Responses of wild small mammals to a pollution gradient: host factors influence metal and metallothionein levels.
We investigated how host factors (species, age, gender) modulated Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu concentrations, metallothionein levels (MTs) and their relationships in 7 sympatric small mammal species along a pollution gradient. Cd concentrations in liver and kidneys increased with age in all species. Age effect on other metals and MTs differs among species. Gender did not influence metal and MT levels except in the bank vole. Three patterns linking internal metal concentrations and MTs were observed along the gradient: a low metal accumulation with a (i) high (wood mouse) or (ii) low (bank vole) level of MTs accompanied by a slight or no increase of MTs with Cd accumulation; (iii) an elevated metal accumulation with a sharp increase of MTs (common and pygmy shrews). In risk assessment and biomonitoring perspectives, we conclude that measurements of MTs and metals might be associated because they cannot be interpreted properly when considered separately.
Fritsch
Clémentine
C
Chrono-Environment, UMR 6249 University of Franche-Comté/CNRS USC INRA, Place Leclerc, F-25030 Besançon Cedex, France. clementine.fritsch@univ_fcomte.fr
Cosson
Richard P
RP
Coeurdassier
Michaël
M
Raoul
Francis
F
Giraudoux
Patrick
P
Crini
Nadia
N
de Vaufleury
Annette
A
Scheifler
Renaud
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008322:Mammals / Q000145:classification / Q000502:physiology; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis*; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D012737:Sex Factors
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D008668:Metallothionein