Heavy Metal Concentrations in Northern Water Snakes (Nerodia sipedon) from East Fork Poplar Creek and the Little River, East Tennessee, USA

摘要: We compared the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium in blood, kidney, liver, muscle, skin northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon) collected from upper reach East Fork Poplar Creek (EFPC) within United States Department Energy's (USDOE's) Y-12 National Security Complex with concentrations tissues a reference Little River downstream Great Smoky Mountains Park Tennessee. Our objectives were to determine whether these metals higher EFPC site if suitable bioindicators metal contamination. Except for significantly (kidney, skin) those site. Although female larger than male snakes, their did not contain possibly because maternal transfer eggs. This study was first examine accumulation contaminants resulting operations USDOE's Oak Ridge Reservation snakes.