engleski

Badger (Meles meles) as a bio-indicator of environment pollution by heavy metals in the Eastern Croatia

Heavy metals in the environment are transferred throughout food-web in the ecosystems and being accumulated in organs, causing toxic effects in the animal body. Badger is a wild mammal living in various terrestrial habitats of the Eastern Croatia. Due to its inclusion in many of food- webs it is suitable for use as a bio-indicator of the environment pollution by heavy metals. Preliminary research of the concentration of heavy metals: arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury in badger’s kidney, muscle and liver has been carried out in the period 2009-2011. Total of 24 badgers has been collected by culling or found killed in road traffic accidents. Concentrations were determined in the laboratory by using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Higher concentration of cadmium and mercury in the kidney is statistically significant, thus confirming it as a target organ for the heavy metal accumulation. Higher concentrations of lead and mercury were determined in females, while the concentration of arsenic and mercury is highest in adult individuals. Heavy metals are naturally present in the geological ground, sediments and water. The most important anthropogenic sources are: emissions from the road traffic, industrial plants and waste disposal sector

heavy metal ; environment ; badger ; Croatia

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