Metal levels in regrown feathers: Assessment of contamination on the wintering and breeding grounds in the same individuals

Journal Article · Sun Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/15287399209531677· OSTI ID:6943936

Burger, J; Nisbet, I C; Gochfeld, M ^[1]

---

1. Rutgers-the State Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States)

Birds are useful indicators of environmental contamination because they are relatively large, conspicuous, top predators in food chains. However, concentrations of contaminants in a bird's tissues reflect the bird's exposure over wide temporal and spatial scales. Birds are most useful as monitors of exposure when these scales are known. In this paper we report concentrations of lead, cadmium, mercury, and selenium in breast feathers of common terns (Sterna hirundo) and roseate terns (S. dougallii) trapped during incubation at breeding colonies in New York and Massachusetts. Terns arrived on the breeding grounds with breast feathers grown on their wintering grounds, and regrew certain feathers that were plucked for analysis. The regrown feathers were themselves plucked, and both sets of feathers were analyzed. For roseate terns at Cedar Beach and common terns at both sites there was a significant increase in mercury levels in the feathers grown on the breeding grounds compared to those grown on the wintering ground. The differences in mercury were far greater at Bird Island than at Cedar Beach. Selenium levels at Cedar Beach were higher for the regrown feathers than the initial feathers for roseate terns, but not for common terns. Lead and cadmium levels were not significantly different at either site for either species. These results suggest that terns are exposed to significantly higher levels of mercury in the northeastern United States than they are in the wintering grounds in South America.

• OSTI ID: 6943936
• Journal Information: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health; (United States) Vol. 37:3; ISSN 0098-4108; ISSN JTEHD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL BREEDING
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIRDS
CADMIUM
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
FEATHERS
LEAD
MASSACHUSETTS
MERCURY
METALS
NEW YORK
NORTH AMERICA
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
USA
VERTEBRATES