燃煤发电厂和核反应堆的人为污染是影响全球生态系统的普遍问题。因此,至关重要的是,研究继续评估微量元素和放射性核素在多样性生物群中的积累和影响。特别是,生物指示物种是化学污染栖息地风险评估的有力工具。使用电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)和自动伽马计数,我们分析了Scarabaeidae和Silphidae甲虫中的微量元素和放射性铯污染物浓度(顺序:鞘翅目),分解和营养循环中的重要类群,在萨凡纳河遗址的污染和参考地点,南卡罗来纳州,美国我们的结果表明,在未受污染和受污染的地点,甲虫和甲虫之间的微量元素浓度存在差异。与Scarabaeidae相比,丝虫的铬(Cr)含量较高,铜(Cu),铁(Fe),锰(Mn),镍(Ni),和锌(Zn)。出乎意料的是,Cr的浓度,Cu,在未污染的地点,两个分类单元中的Ni都较高。煤燃烧废物现场的Scarabaeidae和Silphidae甲虫始终具有高浓度的砷(As),Scarabaeidae具有高浓度的硒(Se)。在分析的50只甲虫中,两个人的放射性浓度升高,两者都来自受放射性核素污染的地点。我们的结果表明,由于腐肉甲虫的营养位置和分解作用,它们可能对污染物的生物积累特别敏感。因此是微量元素和放射性核素污染的有用哨兵。
Anthropogenic contamination from coal-fired power plants and nuclear reactors is a pervasive issue impacting ecosystems across the globe. As a result, it is critical that studies continue to assess the accumulation and effects of trace elements and radionuclides in a diversity of biota. In particular, bioindicator species are a powerful tool for risk assessment of chemically contaminated habitats. Using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and auto-gamma counting, we analyzed trace element and radiocesium contaminant concentrations in Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles (Order: Coleoptera), important taxa in decomposition and nutrient cycling, at contaminated and reference sites on the Savannah River Site, South Carolina, U.S. Our results revealed variability in trace element concentrations between Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at uncontaminated and contaminated sites. Compared to Scarabaeidae, Silphidae had higher levels of chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn). Unexpectedly, concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Ni were higher in both taxa at the uncontaminated sites. Scarabaeidae and Silphidae beetles at the coal combustion waste site consistently had high concentrations of arsenic (As), and Scarabaeidae had high concentrations of selenium (Se). Of the 50 beetles analyzed for radiocesium levels, two had elevated radioactivity concentrations, both of which were from a site contaminated with radionuclides. Our results suggest carrion beetles may be particularly sensitive to bioaccumulation of contaminants due to their trophic position and role in decomposition, and thus are useful sentinels of trace element and radionuclide contamination.