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<p>This study presents total mercury concentrations (HgT) in selected tissues and organs (blood, muscles, liver, kidneys, feathers and claws) of the herring gull (Larus argentatus) in order to assess the environmental pollution in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic. Dead, frozen birds were collected in the vicinity of Wladysławowo between December 2009 and March 2010, an exceptionally severe winter — a total of 13 specimens; 6 adults (>4 years old) and 7 immature birds (≤4 years old). Mercury concentrations in all analyzed samples exceeded the detection limit. The lowest average concentration, at a level of 0.4 μg Hg g−1 (d.w.) was observed in the muscles of adult and immature gulls while the highest, at a level of 3.3 μg Hg g−1 (d.w), was determined in the contour of immature gulls. A significant linear correlation was found between mercury concentration in the blood and the concentration in the kidneys and liver, with the coefficients of determination at R2 = 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. This indicates that blood of birds, as a mercury carrier, may reflects the concentration of mercury in tissues and internal organs of birds and, in the case of kidneys and liver, may express long-term exposure to mercury in nourishment.</p>
</abstract>

This study presents total mercury concentrations (HgT) in selected tissues and organs (blood, muscles, liver, kidneys, feathers and claws) of the herring gull (Larus argentatus) in order to assess the environmental pollution in the coastal zone of the southern Baltic. Dead, frozen birds were collected in the vicinity of Wladysławowo between December 2009 and March 2010, an exceptionally severe winter — a total of 13 specimens; 6 adults (>4 years old) and 7 immature birds (≤4 years old). Mercury concentrations in all analyzed samples exceeded the detection limit. The lowest average concentration, at a level of 0.4 μg Hg g−1 (d.w.) was observed in the muscles of adult and immature gulls while the highest, at a level of 3.3 μg Hg g−1 (d.w), was determined in the contour of immature gulls. A significant linear correlation was found between mercury concentration in the blood and the concentration in the kidneys and liver, with the coefficients of determination at R2 = 0.87 and 0.86, respectively. This indicates that blood of birds, as a mercury carrier, may reflects the concentration of mercury in tissues and internal organs of birds and, in the case of kidneys and liver, may express long-term exposure to mercury in nourishment.

Mercury in immature and adults Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) wintering on the Gulf of Gdańsk area

Institute of Oceanography, Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection

Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

This study presents total mercury concentrations (HgT) in selected tissues and organs (blood, muscles, liver, kidneys, feathers and claws) of the herring gull...

Mercury in immature and adults Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) wintering on the Gulf of Gdańsk area

Published Online: Oct 03, 2013

Page range: 260 - 267

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-013-0082-y

Keywords
total mercury, Larus argentatus, muscles, internal organs, blood, Gulf of Gdańsk

© 2013 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Mercury in immature and adults Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) wintering on the Gulf of Gdańsk area

Published Online: Oct 03, 2013

Page range: 260 - 267

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/s13545-013-0082-y

Keywordstotal mercury, Larus argentatus, muscles, internal organs, blood, Gulf of Gdańsk

© 2013 Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdańsk, Poland

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
total mercury, Larus argentatus, muscles, internal organs, blood, Gulf of Gdańsk