Lead concentrations in white-tailed deer mandibles and teeth

Concentrations of cadmium, lead and sulphur in tissues of wild, forest reindeer from north-west Russia

Samples of bone, teeth and antlers of 123 wild, forest reindeer (Rangifer tarandus fennica) shot in North Karelia and in the Archangelsk region from 1986 to 1990 were investigated with regard to heavy metal and sulphur content. The samples of bone contained the highest mean levels of cadmium and lead, and the antlers contained the lowest mean heavy-metal concentrations. No differences in the sulphur content of different tissues were found. These tissues give reliable and sensitive indications of industrial pollution in the forest ecosystems.

The multielemental analysis of bone. A review

Numerous elements, especially metals, possess biological activity. But until now, they were of interest mainly as ingredients of foods. This caused the grouping in essential and nonessential elements, and characteristic changes of their concentrations in tissues and body fluids of man are often accompanied by pathologic alterations. The growing interest in environmental influences on human, animal, and plant health has focused our view on the toxicity of certain elements. Often it depends on concentration (1) or chemical form (e.g., Cr3+ is essential whereas Cr6+ is venomous) if an element is vital or poisonous.

Fluoride in mandibles and antlers of roe and red deer from different areas of England and Scotland

Fluoride concentrations were measured in mandibles of 112 male roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) aged 1-6 years, from 5 localities in England and Scotland; also in bone from sections cut in series from orbit to antler-top of 10 other roe deer. Fluoride concentrations in mandibles were mostly within values expected from unpolluted areas, but approached those expected from moderately polluted areas at the upper end of their range, which extended from 43 to 901 microg g(-1). There were large variations in mandibular fluoride content between individual animals within each age group, and an upward trend of fluoride content with increasing age. There were also considerable differences in mandibular fluoride content between localities. No gradient in fluoride concentration was evident between the upper part of the skull and various points along the antler in 9 roe deer. A tenth animal showed an increase of 65% in fluoride concentration between the skull and the top of the antler, with exceptionally high values ranging from 1220 to 2010 micro g(-1). For 3 red deer (Cervus elaphus), no significant differences in fluoride concentrations were found between trabecular and cortical antler bone.

Lead in tissues of woodchucks fed crown vetch growing adjacent to a highway

Woodchucks (Marmota monax) were fed crown vetch (Coronilla varia) growing along a major highway that was harvested in 1979, before unleaded gas was widely used, and again in 1985. Crown vetch, harvested 300 m from the nearest road, was fed as the control. The crops were fed as 50% dry weight of the diet for 58 d. The concentrations of lead in the control, 1979 crop, and 1985 crop were, respectively, 0.74, 50.65, and 6.78 ppm dry weight. The average +/- SE) concentrations (ppm, dry weight) of lead found in the tissues of the control, 1979, and 1985 dietary-treatment animals were, respectively, kidney, 0.36 +/- 0.05, 5.78 +/- 0.72, and 0.79 +/- 0.09; liver, 0.09 +/- 0.01, 4.71 +/- 0.17, and 0.46 +/- 0.06; muscle, 0.07 +/- 0.01, 0.14 +/- 0.02, and 0.07 +/- 0.00; blood, 0.09 +/- 0.02, 2.17 +/- 0.13, and 0.31 +/- 0.05; and bone, 1.27 +/- 0.25, 47.52 +/- 7.05, and 3.71 +/- 0.65. No significant differences (p greater than 0.05) between dietary treatments were found in the general hematological analyses of the woodchucks. The ecological significance of these findings is discussed.