Metal(loid) exposure assessment and biomarker responses in captive and free-ranging European brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Lazarus, Maja; Orct, Tatjana; Sergiel, Agnieszka; Vranković, Lana; Filipović Marijić, Vlatka; Rašić, Dubravka; Reljić, Slaven; Aladrović, Jasna; Zwijacz-Kozica, Tomasz; Zięba, Filip; Jurasović, Jasna; Erk, Marijana; Maślak, Robert; Selva, Nuria; Huber, Đuro (2020) Metal(loid) exposure assessment and biomarker responses in captive and free-ranging European brown bear (Ursus arctos). Environmental Research, 183 . ISSN 0013-9351

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Abstract

We investigated the level of five non-essential metal(loid)s (As, Cd, Hg, Tl, Pb) and nine essential metals (Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo) in hair and blood components of captive and free-ranging European brown bear populations in Croatia and Poland. Metal(loid) associations with biomarkers of oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase, SOD ; glutathione- peroxidase, GSH-Px ; malondialdehyde, MDA) and metal exposure (metallothionein, MT) were estimated in this top predatory mammal. Lead was the most abundant non-essential metal(loid) in both blood and hair, with 4 of 35 individuals having blood levels over 100 µg/L. A positive association was found between Pb level and SOD activity in blood. Free-ranging bears had higher blood SOD activity, Mn, Zn and Cd levels, hair Co, Cd, Tl and Pb compared to captive individuals, while the opposite was true for Mg and hair Ca thereby reflecting habitat and diet differences. With increasing age, animals showed lower levels of SOD activity and certain essential metals. Females had higher SOD activity and blood levels of some essential metals than males. Hair showed a higher Fe and Co level when sampled during the growth phase and was not predictive of non- essential metal(loid) blood levels. The established metal(loid) baseline values will enable future risk assessment in both captive and wild European brown bear populations.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	blood ; hair ; terrestrial mammal ; oxidative stress ; elements
Subjects:	NATURAL SCIENCES > Biology NATURAL SCIENCES > Interdisciplinary Natural Sciences > Environmental Science
Divisions:	Division for Marine and Enviromental Research
Depositing User:	Vlatka Filipović Marijić
Date Deposited:	15 Sep 2020 11:15
URI:	http://fulir.irb.hr/id/eprint/5939
DOI:	10.1016/j.envres.2020.109166

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