Metal and metalloid concentrations in the livers of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) from England and Wales

Carcasses were stored frozen at -18 degrees C prior to examination by the Cardiff University Otter Project (http://www.otterproject.cf.ac.uk/ ). During a post mortem examination the age (classified as adult, sub-adult and juvenile) and sex of the animal were determined. In addition a range of biometric observations were recorded including body length and weight which were used to determine the body condition coefficient (K) according to Kruuk and Conroy (1991). A sub-sample of the liver was taken and stored at -18 degrees C prior to analysis by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. A 1g wet weight sample of each liver was microwave-digested in 10ml of 70% J.T.Baker ULTREX II grade nitric acid (Avantor Performance Materials, London, UK) in a microwave digestion system (200 degrees C for 15 minutes). Digested samples were then made up to 25ml using de-ionized water (grade), then further diluted ten-fold, using de-ionized water, immediately prior to analysis by inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The ICPMS was pre-conditioned with 10% (v/v) nitric acid until the background signal stabilised and a correction factor was applied to resultant Ag concentration to account for signal interferences from zirconium oxide. Moisture content of the sample was determined by drying a 0.5g sub-sample at 70 degrees C for 48 hours. Dry weight concentrations were calculated based upon the wet weight of the analysed sample and the moisture content of the sub-sample.

This dataset is included in the following collections

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS)