Selenium status in sea ducks ( Melanitta fusca , Melanitta nigra and Clangula hyemalis ) wintering on the southern Baltic coast, Poland.

The aim of this study was to determine the status of selenium in sea ducks wintering in coastal areas of northwestern Poland. The experimental material included samples of liver, kidney, lung and heart obtained from three species of ducks: Melanitta fusca, Melanitta nigra and Clangula hyemalis. Selenium concentrations in the organs were determined using a spectrofluorometric method. The highest Se concentrations were observed in the liver. The average Se liver concentrations in M. fusca, M. nigra and C. hyemalis were 5.3±0.7, 7.2±0.8 and 6.6±0.7 µg/g dry weight (dw), respectively. In M. fusca Se concentration in the examined organs was observed to occur in the following descending order: liver > kidney > heart > lung, and in M. nigra and C. hyemalis it was liver > lung > kidney > heart. Statistical analysis of the results showed differences in Se concentrations in analogous organs between the investigated species of ducks. In all the organs of M. nigra Se concentration was significantly higher compared to M. fusca. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]