Use of Spilopelia senegalensis as a Biomonitor of Heavy Metal Contamination from Mining Activities in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Bioindicators and biomonitors are living organisms utilized to appraise the health of the environment or natural ecosystem. Mining, which refers to extraction of valuable materials from the earth, represents a source of heavy metals that can impact the environment, biodiversity, and human health. We investigated the value of the laughing dove (Spilopelia senegalensis) as a biomonitor of environmental contamination with heavy metals from mining practices. Our results revealed the accumulation of heavy metals in the liver, kidneys, and lungs of the laughing dove collected from the mining site. The doves exhibited tissue dysfunction and injury, and decreased antioxidants. These results show the value of the laughing dove as a biomonitor of environmental pollution with heavy metals. ABSTRACT: Environmental pollution with heavy metals (HMs) is of serious ecological and public health concern worldwide. Mining is one of the main sources of HMs and can impact the environment, species diversity, and human health. This study assessed the value of Spilopelia senegalensis as a biomonitor of environmental contamination with metal(loid)s caused by mining activities. S. senegalensis was collected from a gold mining site and a reference site, and metal(loid)s and biochemical parameters were determined. Lead, cadmium, mercury, vanadium, arsenic, copper, zinc, and iron were significantly increased in the liver, kidney, and lung of S. senegalensis from the mining site. Serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, and urea were significantly elevated in S. senegalensis from the mining site. Lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide were increased, whereas glutathione and antioxidant enzymes were diminished in the liver and kidney of S. senegalensis from the mining site. In addition, multiple histological alterations were observed in the liver, kidney, and lung of S. senegalensis. In conclusion, mining activities provoke the accumulation of metal(loid)s, oxidative stress, and tissue injury in S. senegalensis. Therefore, S. senegalensis is a valuable biomonitor of environmental pollution caused by mining activities and could be utilized in epidemiological avian studies of human health.