Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) bioindicator of lead and copper pollution in Sicily (Italy)

Concentrations of cadmium and lead, but not zinc, are higher in red fox tissues than in rodents—pollution gradient study in the Małopolska province (Poland)

“…The Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations in the red foxes muscles were determined only in our, Binkowski’s et al (2016) and Naccari’s et al (2013), studies. The mean Pb concentration in muscles of our foxes from the most polluted area (0.6 μg/g d.w.) was similar to the foxes analysed by Binkowski et al (2016) from the relatively unpolluted area in south-western Poland (0.64 μg/g d.w.).…”

“…The availability of data on potential risks arising from environmental pollution can facilitate the efforts directed at the conservation of endangered species. Our study differs from earlier ecotoxicological field studies on red fox populations (Kalisińska et al 2012; Naccari et al 2013; Binkowski et al 2016) by the fact that we collected specimens from a large area, representing a broad range of metal contamination of soils (whole Małopolska province—15,182.87 km 2 , southern Poland). Zn, Cd, and Pb concentrations were determined in the liver and kidney that are the main target organs of these metals in an organism.…”

“…The mean Pb concentration in muscles of our foxes from the most polluted area (0.6 μg/g d.w.) was similar to the foxes analysed by Binkowski et al (2016) from the relatively unpolluted area in south-western Poland (0.64 μg/g d.w.). Polish red foxes from both studies had higher mean Pb muscle concentrations than foxes from Sicily (0.04 μg/g d.w.) studied by Naccari et al (2013). The similarity of Pb concentrations in foxes from both Polish populations suggests that lead contamination is not necessarily related exclusively to industrial pollution but may originate from local sources and, perhaps, past traffic when soil was polluted by gasoline-born Pb.…”

“…The use of rodents for risk assessment is a commonly accepted practise (Talmage and Walton 1991; Sawicka-Kapusta 1994, 1999; Sheffield et al 2001; Gdula-Argasińska et al 2004, 2005). In contrast, similar studies on top terrestrial carnivores are scarce, and only recently, an increasing interest in this topic can be observed (Millán et al 2008; Kalisinska et al 2012; Naccari et al 2013; Binkowski et al 2016; Lazarus et al 2017; Rodríguez-Jorquera et al 2017). The lack of data on large carnivores stems from the fact that in most European countries, they are protected by the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC 1992) and Berne Convention (1979), and the availability of their tissues for studies is limited to two species, the red fox and golden jackal, whose populations are increasing (Arnold et al 2012) and the regulation of their populations by hunting is allowed in most of Europe.…”

Raccoons (Procyon lotor) as Sentinels of Trace Element Contamination and Physiological Effects of Exposure to Coal Fly Ash

“…Alternatively, aquatic amphibians and larval fish exhibit developmental abnormalities at relatively low concentrations of trace elements (Rowe et al 1996 ). Previous studies investigated contaminant uptake in riparian- and aerial-feeding wildlife (Meyer et al 2015 ) and more recently terrestrial mammals (Dainowski et al 2015 ; Kalisinska et al 2009 ; Millán et al 2008 ; Naccari et al 2013 ).…”