Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur
Students at the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) have been video monitoring river otters (Lontra canadensis) in the Snohomish River estuary system for the past three years, as well as collecting and dissecting over 200 scat samples to determine diet composition. These mammals feed opportunistic...
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ftwestwashington:oai:cedar.wwu.edu:ssec-1780 2023-05-15T17:53:58+02:00 Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur Monroe, Mikayla 2016-01-01T08:00:00Z https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/species_food_webs/13 English eng Western CEDAR https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/species_food_webs/13 This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University. Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation text 2016 ftwestwashington 2022-09-14T05:59:01Z Students at the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) have been video monitoring river otters (Lontra canadensis) in the Snohomish River estuary system for the past three years, as well as collecting and dissecting over 200 scat samples to determine diet composition. These mammals feed opportunistically on crab, sculpin, and even bird. Because of their high trophic level standing, it was hypothesized that otters were most likely to reflect bioaccumulation of heavy metals and other elements, as well as the health of their ecosystem, which could be seen through concentrations in their fur. Fur samples were collected non-invasively by a designed brush system under a fence and elementally analyzed using the ICP-MS at the Everett Environmental Lab. Human hair was also analyzed for this study, accounting for and comparing age, gender, diet, and hair products that may contribute to concentrations. If people who consume seafood, such as crab, show similar concentration to rivers otters, a common source of bioaccumulation could be assumed. Preliminary data suggests that river otters have an average zinc concentration of 605.185 mg/kg in ppb, parts per billion, and the ratio of magnesium to iron is 1 : 3.46, respectively. A preliminary human hair survey suggests that women have an average zinc concentration of 371.826 mg/kg with a high of 733.900 mg/kg, whereas men had an average zinc concentration of 207.579 mg/kg with a high of 238.855 mg/kg. As expected, men had an average higher iron concentration than women by sevenfold, 241.464 mg/kg compared to women at 34.51 mg/kg. Text Orca Lontra Western Washington University: CEDAR (Contributing to Education through Digital Access to Research) |
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Open Polar |
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Western Washington University: CEDAR (Contributing to Education through Digital Access to Research) |
op_collection_id |
ftwestwashington |
language |
English |
topic |
Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation |
spellingShingle |
Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation Monroe, Mikayla Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
topic_facet |
Fresh Water Studies Life Sciences Marine Biology Natural Resources and Conservation |
description |
Students at the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) have been video monitoring river otters (Lontra canadensis) in the Snohomish River estuary system for the past three years, as well as collecting and dissecting over 200 scat samples to determine diet composition. These mammals feed opportunistically on crab, sculpin, and even bird. Because of their high trophic level standing, it was hypothesized that otters were most likely to reflect bioaccumulation of heavy metals and other elements, as well as the health of their ecosystem, which could be seen through concentrations in their fur. Fur samples were collected non-invasively by a designed brush system under a fence and elementally analyzed using the ICP-MS at the Everett Environmental Lab. Human hair was also analyzed for this study, accounting for and comparing age, gender, diet, and hair products that may contribute to concentrations. If people who consume seafood, such as crab, show similar concentration to rivers otters, a common source of bioaccumulation could be assumed. Preliminary data suggests that river otters have an average zinc concentration of 605.185 mg/kg in ppb, parts per billion, and the ratio of magnesium to iron is 1 : 3.46, respectively. A preliminary human hair survey suggests that women have an average zinc concentration of 371.826 mg/kg with a high of 733.900 mg/kg, whereas men had an average zinc concentration of 207.579 mg/kg with a high of 238.855 mg/kg. As expected, men had an average higher iron concentration than women by sevenfold, 241.464 mg/kg compared to women at 34.51 mg/kg. |
format |
Text |
author |
Monroe, Mikayla |
author_facet |
Monroe, Mikayla |
author_sort |
Monroe, Mikayla |
title |
Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
title_short |
Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
title_full |
Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
title_fullStr |
Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
title_full_unstemmed |
Comparing Heavy Metal Concentrations in Human Hair and River Otter Fur |
title_sort |
comparing heavy metal concentrations in human hair and river otter fur |
publisher |
Western CEDAR |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/species_food_webs/13 |
genre |
Orca Lontra |
genre_facet |
Orca Lontra |
op_source |
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference |
op_relation |
https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2016ssec/species_food_webs/13 |
op_rights |
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University. |
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1766161690045448192 |