title: Elements levels in dogs from "triangle of death" and different areas of Campania region (Italy).
abstract: In the last twenty years, many concerns have raised in Campania region (Southern Italy) about illegal waste dumping and toxic waste and their possible adverse effects on health. Many human activities are considered to be important sources of environmental pollutants, elements among them. In this study, pet dogs were enrolled as environmental sentinels from three different areas of Campania, with a different degree of pollution, evaluating elements in blood and hair. The obtained data indicated that dogs from less polluted area were exposed to a hot spot of pollution, as only animals from one city (Sessa Aurunca) presented elements concentrations very close to toxic levels. When excluding these animals, the area proved to be the less contaminated. The present report confirm the higher degree of pollution of the most industrialized areas, and a certain concern originates from Cr, Ni and As, which are present as levels well above toxic thresholds. These data are indicative of a reduced pollution of the areas considered by Cd and Pb, but arise concern for Hg, As, Cr and Ni, which reach concentrations high enough to impact dogs and humans health, in term of acute (in the city of Sessa Aurunca) and chronic toxicity (i.e. reproduction impairment, endocrine disruption, immunosuppression). Additional studies are necessary to better define not only the precise distribution of hot spots of pollution, but also the real impact of such an exposure on the health of dogs, in term of endocrine balance and/or immune system activity.
authors.affiliation: Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico, FC, Italy. Electronic address: annalisa.zaccaroni@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaccaroni
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Veterinaria, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corteggio
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Veterinaria, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Altamura
authors.affiliation: Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silvi
authors.affiliation: ASL CE Via Unità Italiana, 28, 81010 Caserta, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Di Vaia
authors.affiliation: Department Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale Vespucci 2, 47042 Cesenatico, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Formigaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, University of Naples Federico II, Via Veterinaria, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borzacchiello
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002947:Cities; D004285:Dogs / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009532:Nickel / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D002857:Chromium; D009532:Nickel; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Blood; Campania; Dog; Elements; Hair; Pollution