PARENT SESSION
PS1 - Wildlife Toxicology
Sunday, 17 November 2002
8:00 AM to 6:30 PM
Exhibit Hall

(P029) Body distribution and maternal transfer of trace elements in black-tailed gulls.

Kunito, Takashi^*,1, Agusa, Tetsuro¹, Matsumoto, Taro¹, Yasunaga, Genta¹, Tanabe, Shinsuke¹, Ogi, Haruo², Shibata, Yasuyuki³, ¹ Center for Marine Environmental Studies, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan² Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan³ National Institute of Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan

ABSTRACT- Various trace elements have been emitted into the environment from anthropogenic sources and their possible adverse effects on wildlife are of serious concern. Seabirds are high on the food chain and are exposed to higher concentrations of some trace elements. However, very little study has been conducted on the accumulation of trace elements in seabirds except for some elements such as Hg, Cd, Zn and Cu. In this study, body distribution and maternal transfer of 19 trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hg, Tl and Pb) to the eggs were examined for black-tailed gulls (Larus crassirostris), which was caught as vermin in Rishiri Island, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Manganese, Co, Cu, Rb, Mo and Cd showed the highest levels in liver and kidney, Ag, Sb and Hg in feather, and V, Co, Zn, Sr and Pb in bone. It was also observed that large amounts of Rb, Ga, Tl, Ba, Cr, Se and Mo were transferred to the eggs. In contrast, maternal transfer rates of Pb, Sb, Hg, V, Sr, Ag, Co and Cs were substantially low. The present results may be useful for understanding of the fate and potential effects of trace elements in seabirds.

Key words: heavy metals, trace elements, seabird, contamination