The Atacama Desert represents the highest levels of mining exploitation in Chile, which inexorably results in high levels of pollution. Raptors, and particularly scavengers, have shown their usefulness to evaluate exposure to environmental contaminants in polluted scenarios. In this study, we used primary feathers from a local avian scavenger, turkey vulture Cathartes aura, to evaluate the exposure to cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in two locations from the southern Atacama Desert (coastal and inland) and a third location from the bordering semiarid region, in northern Chile. All metals were detected in all analyzed samples (n = 54). Mean concentrations in Coastal Atacama were 0.68 ± 0.84 ppm for Cd; 1.97 ± 2.01 ppm for Pb; 59.11 ± 80.69 ppm for Cu; and 107.96 ± 51.00 ppm for Zn, while mean concentrations in Inland Atacama were 0.55 ± 0.42 ppm for Cd; 3.37 ± 2.61 ppm for Pb; 91.66 ± 77.74 ppm for Cu; and 214.03 ± 99.08 ppm for Zn. Mean concentrations in Coastal Coquimbo were 0.63 ± 0.69 ppm for Cd; 1.57 ± 0.92 ppm for Pb; 18.09 ± 6.12 ppm for Cu; and 149.37 ± 105.56 ppm for Zn. These differences could be explained by differences on abundance of mining settlements among areas. According to the literature, these values are very high for all metals, exceeding in some cases those values referred as responsible of health disorders in birds. We strongly recommend further research looking at potential adverse effects caused by heavy metal pollution on the health of human and wildlife populations in the southern Atacama Desert.

阿塔卡马沙漠代表了智利最高水平的采矿开采，这不可避免地导致了严重的污染。猛禽，尤其是清道夫，已经显示出它们在评估污染情况下对环境污染物的暴露的有用性。在这项研究中，我们使用来自当地鸟类清道夫、火鸡秃鹰Cathartes aura 的初级羽毛来评估阿塔卡马南部两个地点对镉 (Cd)、铅 (Pb)、铜 (Cu) 和锌 (Zn) 的暴露沙漠（沿海和内陆）和智利北部接壤的半干旱地区的第三个地点。在所有分析样品中均检测到所有金属 ( n = 54）。沿海阿塔卡马的 Cd 平均浓度为 0.68 ± 0.84 ppm；1.97 ± 2.01 ppm 铅；铜为 59.11 ± 80.69 ppm；Zn 为 107.96 ± 51.00 ppm，而内陆阿塔卡马的平均 Cd 浓度为 0.55 ± 0.42 ppm；3.37 ± 2.61 ppm 铅；铜为 91.66 ± 77.74 ppm；Zn 为 214.03 ± 99.08 ppm。Coquimbo 沿海地区的 Cd 平均浓度为 0.63 ± 0.69 ppm；1.57 ± 0.92 ppm 铅；铜为 18.09 ± 6.12 ppm；Zn 为 149.37 ± 105.56 ppm。这些差异可以用地区之间采矿定居点丰富度的差异来解释。根据文献，所有金属的这些值都非常高，在某些情况下超过了那些被称为导致鸟类健康障碍的值。