Trace Element Contamination as a Possible Cause of Infertility in Hungarian Resident Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca)

Abstract

Trace element analysis was done on five pairs of Eastern Imperial Eagles (Aquila heliaca), in order to try and find an explanation for their long-term infertility. The samples used were eggs and feathers from the vicinity of their nests. The elements examined were arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). Anthropogenic activity is a major contributor to the release of these elements in the environment, which can be hazardous to the health of humans, wildlife, and ecosystems in inappropriate amounts. Raptors are often used as biological sentinels for an ecosystem, as their position on the food chain makes them susceptible to intoxication from trace elements via bioaccumulation and biomagnification. The analysis was done by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and showed levels within the acceptable norms for all except nickel, manganese, and cobalt.