Mercury contamination of birds from a polluted watershed
Journal Article
·
· J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States)
From 1878 until 1970, Homestake Mining Company discharged metallic mercury (effluent from the mercury amalgamation process of gold recovery) into the Cheyenne River watershed. Total mercury concentrations in the muscle, liver, and kidney were determined for 22 species of birds collected from this contaminated western South Dakota watershed. Elevated mercury levels were found in the fish-eating birds, with especially high levels in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). Levels in nonfish-eating birds were lower, but the mean residues were significantly higher than the mean levels of control birds. In general, greater mercury accumulations occurred in the livers of fish-eating birds and the kidneys of nonfish-eaters. Mercury residues were compared in muscle-liver, muscle-kidney, and liver-kidney tissue combinations. A significant correlation (P < 0.01) was found to exist for these three combinations in the five species examined.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of South Dakota, Vermillion
- OSTI ID:
- 6263725
- Journal Information:
- J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Wildl. Manage.; (United States) Vol. 39:2; ISSN JWMAA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIRDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
GOLD
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MERCURY
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PROCESSING
QUANTITY RATIO
REFINING
SOUTH DAKOTA
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
VERTEBRATES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIRDS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONTAMINATION
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FISHES
FOOD CHAINS
GOLD
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
MERCURY
METALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
PROCESSING
QUANTITY RATIO
REFINING
SOUTH DAKOTA
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
USA
VERTEBRATES