Concentration of iron, zinc, copper and lead in the brain of wild and domestic geese.

Abstract

Concentration of Fe, Zn, Cu and Pb were determined in the brain tissue of wild (bean goose, Anser fabalis, n = 14, and white-fronted goose, A. albifrons, n = 3) and domestic (A. anser f. domestica, n = 13) geese. The results are referred to 1 g fresh weight (micrograms/g). Out of 17 wild geese, 4 individuals showed a very high Pb level. Statistically significant differences in concentrations of the metals studied were found between the white-fronted and domestic geese; for 3 metals (Fe, Zn, Cu), differences between the bean and white-fronted geese were statistically significant as well. The two bean goose types, tundra and taiga, were found to differ in terms of their brain Zn and Cu concentrations: the tundra type geese showed higher content of the metals than those in the taiga type.