Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box. 65, FIN-00014, Helsinki, Finland,
Environ Monit Assess. 2014 Jan;186(1):325-33. doi: 10.1007/s10661-013-3376-z. Epub 2013 Aug 22.
Mercury concentrations were monitored in European otter (Lutra lutra), European polecat (Mustela putorius) and European pine marten (Martes martes) collected in Eastern Finland during the period 1972-2008. Otters mainly eat fish, which is an important reason to monitor the bioaccumulation of mercury in this predator. In this species, the highest concentrations were found in fur followed by liver and kidney, and the mercury concentrations increased with increasing age and body weight. Males showed in general higher concentrations than females of otters. The food of European polecat consists of small mammals, frogs, birds and insects from both aquatic and terrestrial food chains. The mercury concentrations were lower than in otters without significant differences related to body weight or sex. In European pine martens, the concentrations were rather evenly distributed except for two specimens with high concentrations. Also, concentrations of some other metals (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) were analysed from liver samples of otter. Possible adverse effects of mercury on the Finnish populations of these mustelids are discussed.
在 1972 年至 2008 年期间，在芬兰东部收集了欧洲水獭（Lutra lutra）、欧洲雪貂（Mustela putorius）和欧洲红松鼠（Martes martes），监测了它们体内的汞浓度。水獭主要以鱼类为食，这是监测这种捕食者体内汞生物积累的重要原因。在这个物种中，毛发中的汞浓度最高，其次是肝脏和肾脏，而且汞浓度随着年龄和体重的增加而增加。雄性水獭的浓度普遍高于雌性水獭。欧洲雪貂的食物包括来自水生和陆生食物链的小型哺乳动物、青蛙、鸟类和昆虫。其体内的汞浓度低于水獭，但与体重或性别无关，没有显著差异。在欧洲红松鼠中，除了两个浓度较高的样本外，浓度分布相当均匀。此外，还从水獭的肝脏样本中分析了一些其他金属（铝、镉、铜、铁、锰、镍、铅和锌）的浓度。讨论了汞对这些鼬科动物在芬兰种群中可能产生的不利影响。
