Environmental levels of cadmium, lead and mercury in brown hares and their relation to blood metabolic parameters.
The purpose of this study was to examine concentrations of selected heavy metals in the liver and kidney of brown hares (Lepus europaeus). In addition, correlations between heavy metals and biochemical parameters in blood plasma were determined. The average concentrations of heavy metals (mmol/L) +/- SD were as follows: liver: Pb 0.221 +/- 0.189, Cd 0.160 +/- 0.140, Hg 0.021 +/- 0.030, kidney: Pb 0.115 +/- 0.125, Cd 1.570 +/- 1.103, Hg 0.030 +/- 0.053. The average concentrations of biochemical parameters in the blood plasma were as follows: Ca 3.16 mmol/L, P 2.19 mmol/L, Mg 1.40 mmol/L, Na 148.71 mmol/L, K 8.12 mmol/L, glucose 6.56 mmol/L, total proteins 56.49 g/L, urea 5.00 mmol/L, total lipids 1.40 g/L, bilirubin 3.97 micro mol/L, cholesterol 1.53 mmol/L, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) 6.06 micro kat/L and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 1.94 micro kat/L. Average levels of hormones (ng/mL) were as follows: testosterone 2.94, androstendiol 0.13, estradiol 501.59, progesterone 6.63, oxytocin 328.60. Tissue analysis showed an accumulation of lead, cadmium and mercury in the liver and kidney of brown hares. There were no significant correlations between levels of heavy metals in liver, kidney, and biochemical parameters.
Kolesarova
Adriana
A
Department of Animal Physiology, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovak Republic. Adriana.Kolesarova@uniag.sk
Slamecka
Jaroslav
J
Jurcik
Rastislav
R
Tataruch
Frieda
F
Lukac
Norbert
N
Kovacik
Jaroslav
J
Capcarova
Marcela
M
Valent
Miroslav
M
Massanyi
Peter
P
D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D034621:Hares; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008628:Mercury