Naslov
Trace and macro elements in the femoral bone as indicators of long-term environmental exposure to toxic metals in European brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Croatia

Autori
Lazarus, Maja ; Orct, Tatjana ; Reljić, Slaven ; Sedak, Marija ; Bilandžić, Nina ; Jurasović, Jasna ; Huber, Đuro

Izvornik
Environmental science and pollution research (0944-1344) 25 (2018), 22; 21656-21670

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
compact bone ; trabecular bone ; macro element ; trace element ; terrestrial mammal

Sažetak
We explored the long-term accumulation of aluminum, strontium, cadmium and lead in the compact and trabecular bone of the femoral epiphysis, metaphysis and diaphysis in 41 brown bears (Ursus arctos) from Croatia. Also, we assessed their influence on macro and trace elements (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and barium) in bears' bone. There were no sex-differences in element levels in general, while age was associated with bone length and levels of all elements, except for cadmium. Elements had different levels depending on the part of the bone sampled. More pronounced differences were observed between the compact and trabecular regions, with higher levels of majority of elements found in compact bone. Moderate to high associations (Spearman coefficient, rS=0.59-0.97) were confirmed between calcium and potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, cobalt, zinc, strontium, lead. Lead levels in the bone were below those known to cause adverse health effects, but in 4 of 41 animals they exceeded baseline levels for domestic animals. The femoral bone of the brown bear reflected the accumulative nature of lead and strontium well, as it did the impairment of bone-forming essential element levels associated with these two elements. However, the distribution pattern of elements along the bone was not uniform, so additional care should be taken when choosing on the part of the bone sampled.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Temeljne medicinske znanosti, Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA