Blood lead content in a peri-urban population of the South American toad Bufo arenarum

Blood Pb concentration in a South American toad Bufo arenarum population (n = 152) was determined over 10 samplings carried out between December 1996 and November 1999. The studied population lived in the surroundings of the La Plata City, the largest industrial-urban setting of the Buenos Aires Pro vince, Argentina. The presence of the metal was detected in all the samples tested, the mean concentration range being 1.99-4.66 mg dl(-1). Some preli minary environmental data on soil content of ph in the sampling area sugges t the anthropogenic origin of the metal possibly due to high rate of Ph-con taining gasoline utilisation until recently. The reported results may refle ct a sequel of a sustained local air-soil-water pollution process. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.