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Heavy metals in avian eggshells: another excretion method

J Burger1

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855-1059.

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health
|February 1, 1994
PubMed
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Roseate terns and herring gulls excrete heavy metals like lead and cadmium through eggshells, with significant differences between species. Eggshells offer a key excretion route, except for mercury.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental toxicology
  • Avian ecology
  • Biomonitoring of heavy metals

Background:

  • Birds utilize excretion, feather deposition, and egg contents to eliminate heavy metals.
  • Eggshells represent a potential pathway for heavy metal elimination in female birds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify heavy metal levels (lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, manganese, chromium) in roseate tern and herring gull eggs.
  • To compare metal concentrations in egg contents versus eggshells for two seabird species.
  • To assess the role of eggshells in heavy metal excretion in these species.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of heavy metal concentrations in egg contents and shells from roseate terns (Sterna dougallii) and herring gulls (Larus argentatus).
  • Comparison of metal levels between egg contents and shells within each species.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of metal levels between the two species for both egg contents and shells.

    • Main Results:

    • Lead, mercury, selenium, and chromium were higher in egg contents than shells for both species.
    • Cadmium and manganese were higher in shells than contents for herring gulls.
    • Roseate tern eggs showed higher cadmium, mercury, and selenium levels than herring gull eggs.
    • Eggshells constituted a significant portion of cadmium excretion in herring gulls (29%) but not roseate terns (5%).

    Conclusions:

    • Seabird eggshells serve as an important route for heavy metal excretion, particularly for cadmium in herring gulls.
    • Species-specific differences exist in heavy metal deposition and excretion via eggshells.
    • Except for mercury, eggshells play a notable role in reducing the body burden of heavy metals in these avian species.