Concentrations of Trace Metals in Tissues of Several Animals around Syowa Station

• Main Authors: Masao MISHIMA, Noboru YAMAGATA, Tetsuya TORII
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: National Institute of Polar Research 1977
• Subjects: Geography (General); G1-922; Syowa Station; Weddell; Adelie penguin; Antarc*; Antarctica; Snow Petrel; Snow Petrels; Weddell Seal
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.15094/00007913; https://doaj.org/article/82066c8a8a524aa596c93f98ba6511a8

Concentrations of trace metals in lung, kidney and liver of Weddell seal, Adelie penguin and snow petrel living around the Syowa Station, Antarctica were determined by atomic absorption methods using flame or flameless system. The results of analysis revealed that the concentration levels of copper, iron, zinc, cadmium and lead in the kidneys of Adelie penguin were ranging 6.5～12.4, 188～255, 26～43, <0.005～0.002 and 0.01～0.03μg per gram dry tissue, respectively. Copper and cadmium were found most concentrated in the kidneys of snow petrels among the animals examined. Concentration ratios of pairs of metals in lungs of animals showed wide ranges both among animals and between right and left lungs except in the case of Weddell seal in which the ratios were exceedingly similar in the both lungs, Mg/Fe being about 0.1, Zn/Fe 0.02～0.03, Pb/Cu 0.01～0.02, and Pb/Zn about 0.004.