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. 2010 Jul;142(3):453-60.
doi: 10.1002/ajpa.21247.

Synanthropic primates in Asia: potential sentinels for environmental toxins

Gregory Engel  1 , Todd M O'Hara, Tamara Cardona-Marek, John Heidrich, Mukesh K Chalise, Randall Kyes, Lisa Jones-Engel
Affiliations

Synanthropic primates in Asia: potential sentinels for environmental toxins

Gregory Engel et al. Am J Phys Anthropol. 2010 Jul.

Abstract

Macaques are similar to humans both physiologically and behaviorally. In South and Southeast Asia they are also synanthropic, ecologically associated with humans. Synanthropy with humans raises the possibility that macaques come into contact with anthropogenic toxicants, such as lead and mercury, and might be appropriate sentinels for human exposures to certain toxic materials. We measured lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) levels and characterized the stable isotopic compositions of delta(15)N and delta(13)C in hair from three groups of free-ranging macaques at the Swoyambhu temple in Kathmandhu, Nepal, an urban population that has abundant contact with humans. Hair lead levels were significantly higher among young macaques and differed among the three groups of macaques that were sampled. Hair Hg levels were low. No statistical association was found between stable isotopic compositions (delta(15)N and delta(13)C) and Pb and Hg levels. Our data did not find evidence that lead levels were associated with diet. We conclude that, in this population of macaques, behavioral and/or physiologic factors may play a significant role in determining exposure to lead. Chemical analysis of hair is a promising, noninvasive technique for determining exposure to toxic elements in free-ranging nonhuman primates.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Location of the Swoyambhu temple site in densely populated Kathmandu. The Swoyambhu sample populations and their trapping sites are indicated. A color version of this figure may be viewed online.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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