Determination lead, chromium and iron contaminations in edible tissue of common coot in Gomishan international wetland

Common coot (Fulica atra) is a species of waterfowl that is interested in hunting and the local communities bordering the lagoons north of Iran. In this study, 30 individuals of common coot (15 males and 15 females) from the southeastern coast of the Caspian Sea were sampled in winter 2009. The lead, chromium and iron levels in the breast muscle tissues of common Coot were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results showed that average levels of lead in male and female were 1.24 ± 0.3 and 1.12 ± 0.3, chromium levels in male and female were 0.15 ± 0.08 and 0.14 ± 0.7 and iron metal were 55.5 ± 18.4 and 54.5 ± 19.04 wet weights, respectively. There was no significant difference between two sexes (P>0.05). The highest contaminations of lead, chromium and iron in males and females were 1.89, 0.33 and 99.8 µg/g wet weights, respectively. There was poor correlation between these elements in muscle tissue. The results of this study showed that the concentrations of lead and iron in breast muscle of common coot from Gomishan international wetland (Southeast of the Caspian Sea) were below toxic levels.