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The total concentration of mercury was determined in samples of water, soil and sludge from the Mediterranean coastal area of Southeast Spain (Motril), where Hg contamination is produced primarily by a local paper mill. Samples were taken at surface level in a 5 Km radius from the factory. The total Hg concentrations varied from 0.117 to 0.760 microgram/g in soil and sludge, and from ND to 2.088 micrograms/L in water. A negative correlation was observed between the distance of the sampling station from the mill and the concentration of Hg in the soil and sludge samples. Similarly, an increase in Hg concentration was observed in the freshwater and wastewater after passing close to the factory.

This paper presents the levels of lead found in the feathers of adult and blood of nestlings of booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus), European buzzard ( Buteo buteo), and goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) sampled in the 1999 and 2000 breeding seasons in a Mediterranean forest of the Province of Murcia (Southeastern Spain) located far from potential sources of metal contamination. Levels of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase activity (delta-ALAD) in blood were also measured in the nestlings. Lead concentrations ranged from 1.1 to 11.21 microg/dl in blood of nestlings and from 0.35 to 1.66 mg/kg d.w. in the feathers of their parents. A significant relationship was found between blood delta-ALAD and lead (rho = -568), showing a negative correlation with blood lead levels even at lead concentrations below 5 microg/dl. This fact suggests the usefulness of this enzymatic biomarker for low lead exposure in forest raptors. There were also positive relationships between the lead concentrations in blood of nestlings and those in feathers of their parents (rho = 0.817), suggesting the usefulness of feathers for biomonitoring environmental exposure to lead.