TY - JOUR
T1 - Metal contents in house geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from industrial and urban areas of southern Tamaulipas, Mexico and western Andalucía, Spain, may reflect airborne metal pollution
AU - Morales-Zamudio, Luisiana
AU - Fierro-Cabo, Alejandro
AU - Rahman, Md Saydur
AU - Dominguez-Crespo, Miguel Antonio
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Taylor & Francis.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - House geckos share living quarters with humans in the tropical and subtropical regions inhabited by these reptiles. Gecko behavior, biological traits, continuous exposure to suspended particulate matter 0 µm in diameter (PM10) and dust, as well as status as exotic species, motivated the choice of these species to examine environmental exposure to ambient air pollutants, in particular metals, and subsequent accumulation in these organisms. One part of the study was conducted in Tamaulipas (Mexico) where Hemydactylus frenatus is abundant in urban and industrial environments, the other part was conducted in Andalucia (Spain) where Tarentola mauritanica is found in similar environments. Adult geckos were collected on buildings in locations affected by various air pollution sources. For both species, higher metal contents were observed in whole-body (including digestive tracts) analysis and were markedly different between collection sites. Contents in tails, digestive tracts, and carcasses without digestive tracts were not correlated. Based on contamination factor values, bioaccumulation in H. frenatus tissues occurred for 12 of the 15 metals analyzed. Data suggest that H. frenatus might serve as a biomonitor for Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Li, and V, whereas T. mauritanica might be a biomonitor for Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr. To our knowledge, metal contents for H. frenatus are reported here for the first time. House gecko data could be integrated into a highly representative monitoring system and health risk assessments related to air quality in residential areas.
AB - House geckos share living quarters with humans in the tropical and subtropical regions inhabited by these reptiles. Gecko behavior, biological traits, continuous exposure to suspended particulate matter 0 µm in diameter (PM10) and dust, as well as status as exotic species, motivated the choice of these species to examine environmental exposure to ambient air pollutants, in particular metals, and subsequent accumulation in these organisms. One part of the study was conducted in Tamaulipas (Mexico) where Hemydactylus frenatus is abundant in urban and industrial environments, the other part was conducted in Andalucia (Spain) where Tarentola mauritanica is found in similar environments. Adult geckos were collected on buildings in locations affected by various air pollution sources. For both species, higher metal contents were observed in whole-body (including digestive tracts) analysis and were markedly different between collection sites. Contents in tails, digestive tracts, and carcasses without digestive tracts were not correlated. Based on contamination factor values, bioaccumulation in H. frenatus tissues occurred for 12 of the 15 metals analyzed. Data suggest that H. frenatus might serve as a biomonitor for Cu, Ni, Pb, Cr, Li, and V, whereas T. mauritanica might be a biomonitor for Cu, Ni, Pb, and Cr. To our knowledge, metal contents for H. frenatus are reported here for the first time. House gecko data could be integrated into a highly representative monitoring system and health risk assessments related to air quality in residential areas.
KW - Bioindicators
KW - Hemidactylus frenatus
KW - Tarentola mauritanica
KW - air pollution
KW - reptiles
KW - urban indicators
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147707776&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/15287394.2023.2170941
DO - 10.1080/15287394.2023.2170941
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 36734348
AN - SCOPUS:85147707776
SN - 1528-7394
VL - 86
SP - 103
EP - 118
JO - Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part A: Current Issues
JF - Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health - Part A: Current Issues
IS - 4
ER -