Temporal trends (1953–2012) of toxic and essential elements in red deer antlers from northeastern Poland

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 261; p. 128055
• Main Authors: Giżejewska, Aleksandra, Fattebert, Julien, Nawrocka, Agnieszka, Szkoda, Józef, Żmudzki, Jan, Jaroszewski, Jerzy, Giżejewski, Zygmunt
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2020
• Subjects: Bioindication; Cervus elaphus; Environmental change; Temporal variations; Toxic elements; Trace elements; Bioindication; Environmental change; Trace elements; Temporal variations; Toxic elements; Cervus elaphus
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.128055

Red deer antlers have a number of advantages that make them a unique material for monitoring trace elements. As antlers are shed and regrown every year, results of toxicological investigations can be applied to a particular region and time. We analyzed the content of four toxic (Pb, Cd, Hg, As) and three essential (Cu, Zn, Fe) trace elements in 254 red deer antler samples spanning between 1953 and 2012. Age of stags did not influence concentrations of analyzed elements in antlers, except for Zn whose level increased with age. The highest concentrations of toxic elements occurred at the beginning of the analyzed period. Levels of Pb, Hg and Zn in antlers decreased over the course of the study. Levels of Cd and As were low and presented a steady trend. Variations in the levels of the analyzed elements in red deer antlers are considered to reflect levels of exposure of animals in their habitat over the sixty-year study period. The range of essential element levels did not indicate any contamination. Environmental conditions in the Mazury Region during the last decades appeared to have improved significantly, as established by declining trends of toxic elements levels in deer antlers.
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•We used red deer antlers as bioindicators of environmental pollution.•We monitored levels of trace elements in antlers over 60 years.•We found a declining trend in levels of Pb and Hg over the years.•Elements did not accumulate with age of stags, except for Zn.•Observed trends corresponds to environmental changes in Poland and Europe.