Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Pb were measured in feather samples of adult, subadult, and juvenile of Larus dominicanus, sampled in the Florianólis, SC, in the south of Brazil in December 2005, by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The average of the distribution of Cd concentration in adult feathers (0.072 microg g(-1)) was significantly different than that found in juvenile feathers (0.021 microg g(-1)). Cu concentration averages were not significantly different between adults (13.30 microg g(-1)), subadults (9.67 microg g(-1)), and juveniles (13.76 microg g(-1)). For adults and juveniles there was significant difference in feather concentrations for Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, and Pb. The distribution of Mn concentration averages in feathers differs between adults (11.36 microg g(-1)) and juveniles (1.184 microg g(-1)). Ni concentration averages of adults (5.92 microg g(-1)) were significantly higher than those of juveniles (2.23 microg g(-1)). For Pb, concentration averages were significantly higher in adults (7.53 microg g(-1)) than in juveniles (1.47 microg g(-1)). The concentration of Co and Cr in juvenile and subadults are statistically different when compared with the adults. In the present study, levels of Cd, Co, Cr, Mn, Ni, Zn, and Pb increased with age. The concentrations of essential trace elements in L. dominicanus were generally comparable to values reported in other studies. With non-essential metals (Cd, Pb, and Ni), in our study, L. dominicanus had lower values than those reported for their northern Atlantic counterparts.
