title: Trace-elements, methylmercury and metallothionein levels in Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) found stranded on the Southern Brazilian coast.
abstract: Magellanic penguins have been reported as good biomonitors for several types of pollutants, including trace-elements. In this context, selenium (Se), total mercury, methylmercury, inorganic mercury (Hg(inorg)), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), as well as metallothionein (MT) levels, were evaluated in the feathers, liver and kidney of juvenile Magellanic penguins found stranded along the coast of Southern Brazil. The highest concentrations of all trace-elements and methylmercury were found in internal organs. Concentrations of Cd and Se in feathers were extremely low in comparison with their concentrations in soft tissues. The results showed that both Se and MT are involved in the detoxification of trace-elements (Cd, Pb and Hg(inorg)) since statistically significant relationships were found in liver. Conversely, hepatic Se was shown to be the only detoxifying agent for methylmercury.
authors.affiliation: Lab. de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, 28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil; Lab. de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, IBCCF, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-901 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: helena.kehrig@pq.cnpq.br.
authors.forename: Helena A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Kehrig
authors.affiliation: Dep. de Química, PUC - Rio, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: rachel.hauser.davis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rachel A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hauser-Davis
authors.affiliation: Lab. de Radioisótopos Eduardo Penna Franca, IBCCF, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-901 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Dep. de Química, PUC - Rio, 22453-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address: terciaguedes@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tércia G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, 96203-900 Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: docgfill@furg.br.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fillmann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001267:Atlantic Ocean; D015415:Biomarkers; D001938:Brazil; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005241:Feathers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008658:Inactivation, Metabolic; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012643:Selenium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D046429:Spheniscidae / Q000378:metabolism*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014131:Trace Elements; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008668:Metallothionein; D008628:Mercury; D012643:Selenium
keywords: Biomonitor; Detoxification; Mercury species; Metallothionein; Seabird; Western South Atlantic Ocean