Kinetics, dose--response, and excretion of methylmercury in free-living adult Cory's shearwaters

摘要: We evaluated methylmercury (MHg) kinetics, dose--responses, and excretion in free-living adult Cory's shearwaters using a nondestructive multi-tissue approach. Elimination of MHg blood comprised an initial fast phase, with half-time 1 d, slow terminal phase between 44 65 d. Molt was crucial factor determining the rate elimination. Half-times were independent dose. A relationship steady-state concentrations dietary intake derived. Ratios Hg eggs or hatchlings' plumage parental dose, tissue--blood partition coefficients identical to those controls. Dose--response relationships linear. Females subjected 18% higher than males but exhibited 10% lower dose--response blood. The difference is not fully accounted for by into egg may be due unidentified sex-related differences physiology. Excretion rates showed no dose dependency (33% intake) birds exposed during molt dosed 2 months before start molt. through skin exfoliated epidermal cells that adsorb estimated represent 8% intake. results this study used advanced modeling kinetics fill current gap bioenergetic model avian exposure MHg.