Wetlands and their biodiversity are constantly threatened by contaminant pollution from urbanisation. Despite evidence suggesting that snakes are good bioindicators of environmental health, the bioaccumulation of contaminants in reptiles is poorly researched in Australia. We conducted the first broad-scale analysis of 17 metals and trace elements, 21 organochlorine pesticides, and 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the sediments (4 samples per site, December 2018) from four wetlands along an urban gradient in Perth, Western Australia, and from the livers (5 livers per site, February-April 2019) of western tiger snakes Notechis scutatus occidentalis captured at those sites. All 17 metals and trace elements were detected in the sediments of wetlands as well as 16 in the livers of tiger snakes. Arsenic, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se, and Zn were at concentrations exceeding government trigger values in at least one sediment sample. Two organochlorine pesticides and six of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were detected in the sediments of a single wetland, all exceeding government trigger values, but were not detected in tiger snakes. Metals and trace elements were generally in higher concentration in sediments and snake livers from more heavily urbanised wetlands. The least urbanised site had some higher concentrations of metals and trace elements, possibly due to agriculture contaminated groundwater. Concentrations of nine metals and trace elements in snake livers were statistically different between sites. Arsenic, Cd, Co, Hg, Mo, Sb, and Se near paralleled the pattern of contamination measured in the wetland sediments; this supports the use of high trophic wetland snakes, such as tiger snakes, as bioindicators of wetland contamination. Contamination sources and impacts on these wetland ecosystems and tiger snakes are discussed herein.

中文翻译：

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沿城市梯度对湿地中的金属，微量元素，有机氯农药和多环芳烃进行大规模分析，并使用高营养蛇作为生物指示剂。

湿地及其生物多样性不断受到城市化带来的污染物污染的威胁。尽管有证据表明蛇是环境健康的良好生物指示剂，但澳大利亚对爬行动物中污染物的生物蓄积性的研究很少。我们对西澳大利亚州珀斯市的四个湿地和城市梯度的沉积物中的17种金属和微量元素，21种有机氯农药和14种多环芳烃进行了首次大规模分析（每个站点4个样品，2018年12月）。来自在这些地点捕获的西部虎蛇Notechis scutatus occidentalis的肝脏（每个地点5个肝脏，2019年2月至4月）。在湿地的沉积物中检测到所有17种金属和微量元素，在老虎蛇的肝脏中检测到16种金属和微量元素。砷，铜，汞，铅，硒，至少一个沉积物样品中的Zn和Zn浓度超过政府触发值。在一个湿地的沉积物中检测到两种有机氯农药和七种多环芳烃中的六种，均超过了政府的触发值，但在虎蛇中未检测到。在城市化程度较高的湿地的沉积物和蛇肝中，金属和微量元素的浓度通常较高。城市化程度最低的地点的金属和微量元素含量较高，可能是由于农业污染了地下水。蛇肝中九种金属和​​微量元素的浓度在不同地点之间存在统计学差异。砷，镉，钴，汞，钼，锑和硒几乎与湿地沉积物中的污染模式平行。这支持使用高营养的湿地蛇（例如老虎蛇）作为湿地污染的生物指标。本文讨论了污染源及其对这些湿地生态系统和虎蛇的影响。