Abstract
The aim of this study was to monitor the content of trace elements in the hair of South American camelids and to evaluate the effect of coat colour, species, age, and sex on their concentration in the hair. The samples were collected from 77 animals – 23 llamas (Llama guanicoe f. gllama) and 54 alpacas (Llama guanicoe f. pacos) during a spring health check. The concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) were determined by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and selenium (Se) by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. We found the following concentrations (mean ± standard deviation; mg/kg dry matter) in the llama hair: Cu 9.70 ± 4.69; Zn 145.20 ± 21.07; Mn 12.49 ± 10.14; Se 0.25 ± 0.14. In alpaca hair we found the following concentrations: Cu 10.22 ± 2.90; Zn 129.81 ± 19.01; Mn 12.67 ± 13.85; Se 0.48 ± 0.24. We found a significant difference between llamas and alpacas in Zn and Se concentrations in the hair. From all the evaluated factors we found that coat colour had the highest effect on Mn and Se concentration. Dark haired animals had significantly higher concentrations of these trace elements than other coloured groups. The evaluation of the concentration of trace elements in the hair of llamas has a potential to be used for the evaluation of long-term status of trace elements in the body; however, it is necessary to continue with experimental work in this area. Our findings can serve as a pilot study for further works in this field.
Highlights
The content of trace elements in the body is a very important factor for the health state evaluation of South American camelids
The evaluation of the concentration of trace elements in the hair of llamas has a potential to be used for the evaluation of long-term status of trace elements in the body; it is necessary to continue with experimental work in this area
Trace element concentration is higher in hair compared to blood or urine, and so it better reflects the content in the body than the other biological materials
Summary
The content of trace elements in the body is a very important factor for the health state evaluation of South American camelids. Some authors recommend the monitoring of trace element concentration in the hair as an indicator of the long-term status of trace elements in the body (Pavlata et al 2011; Ghorbani et al 2015). Based on the above facts we decided to use hair as an alternative biological material for assessing the content of microelements in the body This biological material remains isolated from metabolic activities and indicates the element concentration over a long-term period. The beginning of hair analysis as a potential for new useful method dates from the early 1960s, but the most significant development appeared from 1990 In this time the knowledge of human hair structure and physiology improved as well as the method to detect trace elements in biological samples (Bencze 1990; Chyla and Zyrnicki 2000). The hair is even recommended as a non-invasive biomarker by various institutions – including US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), World Health Organization, and Global Environmental Monitoring Systems of United Nations Environment Programme (Batzevich 1995; Ghorbani et al 2015)
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