Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
Ecotoxicology. 2011 Jan;20(1):131-8. doi: 10.1007/s10646-010-0563-3. Epub 2010 Nov 13.
In order to biomonitor lead contamination in Southeastern Spain, 218 blood samples from 28 to 30-day old Eurasian Eagle Owl chicks (Bubo bubo) born between 2003 and 2007 were analysed. In general, mean lead levels showed that chicks were exposed to background concentrations. However, mean levels in chicks born in an ancient and abandoned mining site ("Sierra Minera Cartagena-La Union") or in their surroundings (Geometric mean (GM) = 5.83 μg/dl, range 0.49-25.61 μg/dl), an area highly polluted by lead and other metals, were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than the rest of the population (GM = 1.66 μg/dl, range = Non detected-18.37 μg/dl). Because δ-ALAD activity is considered the best biomarker for lead exposure and effect in birds, the activity of this enzyme was also evaluated and correlated with lead levels in blood. In this study, low levels of blood lead inhibited δ-ALAD, even when lead concentrations were lower than the limits described by other authors in raptors. Adverse effects caused by this inhibition may occur when blood lead levels were above 15 μg/dl, although only eight chicks presented these concentrations in their blood. Sampling site also influenced enzymatic activity, since it decreased about 60% in the polluted area in relation to the rest. For all these reasons, further research regarding risk assessment for lead exposure in Eagle Owls nesting in the polluted area is advisable. Our results suggest that the Eurasian Eagle Owl can be considered a suitable sentinel animal for monitoring lead contamination and δ-ALAD activity can be used as a sensitive biomarker for lead exposure and effect in this species.
为了监测西班牙东南部的铅污染情况，对 2003 年至 2007 年间出生的 28 至 30 天大的欧亚雕鸮（Bubo bubo）雏鸟的 218 份血液样本进行了分析。一般来说，平均铅水平表明雏鸟接触的是背景浓度。然而，在一个古老的废弃矿区（“卡塔赫纳-拉尤尼翁矿业山脉”）或其周围地区（几何平均值（GM）= 5.83μg/dl，范围 0.49-25.61μg/dl）出生的雏鸟的平均水平（GM = 5.83μg/dl，范围 0.49-25.61μg/dl），比其他地区的雏鸟（GM = 1.66μg/dl，范围=未检出-18.37μg/dl）要高得多（p<0.001）。由于 δ-ALAD 活性被认为是鸟类铅暴露和影响的最佳生物标志物，因此还评估了这种酶的活性，并与血液中的铅水平相关联。在这项研究中，即使血液中的铅浓度低于其他作者在猛禽中描述的限值，低水平的血液铅也会抑制 δ-ALAD。当血液中的铅水平超过 15μg/dl 时，这种抑制可能会导致不良影响，尽管只有 8 只雏鸟的血液中出现了这些浓度。采样地点也影响了酶的活性，因为在污染区的活性比其他地区降低了约 60%。出于所有这些原因，建议对在污染地区筑巢的雕鸮进行铅暴露风险评估的进一步研究。我们的研究结果表明，欧亚雕鸮可以被视为监测铅污染的合适指示动物，而 δ-ALAD 活性可以作为该物种铅暴露和影响的敏感生物标志物。
