IMIBIO-SL   20937
INSTITUTO MULTIDISCIPLINARIO DE INVESTIGACIONES BIOLOGICAS DE SAN LUIS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Contamination of heavy metals in birds from Embalse La Florida (San Luis, Argentina)
Autor/es:
CID, F. D.; GATICA-SOSA, C.; ANTÓN, R. I.; CAVIEDES-VIDAL E.
Revista:
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING
Editorial:
Royal Society of Chemistry
Referencias:
Lugar: United Kingdom; Año: 2009 vol. 11 p. 2044 - 2051
ISSN:
1464-0325
Resumen:
Embalse La Florida is an artificial lake located in midwestern Argentina's San Luis province. It provides drinking water to 70% of the province's human population and 20%
of the province is irrigated with water from the reservoir. The
presence of heavy metals in Embalse La Florida's water has previously
been reported. Nevertheless, no information about the levels of these
contaminants in birds is available for this region. The aim of this
study, therefore, is to (1) establish baseline data on lead (Pb) and
cadmium (Cd) levels in birds from Embalse La Florida, (2) assess metal
accumulation patterns between organs and bird species, and (3) evaluate
the potential risk that these heavy metals pose for the local avifauna.
We measured Pb and Cd in bone, pectoralis muscle, liver, gonad, and
brain of three bird species representative of the Embalse La Florida
ecosystem: Podiceps major (Great Grebe), Phalacrocorax brasilianus (Neotropic Cormorant), both of which are piscivorous, and Pitangus sulphuratus
(Great Kiskadee), which is omnivorous. We also measured both heavy
metals in Great Grebe eggs. Pb and Cd were detected in all of the
tissues we assayed, and Pb concentrations were significantly higher
than those for Cd in all tissues. The patterns of Pb and Cd
accumulation differed between tissues, however. In general, gonads had
the highest concentrations of Pb while Cd tended to accumulate in the
liver. An interspecific analysis revealed that the omnivorous species
had higher levels of both metals in bone, liver, and brain compared to
both piscivorous species. There were no differences in Pb and Cd
concentrations between males and females. The highest liver level of Pb
(4.69 ppm wet weight) detected in Great Kiskadee, was comparable to
those associated with toxic effects in birds, and Pb concentrations
found in the liver of two females and two males (2.07 to 2.32 ppm wet
weight) were also similar to those that could be physiologically
detrimental in other species. In all birds assayed, Cd levels in liver
tissue were lower than those typically shown to be harmful. Our results
indicate that Great Kiskadees are highly polluted by Pb and their
exposure to this contaminant exceeds the level reported to trigger
adverse effects. This is the first study to assay heavy metals in birds
from midwest Argentina and provides a starting point for studies
examining the impact that these metals have on both wildlife and humans
in the region.