Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wielkopolskich Av. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland.
Biol Trace Elem Res. 2012 Feb;145(2):172-80. doi: 10.1007/s12011-011-9181-z. Epub 2011 Sep 3.
In this study, we determined the concentrations of total mercury (Hg) in samples of liver, kidney and skeletal muscle of 27 red foxes Vulpes vulpes (L., 1758) from north-western Poland, and examined the morphometric characteristics of the collected specimens. The analysis also included the relationship between Hg concentration and the fox size, and the suitability of individual organs as bioindicators in indirect evaluation of environmental mercury contamination. Determination of Hg concentration was performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In the analysed samples, the Hg concentration was low and the maximum value did not exceed 0.85 mgHg/kg dry weight (dw). There were no significant differences in Hg concentrations in the analysed material between males and females or between immature and adult groups. The median concentrations of Hg in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle were 0.22, 0.11 and 0.05 mgHg/kg dw, respectively. The correlation coefficients were significant between the concentrations of mercury in the liver, kidney and skeletal muscle (positive) and between the kidney Hg concentration and kidney mass (negative). Taking into account our results and findings of other authors, it may be argued that the red fox exhibits a measurable response to mercury environmental pollution and meets the requirements of a bioindicator.
在这项研究中，我们测定了 27 只来自波兰西北部的赤狐（ Vulpes vulpes （L.，1758））肝脏、肾脏和骨骼肌样本中的总汞（Hg）浓度，并检查了收集标本的形态特征。分析还包括 Hg 浓度与狐狸体型之间的关系，以及各个器官作为间接评估环境汞污染的生物标志物的适宜性。Hg 浓度的测定采用原子吸收光谱法。在所分析的样本中，Hg 浓度较低，最大值不超过 0.85mgHg/kg 干重（dw）。在雄性和雌性之间或未成熟和成年组之间，分析材料中的 Hg 浓度没有显著差异。肝脏、肾脏和骨骼肌中 Hg 的中位数浓度分别为 0.22、0.11 和 0.05mgHg/kg dw。肝脏、肾脏和骨骼肌中汞浓度之间（正相关）和肾脏汞浓度与肾脏质量之间（负相关）的相关系数均具有统计学意义。考虑到我们的结果和其他作者的发现，可以认为赤狐对环境汞污染表现出可衡量的反应，符合生物标志物的要求。
