Pilot research on testing the reliability of studies on carabid heavy metals contamination

Concentrations of heavy metals in the tissues of carabid beetles were assessed to evaluate a new rapid method of toxicity analysis. Beetles were collected from under stones in eight sampling sites in pristine and polluted environments across a pollution gradient. After transport to a laboratory the samples were frozen, dried, and digested with nitric acid prior to analysis by ICP-MS. Thirty trace elements were detected and significant concentration differences were found among beetles collected from different sites. Cluster analysis and Principal Component Analysis indicated correlations between element concentrations and pollution levels at particular sites as well as possible pollution from unexpected sources. The described rapid assessment method was found to be useful for preliminary screening, but this would be confirmed only with a considerably larger data set.