Arsenic and pre-1970s museum specimens: using a hand-held XRF analyzer to determine the prevalence of arsenic at Naturalis Biodiversity Center

Desjardins, Rebecca B.

doi:10.14351/2015.02.15

Cited by 1 publication

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“…Our samples show relatively high values for As for samples for the period from 1900-1930 (14.4 to 596.9 mg/mm d.w., 4.35 x 10 -6 to 6.3 x 10 -5 mg/mm), which may presumably be attributed to the use of arsenic in the early decades of the 20 th century to treat and preserve museum specimens. Indeed, Desjardins (2016) using an XRF analyser found high levels of As in a range of mounted specimens and skins of various taxa in the collection of Naturalis (of 69 specimens examines, 33 had As levels over 1000 ppm). It is possible that relatively high levels of Ag and Au in these same samples is due to the presence of impurities in the arsenic compounds used to treat and preserve these feathers.…”

Section: Arsenicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Retrospective biomonitoring of mercury and other elements in museum feathers of common kestrel Falco tinnunculus using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA)

Movalli

Bode

Dekker

et al. 2017

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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This study examines the potential to use instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to explore temporal and geographical variation in exposure to heavy metals and other selected elements in common kestrel Falco tinnunculus using feathers from a natural history collection. The study gathered samples of two breast feathers from each of 16 adult male kestrel specimens from Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, collected in The Netherlands between 1901 and 2001. Feather samples were analysed for more than 50 elements, using INAA at the Reactor Institute Delft. Results (in mg/kg dw) were transformed into ratios of milligram of element per millimetre of feather length. The distribution of the mass fractions and ratios was plotted for each element against time and by geographical area. Observed mass fractions and/or ratios are discussed for selected elements (Hg, Cd, Zn, Pt, Pd, Se, Al, Rb, As, Sb, Cr, V, Cl, Br) known to have, at certain concentrations, adverse effects on raptors. Some samples show mass fractions of certain elements (Cr, Cd, Se, As) above levels known to have adverse effects. We conclude that the analysis of museum feathers using INAA provides reference values for concentrations of selected elements, including those of high societal concern such as Hg and Cd, against which to assess concentrations of these elements in feathers of present-day living raptor populations.

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Section: Arsenicmentioning

confidence: 99%