Total mercury content in organs, tissues, and hair of the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769) from the Southern Primorye (Russia)

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Abstract

The study of total mercury concentration in brown rats was performed in Southern Primorye: Southern Sikhote-Alin (n = 19) and in the vicinity of Vladivostok (n = 13) in 2022–2024. Total mercury concentrations were determined using a mercury analyzer RA-915M (Lumex) in 93 samples of organs, tissues and hair of rodents. The average total mercury concentrations in brown rats in Southern Primorye are 0,008 ± 0,002 mg/kg dry weight (DW) (somatic muscles) < 0,009 ± 0,001 (brain) < 0,02 ± 0,008 (spleen) < 0,035 ± 0,008 (hair) < 0,044 ± 0,013 (kidneys) < 0,068 ± 0,03 (liver). The median values characterizing half of the sample are lower than the means, with the exception of the level of total mercury in the brain, and are represented by a rank range: 0,004 mg/kg DW (somatic muscles) < 0,01 (brain) < 0,014 (spleen) < 0,014 (liver) < 0,023 (kidney) < 0,026 mg/kg DW (hair). The high levels of mercury in some individuals may be associated with local household or industrial mercury-containing emissions. Further studies of the total mercury content in the terrestrial environment are needed.

About the authors

Nadezhda Yakovlevna Poddubnaya

Cherepovets State University

Author for correspondence.
Email: poddoubnaia@mail.ru

candidate of biological sciences, associate professor, leading researcher of Ecological and Analytical Laboratory, associate professor of Biology Department

Russian Federation, Vologda Region, Cherepovets

Victoria Nikolaevna Poletaeva

Cherepovets State University

Email: vnpoletaeva@chsu.ru

master student of Biology Department

Russian Federation, Vologda Region, Cherepovets

Lyubov Sergeevna Yeltsova

Cherepovets State University

Email: lskhabarova@chsu.ru

researcher of Ecological and Analytical Laboratory, senior lecturer of Biology Department

Russian Federation, Vologda Region, Cherepovets

Galina Petrovna Salkina

Joint Directorate of the Lazovsky Nature Reserve and the National Park «Tiger Zov»

Email: tpsrus@yandex.ru

senior researcher of Scientific Department

Russian Federation, Primorsky Krai, Lazo village

Ilya Sergeevich Sheremetyev

Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: sheremetyev@biosoil.ru

doctor of biological sciences, senior researcher of Theriology Laboratory

Russian Federation, Vladivostok

Daria Sergeevna Sorokina

Cherepovets State University

Email: sorokinadasha2002@yandex.ru

master student of Biology Department

Russian Federation, Vologda Region, Cherepovets

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Copyright (c) 2026 Poddubnaya N.Y., Poletaeva V.N., Yeltsova L.S., Salkina G.P., Sheremetyev I.S., Sorokina D.S.

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