ABSTRACT
Total mercury and methylmercury concentrations were measured in brain, kidney, liver, and fur from several mink and otter collected in south-central Ontario. There was a large range in concentrations of both total and methylmercury. The percentage of the total mercury present as methylmercury varied among the various tissues; however, the percentage mercury found as the methyl form was relatively constant within a given tissue for all tissues in mink but highly variable in otter. For both species the highest percentage of methylmercury was found in the brain, whereas the lowest percentage was found in the kidneys for the otter and in the fur for the mink. Comparison of mercury concentrations in otter reveals that animals with higher body fat have higher mercury concentrations. Measurements of mercury in fur can be used as a general indicator of internal tissue concentrations.
Subject(s)
Environmental Monitoring , Methylmercury Compounds/analysis , Mink , Otters , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Animals , Animals, Wild , Brain Chemistry , Hair/chemistry , Kidney/chemistry , Liver/chemistry , OntarioABSTRACT
Hair samples were collected from otter (Lutra canadensis) trapped in several parts of south-central Ontario, Canada. The concentrations of total Hg in hair were compared with methyl mercury concentrations in liver tissues from the same individuals to determine if hair is a suitable monitoring tissue. Hg in the two tissues was significantly correlated. Hair was used to monitor Hg in 51 individuals from four townships. The concentrations of total Hg in hair ranged from 4 to 20 micrograms/g. No significant variation among the four sample regions existed. Generally the highest concentrations were found in the youngest members of the population. Some possible explanations for the observations are presented.
Subject(s)
Hair/chemistry , Mercury/analysis , Otters/metabolism , Animals , Environmental Monitoring/methods , Female , Liver/chemistry , Male , Methylmercury Compounds/analysis , OntarioABSTRACT
Viscera of 16 moose and hide samples of 24 moose (Alces alces) shot in eastern Ontario in 1985 were examined for parasites. Two species of trematodes, one species of cestode, five species of nematodes and one species of tick were recovered. One nematode species, Trichuris discolor, is reported for the first time from moose. Our results suggest that the parasite fauna of the moose may have been influenced by the absence or scarcity of other species of wild cervids or carnivores and by the presence of domestic livestock.
