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Heavy metal concentrations in diet and livers of Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea chicks from Pyeongtaek, Korea

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Abstract

This study presents concentrations of iron, manganese, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in diet and livers of Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea chicks from Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Heavy metal concentrations of heron chicks were not related to concentrations in the diet. Copper concentrations were significantly greater in the diet of Black-crowned Night Herons (geometric mean = 13.6 wet μg/g) than Grey Herons (7.45 wet μg/g), other metal concentrations did not differ between the diet of two species. Manganese (respectively 3.20 wet μg/g, 1.41 wet μg/g) and cadmium (respectively 13.4 wet μg/kg, 1.41 wet μg/kg) concentrations were higher in livers of Black-crowned Night Heron chicks than Grey Heron chicks, but zinc, iron, copper and lead concentrations in livers did not differ in between two herons. The essential elements were at background levels, however copper concentrations were relatively higher than previously reported from Korea. Lead and cadmium concentrations were within background levels for herons.

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Acknowledgement

We are grateful to Thomas W. Custer (USGS) for critical reading of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Environmental Studies, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, 449-701, Republic of Korea

    Jungsoo Kim

  2. School of Environment and Applied Chemistry, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, Gyeonggi-do, 449-701, Republic of Korea

    Tae-Hoe Koo

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  1. Jungsoo Kim
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  2. Tae-Hoe Koo
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Correspondence to Tae-Hoe Koo.

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Kim, J., Koo, TH. Heavy metal concentrations in diet and livers of Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax and Grey Heron Ardea cinerea chicks from Pyeongtaek, Korea. Ecotoxicology 16, 411–416 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-007-0143-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-007-0143-3

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