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Mercury Pollution in Three Species of Waders from Shadegan Wetlands at the Head of the Persian Gulf

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Abstract

Persian Gulf supports diverse ecosystems and biota in need of remediation and protection, and metal data from this region is needed. Mercury (Hg) in tissues of three waders (Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantous, Red-wattled Plover Hoplopterus indicus, and White-tailed Plover Vanellus leucurus) from Shadegan Wetlands is reported. Black-winged Stilt had higher Hg in feather (6.6 ± 0.6 μg/g dry weight), liver (3.5 ± 1 μg/g dry weight), kidney (4.5 ± 0.8 μg/g dry weight) and muscle (1.2 ± 0.2 μg/g dry weight) (not statistically significant). Differences in Hg among waders could have resulted from diverse feeding habitats and dissimilar foraging sites.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Bahram Hassanzade Kiabi for insightful comments; and Morteza Davodi, Alireza Nikvarz, Mohamad-mehdi Hosseini and Mostafa Alahverdi for field assistance. This work was funded by Tarbiat Modares University of Iran.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Marine Science, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 46414-356, Noor, Mazandaran, Iran

    Rasool Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi, Abbas Esmaili-Sari, Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri & Nader Bahramifar

  2. P.O. Box 7038, Ann Arbor, MI, 48107, USA

    Mozhgan Savabieasfahani

  3. Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University (PNU), Sari, Iran

    Nader Bahramifar

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  1. Rasool Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi
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  2. Abbas Esmaili-Sari
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  3. Mozhgan Savabieasfahani
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  4. Seyed Mahmoud Ghasempouri
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  5. Nader Bahramifar
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Correspondence to Rasool Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi or Abbas Esmaili-Sari.

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Zamani-Ahmadmahmoodi, R., Esmaili-Sari, A., Savabieasfahani, M. et al. Mercury Pollution in Three Species of Waders from Shadegan Wetlands at the Head of the Persian Gulf. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 84, 326–330 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-9933-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-010-9933-z

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