EN
Lead, cadmium, and mercury were estimated in the liver and kidneys of 30 silver foxes from one fur fox farm. The animals were divided into three groups according to their age and developing reproduction disorders. Cd and Pb were determined by GFAAS with Zeeman correction, whereas Hg by cold vapour technique. Serum levels for Hg and Cd were below minimum detection limit of the method, while Pb accounted x(n=30)=0.149±0.1145 µg mL⁻¹. The liver and kidneys contained: 0.378±0.2002 and 0.274±0.1006 µg g⁻¹ of Pb (wet weights); 0.253±0.2836 and 0.288±0.1656 µg g⁻¹ of Cd, and 0.257±0.3403 and 0.600±1.1112 µg g⁻¹ of Hg, respectively. Coefficients of variation, CV%(n=30)) from 11.3% to 304.9% were recorded. Pb content in the serum and liver increased with age; however, that trend was not observed in the case of Cd and Hg. The data within every groups were characterised by wide statistical dispersion; Hg level differed in three magnitude order. The means significantly differed from medians, the most for Hg in kidneys; x(n=10)=0.871±l .4952 µg g⁻¹ versus µ1/2=0.0220 µg g⁻¹ in group of one-year-old foxes. The highest contents found in the individual animals, Hg>3.4 µg g⁻¹ in the liver and kidneys or Cd>l µg g⁻¹ in the liver, were considered toxic for health status of the flock, reproductive disorders including.