Trace
Elements in Egg Contents and Egg Shells of Slider Turtles
(Trachemys scripta) from the Savannah River Site
J. Burger1 and J. W. Gibbons2
1Graduate
Program in Ecology and Evolution, Nelson Biological Laboratory, Rutgers
University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8082, USA, and Environmental
and Occupational Health Sciences Institute, Piscataway, New Jersey 08855-1179,
USA
2The
Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, P. O. Drawer
E, Aiken, South Carolina 29802, USA
Abstract:
In this paper we examine the levels of trace elements in the egg contents
and egg shells of slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) from the Savannah
River Site, near Aiken, South Carolina. Trace elements have seldom been
examined in the tissues or eggs of reptiles, although some turtles and
large snakes occupy a high trophic level. Lead, mercury, cadmium, selenium,
chromium, and manganese levels were examined in one egg and its egg shell
collected from each of 16 females that laid in late May and June 1996.
We were interested in determining background levels, whether certain metals
were sequestered in the egg shells, and whether levels were higher in
contents or shells. Concentrations were higher in egg contents than in
shells for lead, mercury, and selenium, while chromium was higher in the
shell. There were no differences for cadmium and manganese. Compared to
eggs from other reptiles, levels in slider turtles were generally similar
for cadmium and selenium, lower for chromium and lead, and higher for
manganese.
SREL Reprint #3088
Burger, J.
and J. W. Gibbons. 1998. Trace elements in egg contents and egg shells
of slider turtles (Trachemys scripta) from the Savannah River Site.
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 34: 382-286.
