Lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, selenium and copper in Greenland caribou andreindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

Samples of caribou and reindeer muscle (127 samples) and liver (126 samples ) were collected from four locations during two seasons plus 3 years in Gre enland. The levels of lead, zinc, cadmium, mercury, selenium, and copper we re determined, and analyzed in relation to location, two seasons, age and y ear of sampling. The lead concentrations (geometric mean) ranged from below the detection limit to 0.007 mu g/g wet weight (wet wt.) in muscle and fro m 0.027 to 0.926 mu g/g wet wt, in liver. Zinc geometric mean concentration s ranged from 17.5 to 39.6 mu g/g wet wt, in muscle and from 23.2 to 31.7 m u g/g wet wt, in liver. For cadmium, the geometric mean concentrations were at, or below the detection limit in muscle, while concentrations in liver ranged from 0.121 to 0.695 mu g/g wet wt. Mercury levels ranged from 0.003 to 0.043 mu g/g wet wt. in muscle and from 0.040 to 0.618 mu g/g wet wt. in liver. Selenium concentration levels in muscle ranged from 0.030 to 0.252 mu g/g wet wt., and from 0.085 to 0.984 mu g/g wet wt. in liver. Copper lev els in muscle ranged from 2.09 to 3.60 mu g/g wet wt., and from 21.8 to 71. 0 mu g/g wet wt, in liver. Mercury concentrations were higher than those fo und at lower latitudes in Norway and Canada, especially in Isortoq in south ern Greenland. Selenium levels were also high compared to other Arctic regi ons. Concentrations of lead, zinc, cadmium and copper are similar to those reported in caribou from Canada and Norway. Concentrations of elements gene rally decreased in the following order: Isortoq > Akia > Itinnera > Kangerl ussuaq, and there was only found minor variation in the annual levels durin g 3 years in Itinnera. Late winter levels were generally significantly high er than early winter levels especially in the lichen-rich localities, and i t is suggested that the availability of lichens as winter forage is the key factor determining the level of elements. Accordingly, when using caribou and reindeer as monitoring organism, knowledge of winter forage is very imp ortant for interpretation of results. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.