Concentrations of selected essential and non-essential elements in arctic fox ( Alopex lagopus) and wolverines ( Gulo gulo) from the Canadian Arctic

Arctic fox ( Alopex lagopus) and wolverine ( Gulo gulo) tissues were collected in the Canadian Arctic from 1998 to 2001 and analyzed for various essential and non-essential elements. Several elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sn, Sr, Tl, U and V) were near or below the detection li...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Science of the total environment 2003-06, Vol.309 (1), p.81-92
Main Authors: Hoekstra, P.F., Braune, B.M., Elkin, B., Armstrong, F.A.J., Muir, D.C.G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Applied ecology
Arctic fox
Arctic Regions
Biological and medical sciences
Canada
Carnivora
Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution
Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates
Elements
Environmental Exposure
Female
Foxes
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Heavy metals
Liver - chemistry
Male
Mammalia
Marine and brackish environment
Mercury
Metals, Heavy - pharmacokinetics
Selenium
Tissue Distribution
Trace Elements - pharmacokinetics
Wolverine
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Arctic fox ( Alopex lagopus) and wolverine ( Gulo gulo) tissues were collected in the Canadian Arctic from 1998 to 2001 and analyzed for various essential and non-essential elements. Several elements (Ag, Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Co, Cr, Mo, Ni, Sb, Sn, Sr, Tl, U and V) were near or below the detection limits in >95% arctic fox and wolverine samples. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Fe, total Hg (THg), Mn, Pb, Se and Zn were quantifiable in >50% of the samples analyzed and reported herein. Hepatic elemental concentrations were not significantly different among arctic foxes collected at Ulukhaqtuuq (Holman), NT ( n=13) and Arviat, NU ( n=50), but were significantly greater than concentrations found in wolverine liver from Kugluktuk (Coppermine), NU ( n=12). The mean (±1 S.E.) concentrations of Cd in kidney were also significantly greater in arctic fox (1.08±0.19 μg g −1 wet wt.) than wolverine (0.67±0.18 μg g −1 wet wt.). However, mean hepatic Cu concentrations (Ulukhaqtuuq: 5.5±0.64; Arviat: 7.1±0.49 μg g −1 wet wt.) in arctic foxes were significantly lower than in wolverines (32±3.3 μg g −1 wet wt.). Hepatic total Hg (THg) concentrations in arctic fox from this study were not significantly different from specimens collected in 1973, suggesting that THg concentrations have not changed dramatically over the past 30 years. The mono-methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in selected ( n=10) arctic fox liver samples from Arviat (0.14±0.07 μg g −1 wet wt.) comprised 14% of THg. While the molar concentrations of THg were correlated with Se in arctic foxes and wolverines, the hepatic Hg/Se molar ratios were consistently lower than unity; suggesting that Se-mediated detoxification pathways of Hg are not overwhelmed at current exposure.
ISSN:0048-9697
1879-1026
DOI:10.1016/S0048-9697(02)00684-8