Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (3): 1009 - 1021 (2019) TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ Presence of Heavy Metals in Feathers of Avian Species and in Soils of Barangay Ipil-Calancan Bay, Sta.Cruz, Marinduque Island, Philippines Michael Sapunto Sanchez1*, Maxima Eusebio Flavier2, Vachel Gay Velasco Paller3, Carmelita Marasigan Rebancos2, Antonio Javina Alcantara2, Ria Deomampo Sanchez4 and Daisy Villasis Pelegrina4 1Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031, Laguna, Philippines 2School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031, Laguna, Philippines 3Institute of Biological Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031, Laguna, Philippines 4College of Human Ecology, University of the Philippines Los Baños, 4031, Laguna, Philippines ABSTRACT Heavy metals may contaminate food, water, and air and bring toxic effects to both wildlife and humans. This study sought to assess the concentrations of heavy metals in the feathers of avian species and in soils using X-ray fluorescence in Barangay Ipil-Calancan Bay, Sta. Cruz, Marinduque Island, Philippines. Iron, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Sc, Pb, Sr, and Se were observed in all samples while Co and As were only found in sampled avian species. Among these heavy metals, the concentrations of As, Cr, Pb, Se, and Zn were beyond the critical levels which were reported in other studies. Highly significant concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Sc, Sr, Zn, and Mn were observed in Philippine pied fantail, white browed crake, white-collared kingfisher and little heron. Arsenic accumulation was only observed in yellow-vented bulbul while Cu, Fe, Sr, Zn, and Cr were significantly lowest in pink- necked green pigeon and Tabon scrubfowl. ARTICLE INFO Article history: The kingfisher, crake, scrubfowl, and fantail Received: 10 September 2018 Accepted: 18 June 2019 may be the important bioindicators of the Published: 19 August 2019 area. This study found correlation between E-mail addresses: [email protected] (Michael Sapunto Sanchez) soil and feather heavy metal contaminations [email protected] (Maxima Eusebio Flavier) [email protected] (Vachel Gay Velasco Paller) concerning Mo with Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, and [email protected] (Carmelita Marasigan Rebancos) Sb, Mn with Rb and Sb, Se with Sc, and Zn [email protected] (Antonio Javina Alcantara) [email protected] (Ria Deomampo Sanchez) with Sc. Heavy metals may cause security [email protected] (Daisy Villasis Pelegrina) * Corresponding author problems in the area such as with food, ISSN: 1511-3701 e-ISSN: 2231-8542 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press Michael Sapunto Sanchez, Maxima Eusebio Flavier, Vachel Gay Velasco Paller, Carmelita Marasigan Rebancos, Antonio Javina Alcantara, Ria Deomampo Sanchez and Daisy Villasis Pelegrina humans and ecosystems’ health. The study Bioaccumulation studies have been also provides baseline data using a non- widely used along with other methods to invasive technique for biomonitoring heavy determine the presence of heavy metals in metal contamination. the environment especially in the higher trophic levels. Bioaccumulation studies Keywords: Avian species, bioaccumulation, feathers, require a few samples and some tissues of heavy metals, soils organisms from the same area to provide INTRODUCTION precise information on the degree of habitat contamination (Hutton, 1981). Heavy Heavy metals from mining activities are metal pollution in birds can be assessed considered among the huge environmental using different organs, tissues, feathers, problems as it may contaminate the pellets, feces, and eggs. Among these, soil, air, water, and food resources. Its feathers were widely used considering its bioaccumulation eventually harms wildlife feasibility than other methods involving and humans. Mining and ore processing tissue collection wherein the organism ranked second among the top ten worst needs to be sacrificed or disturbed on its pollution industries in 2016 world’s worst nest, while scouring of large forested area pollution problems reported by the Pure for pellets or fecal samples can be time Earth and Green Cross Switzerland (2016). and energy consuming. There are benefits In humans, four of the top six toxic threats of using feathers to quantify heavy metal known were from heavy metals such as contamination in avifauna (Movalli, 2000). lead, mercury, chromium, and cadmium. Feathers are easy to collect, can be kept at These were estimated to put 66 million room temperature, can be collected even people at risk and accounted for 13,750,000 from endangered species and harmless to of Disability Life Years (DALYs) lost the organism because feathers moult and due to incapacitating, dreaded illnesses eventually replaced with a new feather. and mortality in developing nations (Pure One of the ways by which heavy metal Earth and Green Cross Switzerland, 2015). concentrations in the soil and feather can be Accordingly, wildlife exposed to the heavy determined is through X-ray fluorescence metal pollution were stunted, sensitive to (XRF). XRF is a rapid and low-cost method parasites and pathogens, and of low survival used in the analysis of samples (Ulmanu et and reproductive capacity. Considering these al., 2011). Hu et al. (2017) also stated that unwanted effects, it is important to study the the XRF unlike the traditional laboratory present concentrations of heavy metals in methods of heavy metal analyses did not areas affected by mining activities. This also take much time and labor. Furthermore, helps monitor trends and evaluate ecological the method is popular in different fields risks as well as provide information which involving metals and its associated is foremost in the decision making and industries, study of earth and minerals, provision of mitigating measures. food industry and ecological management 1010 Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (3): 1009 - 1021 (2019) Presence of Heavy Metals in Feathers and Soils as well as reported by several authors in Study Area human health management (Al-Eshaikh & Marinduque, an island province located 137 Kadachi, 2011) miles south of Manila is an ideal area to According to Goede and de Bruin study heavy metals. The island located south (1984), the heavy metal pollution studies of mainland Luzon only measures 172,700 using avian feathers began in 1966. Avian hectares and is composed of six townships species may be contaminated through namely Boac, Gasan, Buenavista, Torrijos, water, food, contact, respiration, and Sta. Cruz, and Mogpog. In the municipality by deliberately taking in pebbles or soil of Sta. Cruz, an eight-kilometer causeway particles and thus may reveal the ongoing was created from the mine tailings dumped pollution in the environment. Birds that are in the vicinity of Barangay Ipil along endemic or resident may provide clue on Calancan Bay. The island province is also the level of heavy metal accumulation in rich in biodiversity. In fact, seventy-five the same area. species of birds were observed in the Heavy metal in avian species may come island, of which, seventeen are endemic from the extraction of minerals and its to the country and six are island endemic associated activities like improper dumping subspecies (Gonzalez & Dans, 2000). The of mine tailings and lack of technologies possibility of detecting more species of to regain chemicals used in its processing. birds in the said area is high as Sanchez Mine spill, open untreated tailings dam and (2015) captured some species that were not dumping of contaminated mine gangue recorded in books such as by Kennedy et are among the causes of the heavy metal al. (2000). pollution in avian species, other wildlife, and in humans. Figure 1. Map of Marinduque, its location (inset) and the study site (encircled red) (https://www.r- bloggers.com/creating-inset-map-with-ggplot2/) Pertanika J. Trop. Agric. Sc. 42 (3): 1009 - 1021 (2019) 1011 Michael Sapunto Sanchez, Maxima Eusebio Flavier, Vachel Gay Velasco Paller, Carmelita Marasigan Rebancos, Antonio Javina Alcantara, Ria Deomampo Sanchez and Daisy Villasis Pelegrina This paper examined heavy metals in After the fieldwork, the soil samples were feathers of adult avian species captured air dried, packed and heat sealed. Each from Barangay Ipil-Calancan Bay in the sealed polypropylene plastics containing municipality of Sta. Cruz (Figure 1). the feathers and soils were then numbered This study sought to compare the present accordingly. Lastly, the prepared samples concentration of heavy metals in adult wild were handed to the National Institute for birds and pinpoint species that may be used Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of as bioindicator or receptor species. Results the University of the Philippines, Los Baños of this study also provide baseline data on for XRF analysis to detect and quantify of the level of heavy metal contamination the elements contained in the feathers and in soil and birds and for comparison with soils. Kruskal-Wallis and two tailed Pearson future studies to monitor trends. correlation were used to determine the differences and relationships of heavy metal MATERIALS AND METHODS concentrations between species and in soils. All samples were collected with permission from the Department of Environment and RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Natural Resources. Birds were captured A total of 72 adult birds composed of 17 using mist nets and other indigenous traps. species and 11 families were captured. Collection of feathers from adult birds Of all the birds captured, only one was was done non-destructively. The feathers endemic, three endemic residents, and 10 of the central tail, outermost primaries were residents. Twelve of the species were and secondaries of both wings, and some common, three uncommon, and two fairly abdominal and scapular were pulled or common. Only the range of the owl was not cut using a sterile scissor. Newly grown known as this owl had yet to be identified or growing feathers were not removed if it was a separate species but temporarily to prevent bleeding and to ensure that named for this study as Mantanani scops only old plumages were utilized in this owl.