Mercury in eggs of aquatic birds, Lake St. Clair - 1973

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1976 · Pestic. Monit. J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5974013

Stendell, R C; Ohlendorf, H M; Klaas, E E; Elder, J B

Eggs from four species of aquatic birds inhabitating waterways of the Lake St. Clair region were collected in 1973 and analyzed for mercury. Species analyzed were mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), common terns (Sterna hirundo), black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), and great egrets (Casmerodius albus). Mallard eggs contained relatively low residue levels, < 0.05-0.26 ppm, and common tern eggs contained the highest residues, ranging up to 1.31 ppm. Mercury levels in the eggs were appreciably lower than those in the same species in 1970. The declines are attributed to the 1970 restrictions placed on industrial discharges of mercury into the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Interior, Laurel, MD
• OSTI ID: 5974013
• Journal Information: Pestic. Monit. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Pestic. Monit. J.; (United States) Vol. 10:1; ISSN PEMJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIRDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAMINATION
DUCKS
EGGS
ELEMENTS
FOWL
MERCURY
METALS
POLLUTION SOURCES
QUANTITY RATIO
VERTEBRATES