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Source publication
This article presents the impact on waterbirds in Doñana National Park (Spain) of an accidental release of 5 million m3 acid waste produced by the processing of pyrite ore. Heavy metals (zinc, copper, cadmium, and lead) and arsenic were measured in several soft tissues (liver, kidney, and muscle) taken from 14 waterfowl species collected between Ap...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... single model-the one with the lowest residual variance-was selected in each group. These models indicated that species was the most significant factor in explaining vari- ations in element concentrations, and it was significant for all elements (p 0.0001) ( Table 3). Age was a significant factor for lead, cadmium, and zinc. ...
Citations
... Liver and kidney analyses have proven particularly valuable for assessing heavy metal and organic pollutant accumulation. Following up the impact of a mine tailing accident near Doñana National Park two years later, Gómez et al. (102) observed an increase in Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and arsenic (As) levels in the liver, muscle, and kidneys of white storks, which confirmed the species as a sensitive and reliable bioindicator for the monitoring of these elements. Similarly, Piedra et al. (103) measured Hg concentrations in the liver, kidney, and muscle and investigated the potential of propolis and bee pollen supplementation to mitigate Hg bioaccumulation effects in white storks. ...
... Studies involving adults, such as those by Gómez et al. (102) and Maia et al. (109), assessed baseline metal concentrations and the broader effects of environmental pollution over time. Maia et al. (109) reported lower Ni, Cu, Se, and Hg and higher Pb concentrations in fledglings compared to adults (109). ...
White storks (Ciconia ciconia L., 1758) and their nestlings have emerged as valuable bioindicators of environmental pollution, particularly in ecosystems affected by human activities. This review explores the role of white storks in biomonitoring, focusing on the use of biomarkers and pollutant analysis to understand the physiological consequences of environmental stressors. Key biomarkers, such as
oxidative stress markers, immune responses, and hormonal alterations provide insight into the effects of pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, and other toxic compounds. The biomarkers are typically measured in matrices such as blood, feathers, eggs, and tissues, each offering unique advantages in assessing pollutant exposure. However, ethical concerns regarding wildlife monitoring and the potential
harm caused by invasive sampling techniques call for non-invasive methods. Future research should explore novel non-invasive techniques and employ long-term monitoring programmes to understand the cumulative effects of pollution. Despite challenges such as biological variability and environmental factors, white storks remain reliable indicators of ecological change and pollutant burden, providing critical data that can guide pollution management policies, inform conservation strategies, and protect both wildlife and human health from current environmental threats.
... According to earlier research, a bird's intracellular essential elements were regulated in a homeostatic regulation [27,40,77]. The findings of this study demonstrated that the pigeon group infected with E. labbeana-like parasite had a high mean content of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Cr, Zn, and Ni). ...
Background
The Protozoan pathogen Eimeria is a significant issue in poultry production. Scientists are concerned with finding alternative strategies due to the spread of resistance against the commonly employed coccidiostats. This study examined how well myrrh extract (MyE) protected domesticated pigeons from an experimental Eimeria labbeana-like infection.
Methods
Female pigeons were divided into six groups (5 pigeons/group): Group1: control pigeon group, Group2: Non-infected and treated pigeon group with MyE (500 mg/kg). Group3: Infected and non-treated pigeon group, Group4: Infected and treated pigeon group with MyE (250 mg/kg), Group5: Infected and treated pigeon group with MyE (500 mg/kg), Group6: Infected and treated pigeon group with amprolium (1 g/L of H2O). Oral infection with 3 × 10⁴ sporulated E. labbeana-like oocysts was used to inoculate groups (3–6). Three days after infection, groups (4–6) received daily treatment with MyE and amprolium for five days. Oocyst output was assessed on day 8 post-infection. After sacrificing the pigeons, the small intestine and blood were collected from each pigeon and processed for histological, biochemical, and oxidative damage examinations.
Results
This study looked into the overall phenolic and flavonoid contents and MyE’s antioxidant activity. According to the data, the best dose of MyE was 500 mg/kg, which significantly decreased the output of oocysts produced (2.090 × 10⁵ ± 1.04 × 10⁴ oocysts/g.feces). This result has been linked to a -2.51% decrease in the pigeon’s body weight gain. The morphometric characteristics of freshly unsporulated and sporulated oocysts were obtained, and pigeons treated with MyE significantly decreased size. Furthermore, there was a significant decrease in both the number and size of the developmental stages of E. labbeana-like (i.e. meronts, gamonts, and developing oocysts) in the intestinal tissue among the MyE-treated group. MyE facilitates the disruption of intestinal homeostasis caused by E. labbeana-like infection, specifically concerning carbohydrates and proteins. Concurrent with the state of total antioxidant capacity (TAC), the antioxidant activity of MyE reduced the blood plasma levels of trace elements (Fe, Cu, Cr, Zn, and Ni).
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that MyE could be a useful antioxidant source and a replacement for coccidiostats in preventing and treating avian coccidiosis.
... The increase observed during the next breeding seasons (especially in non-essential elements and in the cumulative load) mirrors the progressive increase previously reported for various prey taxa, such as water birds and crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (Hernández et al., 1999;Otero et al., 2003;Gómez et al., 2004;Taggart et al., 2006). According to previous studies on kites' prey, As, Cd, and Pb were not incorporated into the Doñana food webs until several months (up to 7 months in the case of Cd; Gómez et al., 2004) or years (1-2 years in the case of Pb and As; Gómez et al., 2004, but see Taggart et al., 2006) after the spill, which fits quite well the temporal trends observed in kites. ...
... The increase observed during the next breeding seasons (especially in non-essential elements and in the cumulative load) mirrors the progressive increase previously reported for various prey taxa, such as water birds and crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (Hernández et al., 1999;Otero et al., 2003;Gómez et al., 2004;Taggart et al., 2006). According to previous studies on kites' prey, As, Cd, and Pb were not incorporated into the Doñana food webs until several months (up to 7 months in the case of Cd; Gómez et al., 2004) or years (1-2 years in the case of Pb and As; Gómez et al., 2004, but see Taggart et al., 2006) after the spill, which fits quite well the temporal trends observed in kites. Such contamination synchronicity between predator and prey pinpoints the mine spill as the main culprit of local metal and As exposure. ...
... The increase observed during the next breeding seasons (especially in non-essential elements and in the cumulative load) mirrors the progressive increase previously reported for various prey taxa, such as water birds and crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (Hernández et al., 1999;Otero et al., 2003;Gómez et al., 2004;Taggart et al., 2006). According to previous studies on kites' prey, As, Cd, and Pb were not incorporated into the Doñana food webs until several months (up to 7 months in the case of Cd; Gómez et al., 2004) or years (1-2 years in the case of Pb and As; Gómez et al., 2004, but see Taggart et al., 2006) after the spill, which fits quite well the temporal trends observed in kites. Such contamination synchronicity between predator and prey pinpoints the mine spill as the main culprit of local metal and As exposure. ...
... In the long term, water, sediment, soil and plants may remain contaminated (Meharg et al. 1999;Macklin et al. 2003;Cabrera et al. 2008;Madejón et al. 2018), exerting persistent adverse effects on survival, growth, reproduction and diversity of both aquatic (Solà et al. 2004;Riba et al. 2006) and terrestrial (Cárdenas and Hidalgo 2006;Luque et al. 2007;Cárdenas et al. 2011) invertebrates. Additionally, toxic compounds can bioaccumulate and propagate through the food chain, as previously observed in crayfishes (Alcorlo et al. 2006), birds (Gómez et al. 2004;Taggart et al. 2006) and reptiles (Fletcher et al. 2006;Márquez-Ferrando et al. 2009). ...
In November 2015 occurred the largest environmental disaster in the world mining industry – the collapse of the Fundão tailings dam in Mariana, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The dam’s tailings buried and contaminated large areas of the Doce River catchment, its estuary, and the surrounding Atlantic Rainforest. Despite the severity and extent of this disturbance, our knowledge about tailings dam failure impacts in terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity and their ecosystem functions remain limited. We investigated the impacts of the dam failure on surrounding Atlantic Rainforest ant communities and their interactions with seeds, two years and four months after the failure. Ant composition changed, as some species were lost and replaced by others. While species richness and number of individuals remained unaffected, 26 species were lost from the affected communities, leading to the phylogenetic impoverishment of the community. The tailings also altered ant-seed interactions, increasing the time ants took to locate a seed and the distance of seed removal. As ants are well-established bioindicators, these impacts likely extend to other faunal groups. The cascading effects of such impacts on forest regeneration are still unclear, as are the potential effects of the observed changes in ant communities on other ecosystem functions ants perform.
... In relation to effect and monitoring, As has been analysed and its effect was assessed in white stork, C. ciconia for the purpose of investigating adrenocortical response (Baos et al., 2006a), genotoxic effects (Baos et al., 2006b), influence after a mining accident (Gómez et al., 2004), effect of breeding near a landfill (de la Casa-Resino et al., 2014) and oxidative stress (de la Casa-Resino et al., 2015). Concerning other avian species, As has been shown to cause lethal or sublethal effects and affect the reproductive system. ...
... The liver was the most sampled tissue studied, followed by feathers and the kidney. Only based on liver tissue, L. ridibundus from Poland and Spain showed the highest Cu contents (Hernández et al. 1999, Gómez et al. 2004, Orłowski et al. 2007), while the lowest were found in L. crassirostris (Kim & Oh 2014a) from South Korea and L. dominicanus from New Zealand (Numata et al. 2008). Feather is the most common non-lethal tissue to monitor Cu concentrations. ...
... The lowest Cd levels (0.0003 µg g -1 ) are reported in eggs of L. argentatus from New York, USA (Burger & Elbin 2015). The Arctic is where the highest Cd concentrations (99.6 µg g -1 ) have been reported in L. hyperboreus (Braune & Scheuhammer 2008, Malinga et al. 2010) and L. crassirostris kidneys from Japan (14 µg g -1 , Agusa et al. 2005), with some other hotspots found in L. dominicanus liver from Chile (9.84 µg g -1 , Cortés & Luna-Jorquera 2011) and L. ridibundus liver from Spain (1.35 µg g -1 , Gómez et al. 2004). The highest Cd contents in gull feathers are from areas of Iran and the USA (Fig. 2c). ...
Anthropogenic activities and the demand for trace elements have risen, causing an increase in their environmental levels, which could affect biota. High levels of trace elements in living beings have been associated with toxicity, metabolic disorders, oxidative stress, and cancer. Seabirds, such as gulls, have been used as bioindicators of environmental pollution caused by anthropogenic sources. Gulls are widely distributed worldwide, usually occupying high trophic levels, and living close to humans. Among gulls, Larus spp. are omnivorous, predominantly carnivorous, nest on the ground, and capture live food or steal it opportunistically. The present work summarizes the data of trace elements found in eggs, feathers, blood, and feces, among other internal tissues, of several gull species of the genus Larus around the world. Most of the reports are from the Northern Hemisphere (70%), particularly from Europe and North America. The elements Cd, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Se are the most studied (54%), among which Hg represents about 19%. On the other hand, there is no information for lesser-known trace elements such as Rb, Ti, new technology elements (e.g. Ge, Re, Ta), rare earth elements (e.g. Ce, La, Y), or elements of the platinum group (e.g. Os, Ir, Ru). Even though Larus spp. is a suitable bioindicator of chemical contamination in marine ecosystems, only 28 of the 53 species of the Larus genus have been used on trace elements pollution. Future research should address lesser-known elements which are increasingly used by new technologies.
... Clinical signs of Zn poisoning were observed in mallards with liver concentrations of 473-1990 mg/kg dw (Levengood et al., 1999). A mean liver Zn concentrations of 440 mg/kg dw (Beyer et al., 2004) and a range of 700-1830 mg/kg dw (Sileo et al., 2003) were reported in wild waterfowl from contaminated sites, whereas Gómez et al. (2004) considered 122 mg/kg dw as equivalent to a liver Zn concentration in passerine and waterfowl from uncontaminated sites. The mean Zn concentration in our study was similar to the value of birds from uncontaminated sites. ...
Trace elements are chemical contaminants spread in the environment by anthropogenic activities and threaten wildlife and human health. Many studies have investigated this contamination in apex raptors as sentinel birds. However, there is limited data for long-term biomonitoring of multiple trace elements in raptors. In the present study, we measured the concentrations of 14 essential and non-essential trace elements in the livers of the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) collected in the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2019 and investigated whether concentrations have changed during this period. In addition, we estimated the importance of selected variables for modelling element accumulations in tissues. Except for cadmium, hepatic concentrations of harmful elements in most buzzards were lower than the biological significance level of each element. Hepatic concentrations of certain elements, including lead, cadmium, and arsenic, varied markedly seasonally within years. Their peak was in late winter and trough in late summer, except copper which showed an opposite seasonal pattern. In addition, lead in the liver consistently increased over time, whereas strontium showed a decreasing trend. Hepatic concentrations of cadmium, mercury, and chromium increased with age, whereas selenium and chromium were influenced by sex. Hepatic concentrations of arsenic and chromium also differed between different regions. Overall, our samples showed a low risk of harmful effects of most elements compared to the thresholds reported in the literature. Seasonal fluctuation was an important descriptor of exposure, which might be related to the diet of the buzzard, the ecology of their prey, and human activities such as the use of lead shot for hunting. However, the reason for these observed trends needs further examination, and biomonitoring studies exploring the effects of variables such as age, sex, and seasonality are required.
... Historically, when it comes to inorganic contaminants, the most important in the aquatic environment are elements (Fijalkowski et al. 2017). The presence of elements in aquatic ecosystems is whether a consequence of natural processes such as atmospheric deposition and weathering (Has-Schön et al. 2006), earth's crust erosion, and volcanic eruption (Fakhri et al. 2021), or anthropogenic activities such as mining, agricultural drainage, sewage discharge, industrial effluent discharge, gasoline leakage from fishing boats, and accidental chemical waste spills (Gómez et al. 2004). The increase of the world's population, consequently the expansion of urban centers, and the development of industry increase the levels of elements in the aquatic environment. ...
In the first review of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in fish in water ecosystems in Serbia, 40 studies related to fish contamination with PTEs were identified and evaluated. Studies of concentrations of PTEs in fish tissues covered 28 ecosystems (108 localities). The main studied river ecosystems were the Danube and the Sava, and the Međuvršje reservoir was the most studied standing water ecosystem. Among the most studied fish species were catfish (Silurus glanis), followed by pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), bream (Abramis brama), carp (Cyprinus carpio), and barbel (Barbus barbus). There were 48 “hot spot” sampling sites where concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb, As, Ni, Fe, and/or Cu exceeded the maximum permitted concentrations (MPCs) prescribed by legislation. Elevated concentrations of these elements were the most detected in fish species sampled in the Danube, Sava, and rivers belonging to the Velika Morava basin. Hg concentrations were the most common above MPC in muscle tissue of species sampled from the Danube and Sava rivers. On the other hand, we can single out the species Vimba bream (Vimba vimba), sampled in Danube River in Zemun near Belgrade, as the safest species for human consumption due to the largest number of elements in fish meat below detection limits. Finally, having in mind all the criteria prescribed by U.S. EPA (2000), we identify and recommend two predatory fish species pikeperch (S. lucioperca) and catfish (S. glanis), and bottom-feeding fish species barbel (B. barbus) as bioindicators of PTEs contamination in Serbian waters.
... The degree of contamination in the area depended on where the poultry lived, as well as species, age, sex, size, and time since the pyrite mine was opened. The trophic level influences the accumulation of metal in organs and tissue [62,63]. In our study, the age of farm ducks and free-grazing ducks in an area <25 km away was higher than in an area >25 km away, as shown in Table S1, which was one of the factors correlated with heavy-metal contamination in poultry <25 km away. ...
Gold-mining activities have been demonstrated to result in significant environmental pollution by Hg, Pb, and Mn, causing serious concerns regarding the potential threat to the public health of neighboring populations around the world. The present study focused on heavy-metal contamination in the eggs, blood, feed, soil, and drinking water on chicken farms, duck farms, and free-grazing duck farms located in areas <25 km and >25 km away from a gold mine in northern Thailand. In an area <25 km away, Hg, Pb, and Mn concentrations in the eggs of free-grazing ducks were significantly higher than >25 km away (p < 0.05). In blood, Hg concentration in free-grazing ducks was also significantly higher than those in an area >25 km away (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the Pb concentration in the blood of farm ducks was significantly higher than in an area >25 km away (p < 0.05). The concentration of Cd in drinking water on chicken farms was significantly higher for farms located within 25 km of the gold mine (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a high correlation was shown between the Pb (r² = 0.84) and Cd (r² = 0.42) found between drinking water and blood in free-grazing ducks in the area <25 km away. Therefore, health risk from heavy-metal contamination was inevitably avoided in free-grazing activity near the gold mine. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) in the population of both Pb and Cd exceeded the cancer limit (10⁻⁴) for all age groups in both areas, which was particularly high in the area <25 km for chicken-egg consumption, especially among people aged 13–18 and 18–35 years old. Based on these findings, long-term surveillance regarding human and animal health risk must be strictly operated through food chains and an appropriate control plan for poultry businesses roaming around the gold mine.
... µg/g dw), liver (7.30 µg/g dw), and muscle (7 µg/g dw). Studies have shown that there is a homeostatic regulation of the intracellular essential metals in birds [34][35][36][37][38][39]. ...
... Reports of Zn toxicity for wild birds in the liver are > 122 µg/g dw [36], > 440 µg/g dw [40], and 700-1830 µg/g dw [41]. Zn levels in this study were lower than the Zn adverse threshold for wild birds. ...
... Birds such as shovelers (Anas clypeata), greylag geese (Anser anser), snow geese, brant geese (Branta bernicla), mallards, and black ducks from Northern California, the USA [53], Canada (gosling) [54], four wetland in Spain [55], and northern Idaho, USA [56], had levels of Pb in the livers higher than the threshold level of threat exposure to Pb in the livers. But birds in the Kanibarazan wetland [43], Miyankaleh, and Gomishan wetlands [45] from Iran; Eastern Poland [47]; Donana National Park, Spain [36]; Illinois River [57]; and Eastern Austria [51] were > 5 µg/g dw, indicating the possibility of Pb toxicity. ...
The concentrations of four heavy metals, zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), nickel (Ni), and cadmium (Cd), were determined in the liver, kidney, muscle, and brain of nine species of birds from the Chahnimeh Sistan from Iran to assess the metal levels and the potential risk to birds and to the people who eat them. Significantly higher levels of all metals were found in the brain than in the other tissues of other birds. There were no significant gender differences in heavy metals in all tissue. The levels of Pb, Cd, Ni, and Zn in the liver and kidney varied as a function of feeding habitats; the median levels were significantly higher in invertebrate predators than they were for fish predators and omnivorous species. Short-distance migrant birds had significantly higher median levels of heavy metals in the liver and kidney than long-distance migrant birds. Ni levels in the liver and kidney tissues in 56% of birds were higher than the critical threshold levels for effects in birds. Our data indicate that environmental exposures to metals were higher in the wintering populations of birds in the Chahnimeh of Sistan from Iran than elsewhere. Concentrations of Zn, Pb, and Cd in a small percentage of birds were above toxicity levels. However, 56% of liver and kidney samples for nickel were above toxicity levels. Determining the exposure frequency and daily intake of birds, the hazard quotient for edible tissues (kidney, liver, and muscle) of these birds showed that their consumption may provide health risk to people consuming them.
