Monitoring of Lead in Topsoil, Forage, Blood, Liver, and Kidneys in Cows in a Lead-Polluted Area in Slovenia (1975–2002) and a Case of Lead Poisoning (1993)

T Zadnik

doi:10.1155/2010/940206

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a prolonged research in a lead-polluted area. Extensive systematic studies of lead concentrations in topsoil, forage, blood, liver, and kidney in cows on farms within 1–10 km around the lead mine and smelter were carried out. After installation of a filter in 1978, lead concentrations began to decrease. However, when toxic levels of lead were within normal reference values, the authorities stopped to finance the project. In 2002, the research was concluded. A review of studies showed that the protective filter was effective; during the period 1975–2002 mean lead in forage dropped from 584.0 ± 324.0 to 5.5 ± 2.9 mg/kg, and the mean blood lead levels dropped from 1.251 ± 0.580 to 0.069 ± 0.041 mg/kg. Three years after the filter was installed the amount of lead in the liver and kidneys had normalized. Closely related to our research was also a case of cow lead poisoning.

Highlights

The paper presents the results of a prolonged research in a lead-polluted area
A review of studies showed that the protective filter was effective; during the period 1975–2002 mean lead in forage dropped from 584.0 ± 324.0 to 5.5 ± 2.9 mg/kg, and the mean blood lead levels dropped from 1.251 ± 0.580 to 0.069 ± 0.041 mg/kg
Lead is a bluish white to gray heavy metal that was probably the first toxic element recognized by man

Summary

Introduction

Lead is a bluish white to gray heavy metal that was probably the first toxic element recognized by man. Very frequent and potential source of lead content in animal tissues are forage produced on agricultural surface or cattle grazing on pastures contaminated by airborne emissions from nearby smelters [2,3,4,5]. Chronic and nonapparent poisoning due to ingesting smaller quantities of lead contaminated forage over a longer period of time is characterized by nonspecific signs which may be expressed as loss of appetite, weight loss, reproduction disorders, anemia, osteoporosis and immunosuppression [6,7,8,9]. Cows blood lead levels is a good bioindicator of environmental contamination [2, 7, 13]. Concentration of lead in whole blood and milk resulting from the daily exposure to lead does not produce any clinical evidence of disease [13]. In dead and slaughtered animals lead was usually analyzed in the liver, kidneys, and muscles [13,14,15]

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