, and karyolysis was common in insectivores. Nectarivorous bats did not exhibit a significant increase in any type of nuclear abnormality in either environment. In summary, study results indicate that buccal mucosa of bats is a sensitive site for detecting micronuclei and other nuclear abnormalities. However, more research is needed to indicate whether xenobiotic agents are affecting this cellular integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susi Missel Pacheco
- Research Department, Institute Sauver and PCM Brazil, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Benvindo-Souza M, Borges RE, Pacheco SM, Santos LRDS. Genotoxicological analyses of insectivorous bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) in central Brazil: The oral epithelium as an indicator of environmental quality. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 245:504-509. [PMID: 30458380 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.11.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The micronucleus (MN) test of the human buccal mucosa was developed more than 30 years ago, although this technique has only recently been applied to wild mammals. This paper presents a pioneering study in the genotoxicological evaluation of the exfoliated cells of the buccal mucosa of bats. The assay was applied to two insectivorous bat species (Noctilio albiventris and Pteronotus parnellii) sampled in riparian corridors located in the city of Palmas (capital of the Brazilian state of Tocantins), with the results being compared with those obtained for a third insectivorous species (Nyctinomops laticaudatus), which has established a colony under a road bridge in the same region. This colony represents one of the largest molossidae populations ever recorded in Brazil. A significantly higher frequency of micronuclei was recorded in this colony, as well as a number of other nuclear abnormalities, including binucleated cells, cells with condensed chromatin and karyolysis, in comparison with the bats from the riparian corridors, indicating that the bats from the bridge colony are more susceptible to genotoxic damage. Thus, it is demonstrated the importance of the biomarker (MN) for use in wild animals and allows to conclude that colony bats are more susceptible to genotoxic damages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susi Missel Pacheco
- Research Department, Institute Sauver and PCMBrazil, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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