Ecotoxicology of Copper and Cadmium in a Contaminated Grassland Ecosystem. IV. Tissue Distribution and Age Accumulation in Small Mammals

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Abstract
(1) Tissue distribution and accumulation of copper and cadmium are described for populations of Apodemus sylvaticus L., Microtus agrestis L. and Sorex araneus L. populations inhabiting control and refinery-site grasslands. (2) Despite high ingestion rates for copper at the refinery sites, accumulation appeared to be effectively regulated by in-built homeostatic mechanismsm. (3) At low levels of cadmium intake, accumulation was centred on the kidney and liver. However, at the high ingestion rates of 25 .mu.g g-1 day-1 recorded for S. araneus, storage of cadmium in the liver increased compared with storage in the kidney. (4) In the refinery population of S. araneus, liver cadmium concentrations were two to three times greater than kidney concentrations; this represents storage of 87% and 6% of the total body burden of cadmium in the liver and kidney, respectively. (5) Cadmium concentrations of 800-1120 .mu.g g-1 in the liver and 400-550 .mu.g g-1 in the kidney are among the highest recorded in terrestrial wildlife. (6) Cadmium accumulation was significantly positively correlated with age in S. araneus.