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. 2023 Jan 3;11(1):49.
doi: 10.3390/toxics11010049.

Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) Hair as a Bioindicator for the Environmental Presence of Toxic and Trace Elements

Susanna Draghi  1 , Stella Agradi  1 , Federica Riva  1 , Duygu Tarhan  2 , Bengü Bilgiç  3 , Banu Dokuzeylül  3 , Alev Meltem Ercan  2 , Mehmet Erman Or  3 , Gabriele Brecchia  1 , Daniele Vigo  1 , Francesco Arioli  1 , Federica Di Cesare  1 , Giulio Curone  1
Affiliations

Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) Hair as a Bioindicator for the Environmental Presence of Toxic and Trace Elements

Susanna Draghi et al. Toxics. .

Abstract

The return to pasture use as an alternative to intensive livestock farming implies some risks with the lack or the excessive presence of potentially toxic elements; in this regard, wild animals have been used as bioindicators for decades. Thus, the purpose of this study is quantifying Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, Se, As, Cd, Ni, Pb, Al, Fe, and Mg in fur from roe deer and understanding if it is a valid bioindicator tool. Hair was collected from 39 hunted roe deer and divided by age (<36 months old/≥36 months old), sex (male/female), and area of origin (urbanized/rural area). The mean concentrations of Fe, Mg, Mn, Al, Cr, and Pb were higher (p < 0.05) in the urbanized group; the mean levels of Mg and Cr were higher (p < 0.05) in older animals; and Cu, Fe, Mg, Cd, and Cr showed a higher accumulation in females. Our findings showed an age-related variation of elements, with higher concentrations in adult animals and females. In conclusion, our findings prove that hair is a valid matrix for this type of survey, and wild animals are good bioindicators for monitoring the presence of trace elements in pastures.

Keywords: bioindicators; ecotoxicology; potentially toxic elements; trace elements; wild animals.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of the sampling area. U: Urbanized area; R: Rural area.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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