DETERMINATION OF CONCENTRATIONS OF SOME M INERAL SUBSTANCES IN THE ORGANS OF FOX

In the present paper concentrations of cobalt, copper, manganese, zinc , calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, iron, cadmium and lead were i nvestigated in liver (hepar), stomach (ventriculus) and in striated mu scle (musculus biceps femoralis) of 30 females and 30 males of silver fox (Vulpes vulpes) and 30 males and 30 females of Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus). The animals were kept on a fox farm of the Division of Fur A nimals in the Research Institute of Animal Production at Nitra. They w ere healthy, with optimum fitness, on full-value diet. The organs were taken after skinning in fur maturity. Concentrations of mineral eleme nts in the organs were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotomet ry. The results are presented in form of basic variation-statistical d ata, significance of differences in arithmetical means was calculated by t-test. Significant differences between the males and females of si lver fox were found in mineral element concentrations in some organs. The males had the statistically significantly higher (P less-than-or-e qual-to 0.01) concentrations of Co and Zn in muscle, of Cu in liver an d stomach, Mn in liver, Mg, K and Na in liver, stomach and muscle, Pb in liver and muscle. The females had the significantly higher concentr ations of Mn, Cd, Pb in stomach, Ca in stomach and muscle, Fe in liver and stomach. In absolute values, the highest K concentration was dete rmined in all investigated organs of silver fox, both in the males (12 ,500.60 - 5,096.77 mg/kg) and in the females (10,419.90 - 3,490.30 mg/ kg). On the contrary, cadmium content was lowest of all (0.27 - 0.17 m g/kg and 0.37 - 0.17 mg/kg, respectively). Arctic foxes also exhibited significant differences in concentrations of some mineral elements in certain organs between the males and females. The males had die signi ficantly higher values (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01, P less-than-or-e qual-to 0.05) of the content of Mn and Fe in stomach and muscle, of Ca , Mg in stomach and liver, Cd in stomach and Pb in muscle in compariso n with the females. The females had the higher concentrations of Cu an d Zn in stomach, liver and muscle, K and Na in stomach and Fe and Pb i n liver. Similarly like in silver foxes, in Arctic foxes the highest c oncentrations were determined in K in the males (9,397.63 - 3,575.30 m g/kg) and also in the females (9,572.17 - 5,655.90 mg/kg). The lowest content of all in the investigated organs of Arctic foxes was found in cadmium (0.47 - 0.17 mg/kg and 0.20 - 0.17 mg/kg, respectively). Besi des the comparison of mineral element concentrations between the males and females within the species, significance of differences in arithm etical means of mineral concentrations between the silver fox and Arct ic fox was tested within the sex. In a majority of the investigated mi neral elements, significant differences in the content of mineral subs tances in liver were determined between the males of silver fox and Ar ctic fox. The significantly higher (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) conc entrations of Co, Cu, Zn and Na were determined in the males of silver fox while the concentrations of Mn, Mg, K, Fe were significantly high er (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) in the liver of the males of Arctic fox. Similar significant differences were found in the females: silver foxes had the higher Co and Ca contents at a significance level P les s-than-or-equal-to 0.01 while Arctic foxes had the higher concentratio ns of Cu, Mn, Mg, K, Fe, Pb (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) and Na (P l ess-than-or-equal-to 0.05). A comparison of concentrations of particul ar elements in stomach in the males of silver fox and Arctic fox showe d significant differences in all the investigated elements. The males of silver fox had the significantly higher content of Co, Cu, Zn, K, N a (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) and Mg (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.05) if compared with die males of Arctic fox. The females of silver fox h ad the higher concentrations of Ca, Na, Fe, Cd, Pb (P less-than-or-equ al-to 0.01) and Mg, K (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.05) while the content of Cu was higher in the females of Arctic fox (P less-than-or-equal-t o 0.01). The males of silver fox had the significantly higher content of Mg, K, Fe and Pb (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) in striated muscle in comparison with the males of Arctic fox which had the higher concen trations of Zn and Ca (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01). The females of s ilver fox had the significantly higher concentrations of K, Fe and Pb (P less-than-or-equal-to 0.01) than the females of Arctic for which sh owed the significantly higher concentrations of Co, Cu, Zn and Na (P l ess-than-or-equal-to 0.01) in striated muscle.