Revista Europea de Biología Experimental Acceso abierto

Abstracto

House sparrow (Passer domesticus) as bioindicator of heavy metals pollution

Lulzim Millaku, Resmije Imeri and Artan Trebicka

The aim of the present study was to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn) in tissues (lungs and heart) of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) grown in Mitrovica and Drenas towns (polluted area) and reference site (Ujmir village). A total of 30 house sparrows, only male (10 from each locality) were analyzed. The concentrations of heavy metals were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). Results showed different affinities of heavy metals to tissues. The concentrations of lead, cadmium and nickel in lungs tissue (Pb – 21.764 μg/g-1; Cd – 2.519 μg/g-1; Ni – 12.784 μg/g-1) were significantly higher (P< 0.001; 0.01) in sparrows from the polluted area (Mitrovica and Drenas) compared with reference site (Ujmir village). While concentrations of copper and zinc in heart tissue (Cu – 23.213 μg/g-1; Zn – 91.720 μg/g-1) were significantly higher (P< 0.001; 0.01) in sparrows from the polluted area (Mitrovica and Drenas) compared with reference site (Ujmir village). Considering the high concentrations of heavy metals in tissues of sparrows from Mitrovica and Drenas towns (polluted localities), we can say that there is still a danger for biota.