Time trends of metals in organs of moose (Alces alces) from Sweden, 1980-2000

• The long-term monitoring of persistent and bio-accumulating chemicals in the Swedishenvironment is part of the Swedish National Environmental Monitoring Programme. It is based on chemical analyses of tissues and organs from species collected in selected referenceareas of the Swedish mainland, lakes and coastal areas (Odsjö & Olsson 1979a,b, Bernes1985). As part of the terrestrial contaminant monitoring programme, specimens of muscle,liver and kidney of moose (Alces alces) have been collected since 1980 from Grimsö, areference area in the monitoring programme and a coherent hunting district in the Örebrocounty (T) in south-central Sweden. In 1996, the monitoring was extended by collection andchemical analysis of organs of moose from six further counties and districts in Sweden. Thesedistricts are situated in the Norrbotten county (BD), Jämtland county (Z), Västmanland county(U), Älvsborg county (P), Jönköping county (F) and Kronoberg county (G) (Figure 1).Moose, with a diet dominated by twigs and leaves of trees and shrubs (Cederlund et al. 1980),was chosen in the monitoring programme as a representative of biota in the Swedish forestareas. Since the moose is distributed almost all over the country, it was considered as an idealmaterial also for studies of spatial distribution of environmental pollution and bio-accumulation,which is the reason for the extended collection of samples in 1996 onwards.This report presents levels and time trends of Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Vand Zn in liver and kidney and Hg and Se in liver and muscle from the period 1996-2000. For Grimsö data from an extended period, 1980-2000 is presented.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Miljövetenskap (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Environmental Sciences (hsv//eng)

Keyword

biota

environment

Älvsborg

Grimsö

Jönköpings län

Norrbottens län

Jämtlands län

Kronobergs län

Västmanlands län

environmental pollution

Cobalt

Däggdjur

Iron

Magnesium

Copper

Zinc

Nickel

Cadmium

Vanadium

Mangan

Lead

Chromium

Calcium

bio-accumulation

Molybden

Skog

Moose

A Non-Toxic Environment

Giftfri miljö

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

rap (subject category)