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http://dx.doi.org/10.14249/eia.2016.25.6.502

The Characteristics of Heavy Metal Distributions in the Tissues of Feral Pigeon (Columba livia) as a Bio-monitoring Indicator  

Lee, Jangho (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Lee, Jongchun (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Park, Jong-Hyouk (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Lee, Eugene (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Shim, Kyuyoung (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Jang, Heeyeon (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Kim, Myungjin (Natural Environment Research Division, National Institute of Environmental Research)
Publication Information
Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment / v.25, no.6, 2016 , pp. 502-513 More about this Journal
Abstract
In this study, heavy metal distributions in the tissues of feral pigeon (Columba livia) were characterized using samples collected from bio-monitoring sites (Hangang Park and Hampyeong Park) of the NESB (National Environmental Specimen Bank), Korea, in order to evaluate the feasibility of feral pigeons as an indicator for the environmental monitoring. Cadmium (Cd) was analyzed to be accumulated in kidneys at higher concentration than in the other tissues. Such trend can also be found in the reviews on the Cd accumulations of the 34 cases including 17 avian species which showed that 31 cases had the highest Cd concentrations in the kidney among tissues. However, lead (Pb) was found to be richest in the bones in this study. 17 cases out of 30 reviewed cases had the highest Pb concentration in bones, whereas other 10 cases showed the highest concentration in kidneys, and 3 cases in livers. Therefore, kidneys together with bones can be a main target organ to test cadmium exposure to different habitat environments depending on physiological traits of birds. Zinc (Zn) was found to be the highest concentration in the pigeon livers of Hangang Park, but not in the bones. In contrast, the 13 cases of 16 reviewed cases had the highest Zn concentration in bones, and the 3 cases in livers. In addition, the heavy metal distribution patterns in relations to the metal accumulation mechanisms (a competition between Pb and Ca, a function of methallothionein protein, and etc.) were discussed.
Keywords
Monitoring; Cadmium; Lead; Methallothionein;
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