Zinc bioaccumulation in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across urban and rural areas of Meknes, Morocco: a bioindicator of environmental pollution.

This study investigates zinc (Zn) bioaccumulation in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across urban and rural areas of Meknes, Morocco, to evaluate their effectiveness as bioindicators of environmental pollution. Fifty sparrows were sampled from five locations: an industrial zone, town center, bus station, main road, and a rural reference site. Zinc concentrations, measured on a dry weight basis using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), revealed significant differences between sites for the liver (111.43 ± 4.25 µg/g), kidneys (56.68 ± 3.50 µg/g), blood (1.638 ± 0.652 µg/g), bones (21.36 ± 6.10 µg/g), and heart (16.87 ± 5.15 µg/g) at the most polluted site, Sidi Bouzekri industrial zone, according to ANOVA results (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found for feathers (9.85 ± 4.65 µg/g), lungs (12.02 ± 4.58 µg/g), and brain (9.49 ± 6.23 µg/g) across the study locations. The rural site, despite its distance from industrial sources, exhibited elevated zinc levels, likely due to agricultural activities. These findings highlight the effectiveness of house sparrows as bioindicators for monitoring zinc contamination, capturing pollution impacts from both urban and rural sources. Ongoing monitoring of zinc pollution in diverse environments remains essential for managing heavy metal exposure risks.