Larter N C, Nagy J A
Department of Resources, Wildlife & Economic Development, Government of the Northwest Territories, Inuvik, Canada.
Sci Total Environ. 2000 Feb 10;246(2-3):109-19. doi: 10.1016/s0048-9697(99)00418-0.
Aluminum, nickel, cadmium, mercury and lead levels were measured in the kidney tissue of Banks Island Peary caribou and barren-ground caribou, from the Bluenose herd, of the western Northwest Territories of Canada. Cadmium concentrations of Bluenose caribou were similar to those reported elsewhere for barren-ground caribou and showed a positive correlation with age. Cadmium concentrations of Peary caribou were significantly lower than those of Bluenose caribou regardless of age, were the lowest reported for caribou during winter, and did not show a positive correlation with age. Mercury levels, expressed on a wet weight basis, were similar to those reported for other barren-ground caribou. Mercury levels were significantly higher in Bluenose [mean 10.45 microg g(-1) (dry wt.); S.E.= 0.85; n = 20] than Peary [mean 5.43 microg g(-1) (dry wt.); S.E. = 0.31; n = 20] caribou. Aluminum concentrations for Bluenose and Peary caribou were similar [mean 1.48 microg g(-1) (dry wt.); S.E. = 0.17; n = 20 and mean 1.56 microg g(-1) (dry wt.); S.E.= 0.15; n = 20, respectively), but were considerably lower than those reported for barren-ground caribou elsewhere. Lead and nickel concentrations were low and similar between Bluenose, Peary and other reported barren-ground caribou populations. Higher cadmium and mercury concentrations in Bluenose caribou are consistent with the hypothesis that caribou with a high dietary lichen component have higher contaminant levels. It is unlikely that subsistence harvesters would consume enough kidney during a year to exceed the tolerable intake of cadmium recommended by the WHO.
对来自加拿大西北地区西部蓝鼻子鹿群的班克斯岛佩里驯鹿和荒地驯鹿的肾脏组织中的铝、镍、镉、汞和铅含量进行了测量。蓝鼻子驯鹿的镉浓度与其他地方报道的荒地驯鹿的镉浓度相似，且与年龄呈正相关。无论年龄大小，佩里驯鹿的镉浓度均显著低于蓝鼻子驯鹿，是冬季报道的驯鹿中镉浓度最低的，且与年龄无正相关。以湿重计的汞含量与其他荒地驯鹿报道的含量相似。蓝鼻子驯鹿的汞含量[平均10.45微克/克（干重）；标准误=0.85；n = 20]显著高于佩里驯鹿[平均5.43微克/克（干重）；标准误 = 0.31；n = 20]。蓝鼻子驯鹿和佩里驯鹿的铝浓度相似[分别为平均1.48微克/克（干重）；标准误 = 0.17；n = 20和平均1.56微克/克（干重）；标准误=0.15；n = 20]，但远低于其他地方报道的荒地驯鹿的铝浓度。蓝鼻子驯鹿、佩里驯鹿以及其他报道的荒地驯鹿种群中的铅和镍浓度较低且相似。蓝鼻子驯鹿中较高的镉和汞浓度与以下假设一致，即饮食中地衣成分含量高的驯鹿污染物水平更高。自给性捕猎者一年内不太可能食用足够多的肾脏，以至于超过世界卫生组织推荐的镉可耐受摄入量。
