Rapid increases in mercury concentrations in the eggs of mallards fed methylmercury
Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
By: Gary H. Heinz, David J. Hoffman, Jon D. Klimstra, and Katherine R. Stebbins
Links
- More information: Publisher Index Page (html)
- Download citation as: RIS | Dublin Core
Abstract
To determine how quickly breeding birds would have to feed in a mercury-contaminated area before harmful concentrations of mercury, as methylmercury, built up in their eggs, we fed female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) a control diet or diets containing 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 8 μg/g mercury (on what was close to a dry weight basis) as methylmercury chloride for 23 d. After 18 d on their respective mercury diets, the eggs of mallards fed 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 8 μg/g mercury contained 97.8, 86.0, 89.9, 88.9, and 85.9%, respectively, of the peak concentrations reached after 23 d. Depending on the dietary concentration of mercury, no more than approximately a week may be required for harmful concentrations (0.5–0.8 μg/g, wet weight) to be excreted into eggs.
Suggested Citation
Heinz, G.H., Hoffman, D.J., Klimstra, J.D., and Stebbins, K.R., 2009, Rapid increases in mercury concentrations in the eggs of mallards fed methylmercury: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, v. 28, no. 9, p. 1979-1981.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Rapid increases in mercury concentrations in the eggs of mallards fed methylmercury |
| Series title | Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Year Published | 2009 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry |
| Publisher location | Brussels, Belgium |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 3 p. |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry |
| First page | 1979 |
| Last page | 1981 |