Mercury contamination of the Belgian Avifauna 1970–1981

Delbeke, K.; Joiris, Claude R.; Decadt, G.

doi:10.1016/0143-148x(84)90049-1

Cited by 23 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Fish‐eating birds constitute an excellent indicator of mercury (Hg) contamination because they are a top predator in the aquatic food web [1]. Wide‐ranging or migratory birds (such as adult great egrets, Ardea albus ) are difficult to use as monitors of environmental Hg contamination because it usually is difficult to determine where their exposure occurred.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury contamination in free‐ranging great egret nestlings (Ardea albus) from Southern Florida, USA

Sepúlveda

Frederick

Spalding

et al. 1999

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-Between March and June of 1994 and 1995, mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined from 393 blood and 164 growing scapular feathers from 252 great egret nestlings (Ardea albus). Nestlings came from eight colonies located in Water Conservation Area 3 in the Everglades region in southern Florida. The ages of these birds ranged from 1 to 44 d (bill length 1.1 to 10.2 cm). Mercury concentrations in blood and feathers of first-hatched great egret nestlings sampled during 1994 averaged 1.2 g/g (range ϭ 0.07-3.9) wet weight and 16 g/g (4.5-40) dry weight, respectively. During 1995, first-hatched chicks had blood and feather Hg concentrations that averaged 0.8 g/g (0.2-1.7) and 9.7 g/g (2.3-26), respectively. In both years, Hg concentrations in blood and feathers were significantly correlated, and a significant correlation also was found between Hg in blood and age of the chicks. Blood and feather Hg concentrations differed significantly between years, with higher concentrations during 1994. Birds from JW1 and L67 colonies had the highest concentrations of Hg in blood and feathers. Mercury concentrations did not differ between chicks of different hatch order. Mercury in feathers of great egret nestlings from southern Florida are approximately six times higher when compared to feather Hg concentrations of nestling wading birds sampled elsewhere.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury contamination in free‐ranging great egret nestlings (Ardea albus) from Southern Florida, USA

Sepúlveda

Frederick

Spalding

et al. 1999

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…This study was supported by the 'Impulse Programme in Marine Sciences supported by the Belgian Source Delbeke et al (1984) Stewart ct al. (1994) Wenzel& Gabrielsen (1995 …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecotoxicological and pathological studies of common guillemots Uria aalge beached on the Belgian coast during six successive wintering periods (1989-90 to 1994-95)

Debacker¹,

Holsbeek²,

Tapia³

et al. 1997

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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During 6 successive wintering penods, 727 common guillemots Uria aalge were recovered from Belgian beaches. One-third of the birds were already dead; the rest passed through rehabilitation centres where they eventually died. All b~r d s were monitored for general cond~tion (body mass, fat reserves), eventual status of oiling and pathological changes (cachexia, acute hemorrhagic gastroenteropathy); 339 birds were sampled for trace metals (total and organic Hg, Cu, Zn, Fe, Cd) and PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) analysis Oil~ng is still a major cause of death for wintering pelagic seabirds:half of the birds showed signs of external or internal oiling, probably a still greater number of oiled birds never reach the shores. Although a low body mass can be considered a normal winter condition for wintering guillemots, pathology results showed that three-quarters of the studied animals were in a state of cachexia with emaciated pectoral muscle and lo\vered muscle lipld content. Elevated le\~els of Cu, Zn, Hg and PCBs were linked to the state of rachexia and may well represent an additional stress factor leading to the debilitation and death of part of the wintering guillemot population.

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“…Residues were highest in kidney and liver, but total Hg contents were significantly modified by food preference and availability, and by migratory patterns (NAS 1978;Delbeke et al 1984). Also, there is an inverse relationship between total Hg and percent methylmercury in tissues of various avian species (Norheim et al 1982;Karlog and Clausen 1983)--a pattern that seems to hold for all vertebrate organisms for which data are available.…”

Section: Biologicalmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, a striking parallel exists between levels of Hg and of DDT and its metabolites in birds of prey, suggesting the existence of common ecotoxicological mechanisms (Delbeke et al 1984;Wiemeyer et al 1984); additional research is clearly needed.…”

Section: Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mercury Exposure in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Admitted for Rehabilitation in Iowa, USA

Blanchong

Reiter-Marolf

Dinsmore

2017

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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Mercury contamination of the Belgian Avifauna 1970–1981

Cited by 23 publications

References 11 publications

Mercury contamination in free‐ranging great egret nestlings (Ardea albus) from Southern Florida, USA

Mercury contamination in free‐ranging great egret nestlings (Ardea albus) from Southern Florida, USA

Ecotoxicological and pathological studies of common guillemots Uria aalge beached on the Belgian coast during six successive wintering periods (1989-90 to 1994-95)

Mercury Exposure in Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Admitted for Rehabilitation in Iowa, USA

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