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Mercury in the eggs of aquatic birds from the Gulf of Gdansk and Wloclawek Dam (Poland)

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Abstract

The aim of this paper was to assess the influence of diet on the concentrations of total mercury (HgTOT) in the eggs of aquatic birds. Trophic level was determined using stable isotopes (δ15N, δ13C). Analysis was carried out on eggs (laid in 2010–2012) belonging to two species of terns nesting at the River Vistula outlet on the Gulf of Gdansk and on herring gulls nesting both in Gdynia harbour and on the Vistula dam in Wloclawek. The results show that seafood diet causes the highest load of mercury, that which is transferred into terns eggs. The amounts of accumulated mercury obtained were found to be different in the particular egg components with Hgalbumen > Hgyolk > Hgmembrane > Hgshell. In the herring gull eggs, three stages of embryo development with varying levels of mercury were determined. It was observed that mercury received from the albumen and yolk was most effectively removed when developing embryo into down.

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Acknowledgments

The present paper was created with the financial support of the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education within the framework of the research project No. N N304 161637.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Chemistry and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Oceanography and Geography, University of Gdansk, Pilsudskiego 46, 81-387, Gdynia, Poland

    Agnieszka Grajewska, Lucyna Falkowska, Emilia Szumiło-Pilarska, Julia Hajdrych, Marta Szubska & Magdalena Bełdowska

  2. Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924, Lodz, Poland

    Tomasz Frączek

  3. Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308, Gdansk, Poland

    Włodzimierz Meissner

  4. Waterbird Research Group KULING, Swierkowa 34/7, 81-526, Gdynia, Poland

    Szymon Bzoma

  5. Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Environment Protection, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Lwowska 1, 87-100, Torun, Poland

    Andrzej Przystalski & Tomasz Brauze

Authors
  1. Agnieszka Grajewska
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  2. Lucyna Falkowska
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  3. Emilia Szumiło-Pilarska
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  4. Julia Hajdrych
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  6. Tomasz Frączek
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  7. Włodzimierz Meissner
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  8. Szymon Bzoma
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  9. Magdalena Bełdowska
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  10. Andrzej Przystalski
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  11. Tomasz Brauze
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lucyna Falkowska.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Highlights

Hg concentration in avian eggs is determined by type and origin of food.

Albumens contained the highest Hg concentrations due to Hg’s affinity to -SH groups.

Herring gull embryos accumulate Hg in the liver and heart and sequester it in down.

Herring gull chicks rapidly eliminate mercury after hatching.

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Grajewska, A., Falkowska, L., Szumiło-Pilarska, E. et al. Mercury in the eggs of aquatic birds from the Gulf of Gdansk and Wloclawek Dam (Poland). Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 9889–9898 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4154-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4154-y

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