Ecological and physiological parameters of mercury and cesium-137 accumulation in the raccoon

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:5403172

Davis, A H

Raccoons from 4 regions in the southeastern Coastal Plain were evaluated for mercury content. Mercury content of hair when used as an indicator of total body mercury content was significantly different among 3 of the 4 areas: Okefenokee Swamp, Eglin Air Force Base, and Sapelo Island on the Georgia Coast. Raccoons from Echols County Georgia were not significantly different from those of the Okefenokee. Mercury in the liver and kidney was significantly different between Okefenokee and Sapelo. There was a strong correlation between the age of the raccoon and the mercury in hair, with older animals having higher concentrations. This relationship was also valid for most other tissues. There was evidence that mercury content in some tissues was correlated with the season and the body condition of the raccoon. Mercury was not transferred through the placenta to the fetal raccoons. There was a strong relationship of mercury content to raccoon behavioral characteristics. Raccoon body weight was slightly different between the areas studied. Cesium-137 values in raccoons were significantly different between the Okefenokee and Sapelo Island. Cesium-137 content was correlated with raccoon age, body weight, and mercury content. Generally non-detectable levels of chlorinated hydrocarbons and PCB were found in Okefenokee raccoons. Mercury concentrations in crayfish were generally low but probably of importance in the raccoon food chain. The biological half life of mercury in brain, gonad, pancreas, spleen, heart, and lung was approximately 52 days. The half-life of mercury in muscle was 35 days. Mercury content of hair, liver, and kidney decreased at very slow rates, with biological half lives of 229, 108, and 138 days. This was probably due to the role of these tissues in clearance of mercury from the body, and to the molting pattern of raccoon hair.

• Research Organization: Georgia Univ., Athens (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5403172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AGE DEPENDENCE
ALKALI METAL ISOTOPES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL HALF-LIFE
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BODY
CESIUM 137
CESIUM ISOTOPES
CLEARANCE
COASTAL REGIONS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
GEORGIA
HAIR
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
MERCURY
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIOECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
RADIOISOTOPES
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SKIN
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
USA
VARIATIONS
VERTEBRATES
WILD ANIMALS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES