Bioaccumulation of Heavy Metals in House Sparrow (<i>Passer domesticus</i>) Kidneys Across Urban and Rural Habitats in Meknes, Morocco

This study investigates the bioaccumulation of heavy metals, specifically zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd), in the kidneys of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across various urban and rural sites in Meknes, Morocco. Fifty adult sparrows were captured from different locations, including an industrial zone (IZ), a bus station (SS), a city center (TC), a major road (MR), and a reference rural site (Ref), to assess spatial variations in metal concentrations. The analysis revealed significant differences in bioaccumulation levels between urban and rural areas. The industrial zone exhibited the highest concentrations of Zn (56.68 µg/g) and Cd (1.25 µg/g), indicating substantial industrial pollution. The town center showed elevated Pb levels (2.67 µg/g), likely due to vehicular emissions. In contrast, the rural site, while less impacted by urban activities, displayed a high Zn concentration (54.10 µg/g), potentially linked to agricultural practices. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and K-means clustering were employed to further explore patterns of contamination, revealing distinct groupings of sparrows based on their metal concentration profiles. These findings underscore the role of house sparrows as bioindicators of environmental pollution and highlight the importance of addressing heavy metal contamination in urban and industrial regions.