Heavy metals in the silvery mole-rat, Heliophobius argenteocinereus (Bathyergidae, Rodentia) from Malawi

Abstract

Concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were assessed in body tissues of a solitary subterranean rodent, the silvery mole-rat (Heliophobius argenteocinereus) from the African endemic family Bathyergidae. The mean concentrations of cooper and zinc in animals captured in Malawi were higher in liver compared to muscle (18.3 mg.kg - 1 vs. 8.8 mg.kg - 1 of dry weight for copper; 170.3 mg.kg - 1 vs. 101.2 mg.kg - 1 for zinc). No important differences were found in concentration of heavy metals between animals captured in different habitats (grassland vs. cultivated crops) or between sexes. Very low concentrations of lead (0.41 mg.kg - 1 in liver, 0.25 mg.kg - 1 in muscle) and cadmium (0.09 mg.kg - 1 in liver, 0.07 mg.kg - 1 in muscle) indicate no health risk connected with local consumption of silvery mole-rats in the area under study.