School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
Department of Biological Sciences and Centre for Bioengineering Innovation, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
Environ Pollut. 2018 Feb;233:377-386. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.10.088. Epub 2017 Nov 5.
Mining is fundamental to the Australian economy, yet little is known about how potential contaminants bioaccumulate and affect wildlife living near active mining sites. Here, we show using air sampling that fine manganese dust within the respirable size range is found at levels exceeding international recommendations even 20 km from manganese extraction, processing, and storage facilities on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. Endangered northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) living near mining sites were found to have elevated manganese concentrations within their hair, testes, and in two brain regions-the neocortex and cerebellum, which are responsible for sensory perception and motor function, respectively. Accumulation in these organs has been associated with adverse reproductive and neurological effects in other species and could affect the long-term population viability of northern quolls.
采矿是澳大利亚经济的基础，但人们对于潜在污染物如何在靠近活跃矿区的野生动物体内生物积累并产生影响知之甚少。在这里，我们通过空气采样表明，在距离北领地格罗特埃兰岛锰矿开采、加工和储存设施 20 公里的地方，可吸入范围内的细锰尘含量达到了国际建议标准之上。研究发现，生活在矿区附近的濒危北部袋狸（Dasyurus hallucatus）的毛发、睾丸以及两个大脑区域——大脑皮层和小脑——的锰浓度升高，前者负责感觉感知，后者负责运动功能。在其他物种中，这些器官的积累与生殖和神经系统的不良影响有关，可能会影响北部袋狸的长期种群生存能力。
