Contaminations of metal in tissues of Siberian gull Larus heuglini: gender, age, and tissue differences

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of metals, namely cadmium, lead, and zinc, in Siberian gull (Larus heuglini) (n = 15), in order to: (1) examine the sex and gender related variation in trace metal accumulation, and (2) to determine the significant between metal concentrations in the kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle. The concentrations were different between the tissues of bird as well as among the interaction (sex × age), but this difference (except cadmium in liver and zinc in kidney) between the gender (male and female) and age (adult and juvenile) didn't exist. Results showed that the metal concentrations in the Siberian gull were decreased in sequence of kidney > liver > muscle. The cadmium, lead, zinc concentration overall means they were measured as 2.2 ± 0.7, 8.8 ± 2.5, and 91.1 ± 37. 1 μg/g for kidney, 1.1 ± 0.2, 5.1 ± 0.8, and 68.3 ± 27.8 μg/g for liver, and 0.8 ± 0.1, 3.4 ± 0.6, and 34.4 ± 23.2 μg/g for pectoral muscle, respectively.