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Assessment of Heavy Metal Accumulation in the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) as a Possible Bioindicator in an Agricultural Environment in Bulgaria

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the residues of heavy metals as an indicator of environmental pollution in internal organs of golden jackal (Canis aureus) from an agricultural region in Bulgaria. It was demonstrated that the golden jackal has high potential for specific accumulation of heavy metals, thus implying that this species may serve as a biological indicator of their presence in the agricultural regions, which it inhabits. The concentrations of the targeted elements (mean [mg/kg of dried tissue] ± SD) were respectively: Cu—57.62 ± 10.76; Zn—141.45 ± 11.33; Ni—0.28 ± 0.19; Co—0.46 ± 0.30; Pb—6.88 ± 1.67 and Cd—0.58 ± 0.16 in liver and Cu—17.67 ± 5.01; Zn—58.28 ± 10.81; Ni—0.51 ± 0.4; Co—0.52 ± 0.29; Pb—4.03 ± 1.32 and Cd—1.41 ± 0.22 in kidney samples. The concentrations we found revealed the specific accumulation of these metals in golden jackal and provide values, within which negative effects on the advancement of its populations should not be expected.

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Acknowledgments

We wish to express our gratitude to all collaborators in the field who helped in collecting the material for this study. Thanks to the reviewers for their helpful comments. This work was supported by BAN and SANU bilateral project.

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  1. Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, BAS, Tzar Osvobiditel Blvd., 1000, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Georgi Markov, Maria Kocheva & Milena Gospodinova

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  1. Georgi Markov
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  3. Milena Gospodinova
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Correspondence to Georgi Markov.

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Markov, G., Kocheva, M. & Gospodinova, M. Assessment of Heavy Metal Accumulation in the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) as a Possible Bioindicator in an Agricultural Environment in Bulgaria. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 96, 458–464 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-016-1754-2

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