title: Heavy metals in some species of waterfowl of northern Italy.
abstract: Concentrations of heavy metals (zinc, copper, cadmium, and iron) were measured in several tissues (brain, gizzard, leg-muscle, heart, breast-muscle, intestine, liver and kidney) of moorhens (Gallinula chloropus), black-headed gulls (Larus ridibundus), and coots (Fulica atra) collected between autumn 1985 and spring 1989 in northern Italy. Cadmium concentrations in the liver and kidney of water-rails (Rallus aquaticus) and in five species of Anatidae collected also were measured. High mean (+/- SD) copper levels were detected in aerobic muscles such as heart (38 +/- 5 micrograms/g dry weight (DW)) and pectoral muscles (35 +/- 7 micrograms/g DW). Compared to other tissues, the iron content of brain was rather low and constant, with a mean value of 160 +/- 17 micrograms/g DW in moorhens, 157 +/- 60 micrograms/g DW in black-headed gulls, and 157 +/- 25 micrograms/g DW in coots. Iron concentrations in tissues of moorhens from the Reno River were significantly higher than those from the Sile River. Cadmium was detectable only in the liver and kidney; there was a linear relationship between cadmium levels in these two organs. The highest mean (+/- SD) cadmium concentrations were present in the kidney of black-headed gull (30 +/- 20 micrograms/g DW).
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carpenè
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D005895:Gizzard, Avian / Q000737:chemistry; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D007558:Italy; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D002104:Cadmium; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D015032:Zinc