Author(s): MARCHESI, M. D.; ROSSI, J. L.; GUEDES, N. M. R.; CARNEIRO, M. T. W. D.; ENDRINGER, D. C.; CAMARGO FILHO, C. B.

Summary: The concentration of heavy metals (Cr, Fe, Al, As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Mo, Ni, Se and Zn) was evaluated in the blood of nestling blue macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus) captured in the Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul (n=26) in 2012; this was based on the ypothesis that these birds exhibit levels of these heavy metals in their organism and that these interfere in hatching success, weight and age of the chicks. Blood samples were digested with nitric acid and hydrochloric acid and the quantification of metals was performed by ICP-OES (Optical Emission Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma). Blood samples of nestlings showed concentrations of Cr (0.10μg/g) Fe (3.06μg/g) Al (3.46μg/g), Cd (0.25μg/g) Cu (0.74μg/g), Mo (0.33μg/g), Ni (0.61μg/g), Se (0.98μg/g), and Zn (2.08μg/g). The levels of heavy metals found were not associated with weight, age and hatching success of the chicks.

Publication year: 2015

Types of publication: Journal article

Keywords: Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus, Arara azul, Ave silvestre, Bioindicador, Bioindicators, Blood, Blue macaw, Contaminante ambiental, Elemento inorgânico, Inorganic elements, Minimally invasive methods, Método minimamente invasivo, Parrots, Pistacídeo, Pollution, Poluição, Psitaciforme, Psittaciformes, Reproduction, Sangue, Wild birds