RELATION BETWEEN SELENIUM AND MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN TISSUES OF HARES (LEPUS-EUROPAEUS PALL) FROM REGIONS WITH VARIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between mercury and selenium in tissues of hares from regions with variable environmen tal contamination. In this experiment 30 hares obtained during the hun ting season 1988/89 from 3 different regions of Poland (a small farmin g area without industry, a large farming area with minimum of industry , and a typical heavy industrial area) were used. The concentration of mercury was estimated by AAS method using an automatic mercury analys er TMA-254. Selenium concentration was determined using a gas chromato graph Hewlett Packard equipped with an electron capture detector. The levels of Hg and Se among tissues vary and depend on the particular ha re collection area. A positive correlation between Se and Hg in differ ent tissues was observed. The highest correlation coefficient (r = 0.5 04, p < 0.01) was stated between hepatic Se and the mercury concentrat ion in kidneys.