Survey on the lead concentration of brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) and the effect of environmental factors on Pb distribution pattern in rural- agricultural areas using GIS (Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 MSc. student, Department of Environmental sciences, Faculty of fisheries and environmental sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of fisheries and environmental sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Water Sciences and Engineering, Kashmar Higher Education Institute, Kashmar, Iran

Abstract

Heavy metals have contaminated various ecosystems. Omnivorous animals such as rodents with high fertility, abundance and low motility can be good indicators for heavy metal contamination of their habitat. Rural- agricultural areas around seven cities in Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces were selected to trap five brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) from each region. After the preparation of serum samples, Pb concentration was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Also, GIS software was used to survey the effect of environmental factors on the Pb distribution pattern. The average Pb concentration was similar in males and females. The average Pb concentrations in rural areas of Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces were 6.7 and 6.3 μg/dL, respectively (p≥ 0.05). The highest average Pb concentration (7.55 μg/dL) belonged to rats sampled in areas around Ghargomishan road (around Neka City), and the lowest average Pb concentration (5.20 μg/dL) belonged to rats sampled from Kaleh agricultural areas (between Bahnamir and Babolsar Cities). Using the sensitivity method of the linear multiple regression model, it was found that the temperature and humidity have the greatest effect and altitude and precipitation have the lowest impacts. The results of this study indicated Pb contamination of rural-agricultural areas of Golestan and Mazandaran Provinces and the transmission risk of this hazardous metal to humans and other animals living in these areas. Therefore, the communication of information to the authorities and the use of adequate measures to prevent Pb entrance to sampled areas seem necessary.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

Abdul-Sada, W.N. 2019. Toxic Effects of Acute Cadmium and Lead Exposure in Rat Blood, Liver, and Kidney. Indian Journal of Public Health Research and Development. 10(10).
Ab Latif Wani, A.A., Usmani, J.A. 2015. Lead toxicity: a review. Interdisciplinary Toxicology. 8(2), 55.
Burger, J., Marquez, M., and Gochfeld, M. 1999. Heavy metals in the hair of opossum from Palo Verde, Costa Rica. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 27(4), 472-6.
Ceruti, R., Ghisleni, G., Ferretti, E., Cammarata, S., Sonzogni, O., and Scanziani, E. 2002. Wild rats as monitors of environmental lead contamination in the urban area of Milan, Italy. Environmental Pollution.117 (2), 255-9.
Esmaili Sari, A. 2002. Pollution Health and Environmental Standards. 1st ed. Tehran: Naghsh Mehr Publications. (In Persian)
Gdula-Argasińska, J., Appleton, J., Sawicka-Kapusta, K., and Spence, B. 2004.  Further investigation of the heavy metal content of the teeth of the bank vole as an exposure indicator of environmental pollution in Poland. Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex 1987). 131(1), 71-79.
Hamidian, A.H., Khazaee, M., Alizadeh, S.A., Ashrafi, S., Mirjalili, S.A., and Esmaeelzadeh, E. 2017. Assessment of metal concentrations in different tissues of Persian jird by using statistical method of principal component analysis (PCA). Veterinary Journal (Pajouhesh and Sazandegi). 109, 10-17.
Hazratian, L., Naderi, M., and Mollashahi, M. 2017. Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus in metropolitans, a bio-indicator for heavy metal pollution (Case study: Tehran, Iran). Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences. 15(1), 85-92.
Ieradi, L.A., Cristaldi, M., Mascanzoni, D., Cardarelli, E., Grossi, R., and Campanella, L. 1996. Genetic damage in urban mice exposed to traffic pollution. Environmental Pollution. 92(3), 323-8.
Komarnicki, G.J., 2000., Tissue, sex and age specific accumulation of heavy metals (Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd) by populations of the mole (Talpa europaea L.) in a central urban area. Chemosphere. 41(10), 1593-602.
Mahiny, S.A., and Turner, B.J. 2003. Modeling past vegetation change through remote sensing and GIS: a comparison of neural networks and logistic regression methods. In Proceedings of the 7th international conference on geocomputation. University of Southampton, UK.
Maas, S., Scheifler, R., Benslama, M., Crini, N., Lucot, E., Brahmia, Z., Benyacoub, S., and Giraudoux, P. 2010. Spatial distribution of heavy metal concentrations in urban, suburban and agricultural soils in a Mediterranean city of Algeria. Environmental pollution. 158(6), 2294-301.
Mirzaee, R., Esmaeili, A., Ghorbani, H., Hafezi, N., Homami, M., and Rezaee, H. 2014.  Predicting the spatial distribution of Cd, As, Cr and Cu in topsoil of Golestan Province. Environmental Researches. 4(7), 35-44.
Mirzaei, R., Ghorbani, H., Hafezi, A., and Moghadaas, N. 2015. Heavy metal distribution pattern in Golestan Province soil. Soil Research. 21(3), 34-47.
Mousavi, M., Ismaili Sari, A., and Riahi Bakhtiari, A. 2006. Determination of zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in different tissues of brown mice and investigation of lead and cadmium contamination in Noor city. Daneshvar Medical.  67, 49-56.
Nakata, H., Nakayama, S.M., Oroszlany, B., Ikenaka, Y., Mizukawa, H., Tanaka, K., Harunari, T., Tanikawa, T., Darwish, W.S., Yohannes, Y.B., and Saengtienchai, A. 2017. Monitoring lead (Pb) pollution and identifying Pb pollution sources in Japan using stable Pb isotope analysis with kidneys of wild rats. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 14(1), 56-64.
Rubin, R., Strayer, D.S., and Rubin, E. 2008. Environmental and Nutritional pathology. Rubin's pathology: clinicopathologic foundations of medicine. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins.
Sharbati, A., 2012. The Ecotourism Potentials of Golestan Province. Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research. 2(1), 564-570.
Zarrin Tab, M., and Mirzaei Mohammadabadi, R. 2015. Investigation of concentrations of some heavy metals in different organs of brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) as a biological indicator species in Aran and Bidgol. Scientific Researches. 8(3), 8-13.
Zhang, C. 2006. Using multivariate analyses and GIS to identify pollutants and their spatial patterns in urban soils in Galway, Ireland. Environmental pollution. 142(3), 501-603.
Ziaie, H. 1996.  A field guide to the mammals of Iran. Department of Environment. Tehran, pp: 299. (In Persian)
Environmental Resources Research
Volume 11, Issue 1
July 2023
Pages 35-42

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics