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Trace and macro elements in the femoral bone as indicators of long-term environmental exposure to toxic metals in European brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Croatia

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Abstract

We explored the long-term accumulation of aluminium, strontium, cadmium and lead in the compact and trabecular bone of the femoral epiphysis, metaphysis and diaphysis in 41 brown bears (Ursus arctos) from Croatia. Also, we assessed their influence on macro and trace elements (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and barium) in bears’ bone. There were no sex differences in element levels in general, while age was associated with bone length and levels of all elements, except for cadmium. Elements had different levels depending on the part of the bone sampled. More pronounced differences were observed between the compact and trabecular regions, with higher levels of majority of elements found in compact bone. Moderate to high associations (Spearman coefficient, rS = 0.59–0.97) were confirmed between calcium and potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, cobalt, zinc, strontium and lead. Lead levels in the bone were below those known to cause adverse health effects, but in 4 of 41 animals they exceeded baseline levels for domestic animals. The femoral bone of the brown bear reflected the accumulative nature of lead and strontium well, as it did the impairment of bone-forming essential element levels associated with these two elements. However, the distribution pattern of elements along the bone was not uniform, so additional care should be taken when choosing on the part of the bone sampled.

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Acknowledgements

The help of local hunters and experts with the collection of samples is gratefully acknowledged. The authors wish to thank Dr. J. Kusak for creating Fig. 1, Dr. S. Cvijetić Avdagić and anonymous reviewers for valuable comments on the manuscript and Mr. Makso Herman for language editing.

Funding

This study was funded by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia through Institutional Funding made available to the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health. The Veterinary Faculty team was supported by the “LIFE DINALP BEAR” project (grant No. LIFE13 NAT/SI/000550).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Analytical Toxicology and Mineral Metabolism Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, P.O. Box 291, HR-10001, Zagreb, Croatia

    Maja Lazarus, Tatjana Orct & Jasna Jurasović

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, Heinzelova 55, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Slaven Reljić & Đuro Huber

  3. Laboratory for Determination of Residues, Department for Veterinary Public Health, Croatian Veterinary Institute, Savska cesta 143, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Marija Sedak & Nina Bilandžić

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  1. Maja Lazarus
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  2. Tatjana Orct
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  3. Slaven Reljić
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  6. Jasna Jurasović
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Correspondence to Maja Lazarus.

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Lazarus, M., Orct, T., Reljić, S. et al. Trace and macro elements in the femoral bone as indicators of long-term environmental exposure to toxic metals in European brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Croatia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 21656–21670 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2296-4

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