Summary
Samples of muscle, liver and kidney of Weddell and crabeater seals, Adélie and emperor penguins, and McCormick's skuas collected in the Weddell Sea in the summer 1982/83 were analysed for cadmium and copper. In general, the study aimed at contributing to the establishment of base-line data on potential pollutants in Antarctic ecosystems. In particular, it aimed at increasing the amount of data on Cd and Cu levels in the same species that that had been collected and analysed two years eralier, thus improving the possibility of statistical analyses into relationships between metal contents and biological parameters or sampling-sites of the animals, but the data basis is still too small for the letter purpose. In all species together, concentration ranges (on dry weight basis) were 0.16–0.77, 3.7–96.8 and 15.6–491 mg cadmium and 1.6–21.4, 14.9–149 and 12.6–47.7 mg copper per kg in muscles, livers and kidneys, respectively. The relatively high levels of both metals in all species analysed, in connexion with the available literature, suggest that levels in marine mammals and birds can only, if at all, to a minor extent reflect differences in environmental concentrations of these metals.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Explore related subjects
Discover the latest articles, news and stories from top researchers in related subjects.Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Anderlini VC, Connors PG, Risebrough RW, Martin JW (1972) In: Proceedings of the colloquium on conservation problems in Antarctica. Allan Press, Lawrence, Kansas, pp 49–61
Bull KR, Murton RK, Osborn D, Ward P, Cheng L (1977) High levels of cadmium in Atlantic seabirds and seaskaters. Nature 269:507–509
Drescher HE, Harms U, Huschenbeth E (1977) Organochlorines and heavy metals in the harbour seal Phoca vitulina from the German North Sea Coast. Mar Biol 41:99–106
Duinker JC, Hillebrand MTJ, Nolting RF (1979) Organochlorines and metals in harbour seals (Dutch Wadden Sea). Mar Poll Bull 10:360–364
Eisler R (1981) Trace metal concentrations in marine organisms. Pergamon Press, New York, 687 pp
Furness R, Hutton M (1979) Pollutant levels in the great skua Catharacta skua. Environ Pollut 19:261–268
Holden AV (1978) Pollutants and seals-a review. Mammal Rev 8:53–66
Holdgate MW, Tinker J (1979) Oil and other minerals in the Antarctic-the environmental implications of possible mineral exploration and exploitation. In Antarctica. SCAR 51 pp
Johansen P, Kapel FO, Kraul I (1980) Heavy metals and organochlorines in marine mammals from Greenland. ICES CM 1980/E:32
Kruse R (1980) Vielfach-Bestimmung von Pb und Cd in Fischen durch elektrothermale AAS nach Naßveraschung in kommerziellen Teflon-Bechern. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 171:261–264
Martin JH, Flegal AR (1975) High copper concentrations in squid livers in association with elevated levels of silver, cadmium and zinc. Mar Biol 30:51–55
McKie JC, Davies IM, Topping G (1980) Heavy metals in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from the east coast of Scotland. ICES C M 1980/E:41
Schneider R, Steinhagen-Schneider G, Drescher HE (1985) Organochlorines and heavy metals in seals and birds from the Weddell Sea. In: Siegfried WR, Condy PR, Laws RM (eds) Antarctic nutrient cycles and food webs. Proc 4th SCAR Symp Antarct Biol. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, pp 652–655
Schneppenheim R (1981) Results of the biological investigations in the Weddell Sea during a site survey 1979/1980. Polarforschung 51:91–99
Sladen WJL, Menzie CM, Reichel WL (1966) DDT residues in Adélie penguins and a crabeater seal from Antarctica. Nature 215:346–348
Stoeppler M, Brandt K (1979) Comparative studies on trace metal levels in marine biota. 2. Trace metals in krill, krill products, and fish from the Antarctic Scotia Sea. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch 169:95–98
Wagemann R, Muir DCG (1984) Concentrations of heavy metals and organochlorines in marine mammals of northern waters: overview and evaluation. Can Techn Rep Fish Aquat Sci 1279, 97 pp
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Steinhagen-Schneider, G. Cadmium and copper levels in seals, penguins and skuas from the Weddell Sea in 1982/1983. Polar Biol 5, 139–143 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441693
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00441693