技术关键要素(TCEs)对环境和野生动物的潜在负面影响,尽管越来越多的人认识到,在很大程度上被忽视。在这个意义上,这项研究旨在调查几种TCE的浓度,包括铷(Rb),钛(Ti)和各种稀土元素(REE),在虎鲨的不同组织中。对巴西南部手工船队偶然捕获的鲨鱼进行了机会采样,肝脏,ill,肾脏,心,肌肉,眼睛,大脑,皮肤,通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法(ICP-MS)分析牙齿。在不同组织中观察到显著的Rb浓度变化,在肾脏中检测到较高的水平,在肝脏中检测到较低的水平。钛浓度也表现出显著差异,在牙齿中检测到较高的水平,在肝脏中检测到较低的水平。尽管分析的稀土元素没有观察到统计学差异,在肝脏中积累更多的趋势,ill,并注意到皮肤。轻稀土元素(LREE)主要存在于所有器官中,钕,镧,铈是检测到的最显著的稀土元素。在Rb和REE之间确定了几个统计上显著的相关性,以及Ti和REE之间,表明这些元素在不同组织中的全身运输。这些发现表明,越来越多的金属元素的提取和处置,在技术进步的推动下,可能导致它们被海洋动物同化,特别是在较高的营养水平。对这些生物的潜在有害影响仍然未知,需要紧急调查。此外,随着全球采矿活动的加剧,精确的立法措施对于解决环境问题至关重要,物种保护,和人类健康考虑。
The potential negative impacts of Technology-Critical Elements (TCEs) on the environment and wildlife, despite increasingly recognized, remain largely overlooked. In this sense, this study aimed to investigate the concentrations of several TCEs, including rubidium (Rb), titanium (Ti) and various Rare Earth Elements (REEs), in different tissues of tiger sharks. Sharks incidentally caught by artisanal fleets in southern Brazil were opportunistically sampled and liver, gills, kidneys, heart, muscle, eyes, brain, skin, and teeth were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Significant Rb concentration variations were observed across different tissues, with higher levels detected in kidneys and lower levels in the liver. Titanium concentrations also exhibited significant differences, with higher levels detected in teeth and lower levels in liver. Although no statistical differences were observed for the analyzed REEs, a trend of higher accumulation in the liver, gills, and skin was noted. Light Rare Earth Elements (LREEs) were found predominantly in all organs, with neodymium, lanthanum, and cerium as the most significant REEs detected. Several statistically significant correlations were identified between Rb and REEs, as well as between Ti and REEs, indicating systemic transport of these elements across different tissues. These findings indicate that the growing extraction and disposal of metallic elements, driven by technological advancements, may lead to their assimilation by marine fauna, particularly at higher trophic levels. The potential harmful effects on these organisms remain unknown and require urgent investigation. Additionally, as mining activities intensify globally, precise legislative measures are essential to address environmental concerns, species conservation, and human health considerations.