Wild boars, being a common game species, inhabit regions across Eurasia, the southern regions of Asia and certain Indonesian islands. Being omnivorous and due to their relatively long lifespan, wide ...distribution and a relatively high number of shot animals per annual legal hunting season, they are suitable to be biological indicators of occurrence of heavy metals. Concentrations of cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry and cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry in the livers of free-living wild boars (n = 58) from two locations in the Republic of North Macedonia. In all four examined heavy metals, no statistically significant difference between the locations was found (p > 0.05). The mean levels of heavy metals were Cd 0.391 mg/kg and 0.339 mg/kg; Pb 0.213 mg/kg and 0.204 mg/kg; Hg 0.034 mg/kg and 0.037 mg/kg; As 0.035 mg/kg and 0.029 mg/kg in the livers of boars from Bitola and Gevgelija hunting sites, respectively. Although some samples (two samples of Hg, ten samples of Cd and two samples of Pb) exceeded the legal limits, the average values for all heavy metals were far below the maximum permitted values. These findings are promising since they suggest that the ecosystem in the Republic of North Macedonia is stable concerning heavy metal pollution.
Until the outbreak of African swine fever in almost the entire Europe and consequently in the Republic of North Macedonia (2022), the population of wild boars was in increase. The biological ...characteristics of this species make it suitable to be used as a bioindicator for environmental pollution. The concentrations of cadmium and lead (Cd and Pb) were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the liver of free ranging wild boars. Samples were taken from 608 animals, harvested in a period of 7 years (2016-2022), in 11 hunting locations that cover the whole territory of the Republic of North Macedonia. The mean value of Pb in the liver in all hunting areas was 0.225 mg·kg-1 wet weight with range of 0.154-0.722 mg·kg-1, while mean Cd was 0.366 mg·kg-1 and ranged from 0.177 to 0.464 mg·kg-1. A statistically significant difference in Cd was found between the hunting locations, while Pb differed between hunting years. The mean Cd concentrations were significantly higher in Pelagonisko, Krivorečansko and Ohridsko-Prespansko hunting areas than in those from Pološko hunting area, while the mean Pb values in 2019 and 2020 were significantly higher than the mean value determined in 2021. For Cd, 18.2% of the total number of samples exceeds the maximum allowed limit provided in the legislation, while for Pb it was 6.7%. The maximum mean value for Pb (0.336 mg·kg-1) was measured in 2020 and for Cd (0.449 mg·kg-1) in 2016. The mean values for Pb and Cd obtained in this study were in line with data reported for wild boar from other European countries.
The monitors have recently been defined as the organisms in which changes in known characteristics can be measured to assess the extent of the environmental contamination. Among the numerous game ...species, the wild boar as omnivore is characterized as an exceptionally good biomonitor. The concentrations of one heavy metal (Hg) and one metalloid (As) were measured using cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the liver tissue of free-living wild boars. From 11 hunting areas locations that cover the whole territory of North Macedonia in a period of 7 years (2016-2022) a total of 608 wild boar liver samples were harvested during the regular hunting season. The mean concentration of Hg from 11 hunting grounds ranged from 12.7 μg/kg to 68.8 μg/kg, and mean concentration for all was 45.67 μg/kg. The average concentration of As ranged from 22 μg/kg to 55.3 μg/kg, and mean concentration for all was 33.1 μg/kg. For mercury, 6.56% or 40 of the total number of samples (608) exceeded the maximum allowed limits, and for arsenic none of the examined samples exceeded the allowed limit. For both elements a statistically significant difference was determined in relation to the years, with irregular oscillations from year to year. The mean values for mercury and arsenic are encouraging and generally indicate the relatively low contamination in the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia. However, the statistical differences due to the year as a factor suggest there is the need for the further research.
Monitori su nedavno definirani kao organizmi kod kojih se promjene poznatih karakteristika mogu mjeriti kako bi se procijenio opseg onečišćenja okoliša. Među brojnim vrstama divljači, divlja svinja kao svejed okarakterizirana je kao iznimno dobar biomonitor. Koncentracije jednog teškog metala (Hg) i jednog metaloida (As) izmjerene su pomoću atomskog apsorpcijskog spektrometra s hladnom parom i atomske apsorpcijske spektrofotometrije u tkivu jetre divljih svinja. Iz 11 lovnih područja koja pokrivaju cijeli teritorij Sjeverne Makedonije u razdoblju od 7 godina (2016-2022) uzeto je ukupno 608 uzoraka jetre divlje svinje izlovljene tijekom redovne lovne sezone. Srednja koncentracija Hg iz 11 lovnih područja, kretala se od 12,7 μg/kg do 68,8 μg/kg, a srednja koncentracija za sva je bila 45,67 μg/kg. Prosječna koncentracija As kretala se od 22 μg/kg do 55,3 μg/kg, a srednja koncentracija za sve je bila 33,1 μg/kg. Koncentracija žive je kod 6,56% (40) uzoraka prekoračila dopuštenu granicu, dok za arsen ni jedan ispitani uzorak nije prekoračio dopuštenu granicu. Za oba elementa utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika u odnosu na godine, s nepravilnim oscilacijama iz godine u godinu. Srednje vrijednosti za živu i arsen su ohrabrujuće i općenito ukazuju na relativno nisku kontaminaciju na području Republike Sjeverne Makedonije. Međutim, statističke razlike zbog godine kao faktora ukazuju na potrebu za daljnjim istraživanjem.
Monitori su nedavno definirani kao organizmi kod kojih se promjene poznatih karakteristika mogu mjeriti kako bi se procijenio opseg onečišćenja okoliša. Među brojnim vrstama divljači, divlja svinja ...kao svejed okarakterizirana je kao iznimno dobar biomonitor. Koncentracije jednog teškog metala (Hg) i jednog metaloida (As) izmjerene su pomoću atomskog apsorpcijskog spektrometra s hladnom parom i atomske apsorpcijske spektrofotometrije u tkivu jetre divljih svinja. Iz 11 lovnih područja koja pokrivaju cijeli teritorij Sjeverne Makedonije u razdoblju od 7 godina (2016-2022) uzeto je ukupno 608 uzoraka jetre divlje svinje izlovljene tijekom redovne lovne sezone. Srednja koncentracija Hg iz 11 lovnih područja, kretala se od 12,7 μg/kg do 68,8 μg/kg, a srednja koncentracija za sva je bila 45,67 μg/kg. Prosječna koncentracija As kretala se od 22 μg/kg do 55,3 μg/kg, a srednja koncentracija za sve je bila 33,1 μg/kg. Koncentracija žive je kod 6,56% (40) uzoraka prekoračila dopuštenu granicu, dok za arsen ni jedan ispitani uzorak nije prekoračio dopuštenu granicu. Za oba elementa utvrđena je statistički značajna razlika u odnosu na godine, s nepravilnim oscilacijama iz godine u godinu. Srednje vrijednosti za živu i arsen su ohrabrujuće i općenito ukazuju na relativno nisku kontaminaciju na području Republike Sjeverne Makedonije. Međutim, statističke razlike zbog godine kao faktora ukazuju na potrebu za daljnjim istraživanjem.
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