Heavy metal concentrations in diet and livers of Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea chicks from Pyeongtaek, Korea

Abstract

This study presents concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in diet and livers of Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea chicks from Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Heavy metal concentrations of heron chicks were not related to concentrations in the diet. Copper concentrations were significantly greater in the diet of Black-crowned Night Herons (geometric mean = 13.6 wet microg/g) than Grey Herons (7.45 wet microg/g), other metal concentrations did not differ between the diet of two species. Manganese (respectively 3.20 wet microg/g, 1.41 wet microg/g) and cadmium (respectively 13.4 wet microg/kg, 1.41 wet microg/kg) concentrations were higher in livers of Black-crowned Night Heron chicks than Grey Heron chicks, but zinc, iron, copper and lead concentrations in livers did not differ in between two herons. The essential elements were at background levels, however copper concentrations were relatively higher than previously reported from Korea. Lead and cadmium concentrations were within background levels for herons.

Assessment of environmental contamination using feathers of Bubulcus ibis L., as a biomonitor of heavy metal pollution, Pakistan

“…The tail feathers may also reflect the body burden of lead and cadmium (Dauwe et al 2002). High external contamination of tail feathers is probably related to lead-contaminated soil particles and the dust that is absorbed on plumage when the birds forage on the contaminated soils (Weyers et al 1988;Kim and Koo 2007a). Dauwe et al (2002) suggested that Pb concentrations in tail feathers could be due to either internal deposition via blood in growing feathers or to an external contamination due to excretion of the uropygial gland (i.e.…”

“…Kim and Koo (2007b) reported that cadmium contents in feathers of wild birds increased in relation to cadmium concentrations in the diet. Greater concentrations of Cd in herons and egrets have also been associated to contamination in their feeding grounds (Kim and Koo 2007a). Higher Cd concentration in feathers and sediments indicates its wide distribution in the environment which consequently deposited into feathers.…”

“…Many studies have been carried out to investigate the level of their occurrence, accumulation and distribution Gochfeld 1993, 2000c;Goutner et al 2001;Kojadinovic et al 2007; Kim and Koo 2007a;Qadir et al 2008). These contaminants are added continuously to the pool of contaminants in the environment from anthropogenic as well as natural processes.…”

“…For example, Dauwe et al (2002) investigated concentration of two non-essential (Cd and Pb) and two essential (Cu and Zn) heavy metals in the outermost tail feathers of great (Parus major) and blue tits (Parus caeruleus) and Burger and Gochfeld (2000a) compared concentrations of Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Cr, Mn, Se and Ti in feathers of birds nesting on Midway Atoll in the northern Pacific Ocean. Heavy metal concentrations in the feather were also reported to be representative of long-term exposure to local contaminants (Kim and Koo 2007a).…”

Assessment of Trace-Metal Concentrations in Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) and Siberian Gull (Larus heuglini) From Southern Iran

“…These species can provide interesting data to monitor the quality of the environment (Kim and Koo 2008). Many studies have recommended herons and egrets as bioindicators for heavy metals in aquatic systems and local pollution around breeding sites (Kim and Koo 2007;Boncompagni et al 2003). Because herons and gulls are at the top of their trophic level and can yield information over a large area around each sampling site, they provide information not only on bioavailability of contaminants but also on how, where, and when they are transferred within the food web (Battaglia et al 2005).…”