Blood Pb and δ-ALAD inhibition in cattle and sheep from a Pb-polluted mining area.
The effects of Pb pollution on cattle and sheep raised in an ancient mining area were studied through the use of blood Pb (PbB) levels and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (δ-ALAD) activity. Lead levels in livestock blood from the mining area (n=110) were significantly elevated when compared to the controls (n=79). In 91.4% of cattle (n=58) and 13.5% of sheep (n=52) sampled in the mining area, PbB levels corresponded to subclinical exposure (6-35 μg/dl). Two young cattle (<2 years) from the mining area (n=5) had PbB levels indicative of clinical poisoning (>35 μg/dl). Elevated PbB was also accompanied by δ-ALAD activity inhibition in blood, which confirms that measurable effects of Pb poisoning were taking place. Observed PbB levels suggest that a potential risk to human consumers of beef from the Pb polluted areas may also exist, as has been shown previously for game meat from the same mining area.
Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain.
Jaime
J
Rodríguez-Estival
José A
JA
Barasona
Rafael
R
Mateo
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood* / Q000633:toxicity; D008906:Mining; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep / Q000097:blood*
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007854:Lead; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase