Arsenic deposition in tissues of the European hare (Lepus europaeus).

The work deals with arsenic deposition in individual biological matrices of the European hare (Lepus europaeus Pall.). The aim of this work was to evaluate the arsenic deposition in biological matrices of adult hares distributed by sex, and to highlight the need for monitoring this element in the natural environment. Determination of arsenic concentration was carried out on 11 biomarkers in 105 adult hares from variously loaded areas of the Czech Republic. Individual matrices include the liver, kidneys, brain, adipose tissue, reproductive organs, bone, fur, faeces, lungs, skeletal muscle and the heart. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was employed as a method to detect arsenic concentrations in the tissues. Arsenic deposition in the monitored biological matrices of adult animals showed no significant differences between sexes. The ratio of arsenic concentration in the skeletal muscle as compared with concentration in other tissues was 1:2.96 in the liver, followed by 1:4.35 in kidneys, 1:1.07 in the heart, 1:2.73 in lungs, 1:3.12 in ovaries, 1:3.30 in testicles, 1:5.90 in bones, 1:114.68 in fur, and 1:60.05 in faeces. Deposition of this element in matrices has a similar character and only differs in concentrations. Wild game, biomarkers, xenobiotics, contamination Arsenic is considered a high-risk chemical element which is not only built up uncontrollably over a long period in the natural environment, in wildlife, farm and domestic animals but also in the human population. It is a pollutant with strong carcinogenic, mutagenic and cytotoxic effects to higher organisms (Germolec et al. 1997; Yanamaka et al. 1997; Goering et al. 1999; Mass et al. 2001; Hughes 2002; Dopp et al. 2004). The European hare (Lepus europaeus Pall.) is widespread throughout practically the whole of Europe except northern Scandinavia, Iceland, and Ireland. Hare populations are important components of cultural landscape ecosystems. The population dynamics depends mainly on the interrelations with the environment. Long-term monitoring of these issues point to a certain periodicity in the multitudinousness of individual populations. Due to its way of life, relatively small territory, short generation interval and processed reference values of haematological and biochemical indicators, this species can be used in environmental monitoring of the anthropogenic loads by foreign substances in the environment, as well as in studying chromosomal aberrations and cancer incidence in these populations. The aim of this work was to evaluate the arsenic deposition in biological matrices of adult hares distributed by sex, and to highlight the need for monitoring this element in the natural environment. The monitoring of arsenic in wildlife in the Czech Republic has been somewhat neglected compared to other foreign substances. This element has practically remained unmonitored in game in recent years despite the fact that game is commonly consumed by people. The biological screening and monitoring of these xenobiotics in the body of game is of high importance from the hygienic point of view. It is primarily used to protect the food chain of the human population. Based on this screening, similar physiological and