Arsenic concentrations in feces at d8 varied significantly among the four treatment groups (Table 1, Figure 2), and were highest in the Smelter group, followed by the High As group, and then the Low group, with levels respectively 16.6, 9.6 and 3.7 times higher than the Control group. Fecal Cd, Cu, Ni and Pb concentrations tend to be higher in the Smelter group (significantly higher for Ni) as compared to the groups from the unpolluted area (Control, Low As and High As; Table 1).
Arsenic levels in liver, bone and feathers also showed significant differences among treatment groups (Table 2, Figure 2), showing the same trend in all three matrices. The highest As concentrations were found …show more content…
In feathers, As concentrations were correlated with levels of Cd (rs = 0.35, p = 0.023, n = 42). The other elements were also correlated between them in the different tissue types (see Table S1).
Effects of arsenic on growth, survival and plasma biochemistry
Nestlings in the Low As group showed a slower wing growth rate than nestlings from the other treatment groups (12% slower than the Control group), and the number of fledglings was smaller in the High As group compared to the Low As group (2.91 vs. 4.49 fledglings; Table 3, Figure …show more content…
Nestlings from the Smelter group also showed slightly higher vitamin A levels in plasma compared to the other treatment groups, although not significantly (Table 3, Figure 3). The PC1met was negatively associated with vitamin K1 and vitamin D3, while fecal As concentrations were positively related to hematocrit (Table