Elemental Contamination in Various Species of Birds from Select States in India
Author : Kirubhanandhini Venkatasalam, Muralidharan Subramanian, Ganesan Kittusamy and Shashikant Shivaji JadhavVolume 8 No.2 April-June 2019 pp 45-49
Abstract
With the aim, to assess the magnitude of elemental contamination in birds in select states in India, samples of bird tissues were analyzed for copper (Cu), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr), with Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Elements were detected in all the tissues and significant differences were noted in their concentrations among the species and tissues (P>0.05). Out of the 10 species analyzed, Bar – headed Goose and Red – wattled Lapwing accumulated the highest and Eurasian Collared – dove the lowest concentration of all the elements analyzed. Of all the tissues, kidney accumulated the maximum concentration of Pb (11.77 μg/g), Cd (17.06 μg/g) and Cr (16.08 μg/g). Apart from the organs studied, gut content also had notable levels of elements, which indicated the present contamination status of the environment. Nonetheless, the levels of most of the elements measured in the present study were considered non-toxic.
Keywords
Elements, Birds, Tissues, Bio-Indicators, Toxic, Contamination
References
[1] Ahmed, K., Das, M., Islam, M. M., Akter, M. S., Islam, S., & Al-Mansur, M. A. (2011). Physico-chemical properties of tannery and textile effluents and surface water of River Buriganga and Karnatoli, Bangladesh. World Applied Sciences Journal, 12(2), 152-159.
[2] Bakre, P. P., & Sharma, A. (1995). Lead concentrations in House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) collected from urban area of Jaipur. Journal of Environmental Biology, 16(1), 15-17.
[3] Blanco-Penedo, I., Cruz, J. M., López-Alonso, M., Miranda, M., Castillo, C., Hernández, J., &Benedito, J. L. (2006). Influence of copper status on the accumulation of toxic and essential metals in cattle. Environment International, 32(7), 901-906.
[4] Barceloux DG (1999). Zinc. J ToxicolClinToxicol, 37,279-292
[5] Begum, A., &Sehrin, S. (2013). Levels of heavy metals in different tissues of pigeon (Columba livia) of Bangladesh for Safety Assessment for Human Consumption. Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal, 16(1), 81-87.
[6] Beyer, W. N., Spann, J. W., Sileo, L., &Franson, J. C. (1988). Lead poisoning in six captive avian species. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 17(1), 121-130.
[7] Bhuyan, M. S., & Islam, M. S. (2017). A critical review of heavy metal pollution and its effects in Bangladesh. Science Journal of Energy Engineering, 5, 95-108.
[8] Blakely, J. K., Neher, D. A., &Spongberg, A. L. (2002). Soil invertebrate and microbial communities and decomposition as indicators of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contamination. Applied Soil Ecology, 21(1), 71-88.
[9] Burger, J., &Gochfeld, M. (1996). Heavy metal and selenium levels in Franklin’s gull (Laruspipixcan) parents and their eggs. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 30(4), 487-491.
[10] Clark, A. J., &Scheuhammer, A. M. (2003). Lead poisoning in upland-foraging birds of prey in Canada. Ecotoxicology, 12(1-4), 23-30.
[11] Eeva, T., & Lehikoinen, E. (1996). Growth and mortality of nestling great tits (Parus major) and pied flycatchers (Ficedulahypoleuca) in a heavy metal pollution gradient. Oecologia, 108(4), 631-639.
[12] Eeva, T., Ahola, M., & Lehikoinen, E. (2009). Breeding performance of blue tits (Cyanistescaeruleus) and great tits (Parus major) in a heavy metal polluted area. Environmental Pollution, 157(11), 3126-3131.
[13] Frank, A., & Borg, K. (1979). Heavy metals in the tissues of the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor). Acta Vet Scand, 20, 447-465.
[14] Franson, J. C., Lahner, L. L., Meteyer, C. U., &Rattner, B. A. (2012). Copper pellets simulating oral exposure to copper ammunition: absence of toxicity in American kestrels (Falco sparverius). Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 62(1), 145-153.
[15] Furness. R. W. (1996). Cadmium in birds.In: W. N. Beyer, G.H. Heinz, & A.W. Redmon-Norwood Environmental Contaminants in Wildlife – Interpreting tissue concentrations. (8th ed., Pp 389-404). (Ed.), Bpca Raton, Florida: Lewis Publishers, CRC press.
[16] Gochfeld, J. B. M. (2000). Effects of lead on birds (Laridae): a review of laboratory and field studies. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part B: Critical Reviews, 3(2), 59-78.
[17] Gupta, V. (2013). Mammalian feces as bio-indicator of heavy metal contamination in Bikaner Zoological Garden, Rajasthan, India. Res. J. Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sci, 1(5), 10-15.
[18] Jayakumar, R., &Muralidharan, S. (2011). Metal contamination in select species of birds in Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology, 87(2), 166-170.
[19] Kim, J., & Koo, T. H. (2010). Acute and/or chronic contaminations of heavy metals in shorebirds from Korea. Journal of environmental monitoring, 12(8), 1613-1618.
[20] Krejpcio, Z., &Trojanowska, E. (2000). The effect of lead (II) and cadmium (II) ions on pepsin and trypsin activity in vitro. Bromatologia I ChemiaToksykologiczna, 33(1), 43-48.
[21] Lewis, L. A., Poppenga, R. J., Davidson, W. R., Fischer, J. R., & Morgan, K. A. (2001). Lead toxicosis and trace element levels in wild birds and mammals at a firearms training facility. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 41(2), 208-214.
[22] Mochizuki, M., Hondo, R., Kumon, K., Sasaki, R., Matsuba, H., & Ueda, F. (2002). Cadmium contamination in wild birds as an indicator of environmental pollution. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 73(3), 229-235.
[23] Mohanta, M. K., Salam, M. A., Saha, A. K., Hasan, A., & Roy, A. K. (2010). Effects of tannery effluents on survival and histopathological changes in different organs of Channa punctatus. Asian J. Exp. Biol. Sci, 1(2), 294-302.
[24] Muralidharan S. (1995). Heavy metal contamination in and around the aquatic environs of Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur. Thesis submitted to University of Rajasthan
[25] Pandey, G., & Madhuri, S. (2014). Heavy metals causing toxicity in animals and fishes. Research Journal of Animal, Veterinary and Fishery Sciences, 2(2), 17-23.
[26] Pechova, A., & Pavlata, L. (2007).Chromium as an essential nutrient: a review. VeterinarniMedicina-Praha, 52(1), 1.
[27] Rajamani, J., & Subramanian, M. (2015). Toxicity assessment on the levels of select metals in the Critically Endangered Indian White-backed Vulture, Gyps bengalensis, in India. Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology, 94(6), 722-726.
[28] Riggs, S. M., Puschner, B., & Tell, L. A. (2002). Management of an ingested lead foreign body in an Amazon parrot. Veterinary and human toxicology, 44(6), 345-348.
[29] Scheuhammer, A. M. (1987). The chronic toxicity of aluminium, cadmium, mercury, and lead in birds: a review. Environmental Pollution, 46(4), 263-295.
[30] Status and conservation of herons. (2000). Herons as indicators. (Academic Press), New York: Erwin RM,Custer TW.
[31] Straw Jr, J. A., Kbementz, D. G., &Ounde, M. W. (2000). Determinants of lead shot, rice, and grit ingestion in ducks and coots. Journal of Wildlife Management, 64(4), 939-947.
[32] Szymczyk, K., &Zalewski, K. (2003). Copper, Zinc, Lead and Cadmium Content in Liver and Muscles of Mallards (AnasPlatyrhychnos) and Other Hunting Fowl Species in Warmia and Mazury in 1999-2000. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 12(3).
[33] Torres, J., Foronda, P., Eira, C., Miquel, J., &Feliu, C. (2010). Trace element concentrations in Raillietinamicracantha in comparison to its definitive host, the feral pigeon Columba livia in Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Archipelago, Spain). Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 58(1), 176-182.
[34] Tsipoura, N., Burger, J., Newhouse, M., Jeitner, C., Gochfeld, M., & Mizrahi, D. (2011). Lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, and arsenic levels in eggs, feathers, and tissues of Canada geese of the New Jersey Meadowlands. Environmental research, 111(6), 775-784.
[35] US Fish & Wildlife Service. (1988). Lead hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review. (Biological Report). Washington, DC, USA: R. Eisler.
[36] US Fish and Wildlife Service. (1986). Chromium hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: a synoptic review. (Biological Report). Washington, USA: R. Eisler.
[37] Wilson, I. D. (1937). An early report of lead poisoning in waterfowl Science. (New Series), 86(2236), 423.
[38] World Health Organization. (1992). Cadmium. Environmental Health Criteria. (World Health Organisation, International Programme on Chemical Safety). Geneva, Switzerland.
[39] Jin, S. D., Seo, S. G., Shin, Y. U., Bing, K. C., Kang, T. H., Paek, W. K., & Lee, D. P. (2012). Heavy metal accumulations of 4 species of Anseriformes in Korea. Journal of Korean Nature, 5(4), 345-349.