Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the bodies of workers of Camponotus atriceps and Dorymyrmex brunneus (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): an exploratory study

Abstract

This study quantified the concentration of heavy metals (copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and nickel) in the biomass of two ant species, Camponotus atriceps and Dorymyrmex brunneus, which are dominant in forests and crop areas, respectively, in Sinop, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Ant sampling pitfall traps were used in both land use types, and metal concentrations in the biomass were obtained by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. The two species were selected because they were the most abundant in each land use type, considering the volume of biomass necessary for the chemical analysis. The results showed that with the exception of copper, heavy metals revealed higher concentrations in D. brunneus from crop areas than in C. atriceps from native forests. Such results are associated with the fact that the crop areas received high inputs of agrochemicals through the management of corn and soybean crops. Thus, ants are good indicators of contamination and environmental pollution in tropical regions, as the highest concentration of heavy metals was expected in the crop areas in relation to the adjacent forest area.