Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
Environ Res. 2012 Jan;112:58-66. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2011.09.019. Epub 2011 Oct 20.
Mercury (Hg) accumulation, transfer, defense mechanism and adverse effects were studied in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Almadén mining district (Spain), the largest (285,000 t of Hg) and the oldest (more than 2000 years) Hg mine/refining operation site in the world. Red deer (n=168) and wild boar (n=58) liver, kidney, bones (metacarpus), testis and muscle were analyzed for total Hg and selenium (Se) within a range of distances to the Almadén mining district. The highest Hg concentrations were found in kidney (0.092 and 0.103 μg/g d.w. for red deer and wild boar, respectively) followed by the levels in liver (0.013 and 0.023 μg/g d.w. for red deer and wild boar, respectively). A significant correlation (r=-0.609, p=0.007) was found between Hg concentrations and distance to the Almadén Hg mining district. However, both red deer and wild boar closest to the mining area still showed mercury concentrations well below the concentration associated with clinical signs of Hg poisoning. Highest Se concentrations were found in kidney (2.60 and 6.08 μg/g in red deer and wild boar, respectively) and testis (2.20 μg/g in red deer). For selenium, differences between red deer and wild boar were statistically significant (p<0.05) in all tissues, concentrations being higher in wild boar than in red deer. In the diagnosis of Se deficiency, the vast majority of the examined red deer livers were deficient. A significant correlation was found between Hg and Se in kidney (r=0.386, p>0.001 for red deer and r=0.567, p=0.005 for wild boar). Liver GSSG concentrations were negatively correlated to total mercury and Hg:Se molar ratio in male deer, which could indicate a hormetic response to Hg exposure. Moreover, a positive association was found between the antioxidant element Se and antioxidant vitamins in red deer tissues.
本研究以西班牙阿尔马登汞矿（世界上最大的汞矿和最古老的汞矿，已有超过 2000 年的开采历史）地区的红鹿（Cervus elaphus）和野猪（Sus scrofa）为研究对象，研究了汞在这些动物体内的积累、转移、防御机制和不良反应。在距离阿尔马登汞矿区不同距离范围内，分析了 168 只红鹿和 58 只野猪的肝脏、肾脏、骨骼（掌骨）、睾丸和肌肉中的总汞和硒含量。结果显示，肾脏中的汞浓度最高（红鹿和野猪分别为 0.092 和 0.103μg/g 干重），其次是肝脏（红鹿和野猪分别为 0.013 和 0.023μg/g 干重）。研究还发现，汞浓度与距离阿尔马登汞矿区的距离呈显著负相关（r=-0.609，p=0.007）。然而，即使是距离矿区最近的红鹿和野猪，其体内的汞浓度仍远低于与汞中毒临床症状相关的浓度。肾脏中的硒浓度最高（红鹿和野猪分别为 2.60 和 6.08μg/g），睾丸中的硒浓度也较高（红鹿为 2.20μg/g）。此外，在所有组织中，红鹿和野猪之间的硒浓度存在显著差异（p<0.05），野猪的硒浓度明显高于红鹿。在对硒缺乏症的诊断中，研究中绝大多数红鹿的肝脏都存在硒缺乏。研究还发现，肾脏中汞与硒呈显著正相关（红鹿 r=0.386，p>0.001；野猪 r=0.567，p=0.005）。此外，雄性鹿肝脏中的 GSSG 浓度与总汞和汞：硒摩尔比呈负相关，这可能表明其对汞暴露的适应反应。同时，还发现红鹿组织中的抗氧化元素硒与抗氧化维生素之间存在正相关关系。
