Chapter 19 Essential and toxic elements in roe deer blood (Siena County, Italy)

Abstract The levels of zinc, copper, arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and antimony were determined in the whole blood of 730 roe deer harvested during the 1997 hunting season in Siena County. For the essential elements copper and zinc, the median values are 0.71 and 2.85 μg/ml, respectively. The geochemistry of the lithological background and the age and sex of the animals seem to influence the concentrations of these elements in the blood. Lead contents were detected in most of the samples and the median value is 96 ng/ml. Arsenic, mercury and cadmium levels are mostly below the instrumental detection limit; the estimated median values suggest metal levels comparable to (Hg) or lower than (As and Cd) those reported for normal human blood. Antimony was detected in half of the blood samples, which raises the question of the element's mobility in oxygenated superficial systems. The scattered high values of mercury and antimony appear to be related to the still active hydrothermal circulation in the region and thus with a natural source of heavy metal contamination.