Combined effects of experimental heavy-metal contamination (Cu, Zn, and CH3Hg) and starvation on quail's body condition - Parallelism with a wild common guillemot (Uria aalge) population found stranded at the Belgian coast

Combined effects of heavy-metal contamination (Cu, Zn, and CH3Hg) and starv ation were tested on common quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and used as a model for comparison with a wild common guillemot (Uria aalge) populatio n found stranded at the Belgian coast. Appropriate heavy-metal levels were given to the quails to obtain concentrations similar to those found in the seabirds's tissues. The contaminated animals were then starved for 4 d to s imulate the evident malnutrition symptoms observed at the guillemot's level . In such conditions, food intake and total-body weight are shown to decrea se in contaminated individuals with simultaneous significant hepatic and re nal increase of the heavy-metal concentrations. Like guillemots, higher hea vy-metal levels were observed in those contaminated quails that had also de veloped a cachectic status characterized by a general atrophy of their pect oral muscle and complete absence of subcutaneous and/or abdominal fat depot s. Although likely the result of a general protein catabolism during starva tion, it is suggested that these higher metal levels could as well enhance a general muscle wasting process (cachectic status).