title: Accumulation of trace elements in harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) from Pangnirtung in the Baffin Island, Canada.
abstract: Nineteen trace elements were determined in liver, muscle, kidney, gonads, and hair of 18 harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) from Pangnirtung in the Baffin Island, Canada. Concentrations of V, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mo, Ag, and Hg in the liver, Co, Cd, and Tl in the kidney, and Ba and Pb in the hair were significantly higher than those in other tissues. Significant positive correlations between Hg concentrations in the hair, and liver, kidney and testis imply usefulness of the hair sample for non-destructive monitoring of Hg in the harp seals. It is suggested that whereas Hg preferentially accumulates in the liver, the accumulation in other tissues is induced at higher hepatic Hg levels. In contrast, Se may not be accumulated in other tissues compared with the liver even at higher hepatic Hg levels because of the presence of excess Se for Hg detoxification in other tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Enya 89-1, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Agusa
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunito
authors.forename: Yasumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Anan
authors.forename: Hisato
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000378:metabolism*; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D020957:Nunavut; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical