Mercury levels in feathers of Magellanic penguins

Frias, Jorgelina E.; Gil, Mónica N.; Esteves, José L.; García Borboroglu, Pablo; Woods, Olivia Jessica; Smith, Jeff R.; Boersma, P Dee

Mercury levels in feathers of Magellanic penguins

2012

Feathers are useful to determine mercury (Hg) contamination. We evaluated the mercury concentration in feathers of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) age 1.5years to 25years at Punta Tombo, Argentina before and during their molt. Mercury ranged between <1.4 and 367ng/gdryweight, with three extreme high values (8996ng/g, 3011ng/g and 1340ng/g) all in young adults. The median concentration was lowest for juveniles and significantly higher for adults but with high variation among older adults. Males and females had similar mercury loads. Compared with other penguin species, concentrations in Magellanic penguins were low. Mercury levels for Magellanic penguins in the Southwest Atlantic for older adults averaged 206±98ng/g, and serve as a baseline for biomonitoring and/or ecotoxicological studies.

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