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Assessment of Trace-Metal Concentrations in Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) and Siberian Gull (Larus heuglini) From Southern Iran

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An Erratum to this article was published on 13 July 2012

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the levels of heavy metals, namely, chromium, copper, cobalt, nickel, and iron, in Western Reef heron (Egretta gularis) (n = 15) and Siberian gull (Larus heuglini) (n = 15) to (1) compare metal concentrations between two bird species with different trophic level, molting pattern, and life strategy; (2) examine species- and sex-related variations in trace-metal accumulation; and (3) determine the significance between heavy-metal concentrations in kidney, liver, and pectoral muscle. Bird samples were collected from November to December 2010 throughout the Hara Biosphere Reserve, and heavy metals were assayed by using a Shimadzu AA 680 flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer; the results were given as μg/g dry weight. Metal concentrations were different between the bird species as well as among bird tissues, but there was no difference (except chromium and iron in kidney) between sex (male vs. female). Mean levels in kidney of Western Reef heron and Siberian gull were chromium (0.96, 2.32 μg/g), copper (6.31, 10.55 μg/g), cobalt (0.12, 0.14 μg/g), nickel (1.13, 1.32 μg/g), and iron (37.92, 39.64 μg/g), respectively, whereas in liver they were chromium (1.05, 2.75 μg/g), copper (8.93, 12.63 μg/g), cobalt (0.09, 0.17 μg/g), nickel (1.1, 2.27 μg/g), and iron (34.03, 44.21 μg/g), respectively. Results showed that heavy-metal concentrations in Western Reef heron were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > nickel > chromium > cobalt, whereas in Siberian gull they were decreased in the sequence iron > copper > chromium > nickel > cobalt. Results also showed that in both species, the highest chromium and nickel concentrations were measured in female birds and the lowest in male birds, whereas the highest copper, cobalt, and iron (except iron in liver) concentrations were measured in male birds and the lowest in female birds.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Young Researchers Club, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, Iran

    Borhan Mansouri

  2. Inland Water Aquaculture Research Institute, P.O. Box 66, Port Anzali, Iran

    Hadi Babaei, Seyed Hojat Khodaparast & Alireza Mirzajani

  3. Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Birjand University, Birjand, Iran

    Ebrahim Hoshyari

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  1. Borhan Mansouri
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Correspondence to Borhan Mansouri.

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Mansouri, B., Babaei, H., Hoshyari, E. et al. Assessment of Trace-Metal Concentrations in Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) and Siberian Gull (Larus heuglini) From Southern Iran. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 63, 280–287 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-012-9762-7

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