Differences In Element Levels Research Articles

Content of Biogenic Elements in Sheep Wool by the Regions of Slovakia.

The quality of nutrition and environmental pollution are crucial chemical indicators influencing animal health, reflected in element concentrations in animal tissues and coats. This study investigates the concentrations of biogenic elements (calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, copper, and iron) in sheep wool from various regions of Slovakia to compare concentrations and identify possible correlations between individual elements. Samples were collected from six different regions, and concentrations of elements were measured using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in element levels among the examined regions. Calcium concentrations ranged from 729.2 to 4065ppm, with the highest concentrations in the Kysuce region and the lowest in the Šariš region. Potassium concentrations ranged from 2315 to 3282ppm, with the lowest values in the Zemplín region and the highest in the Liptov region. Magnesium, sodium, copper, and iron also exhibited varying concentrations across the regions. Correlation analysis identified significant associations between several elements. The findings suggest that regional environmental differences influence element concentrations in sheep wool, highlighting the importance of monitoring biogenic elements for assessing environmental pollution and animal health. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms driving element accumulation in wool and its implications for animal welfare and environmental management.

Results of the BfR MEAL Study: In Germany, mercury is mostly contained in fish and seafood while cadmium, lead, and nickel are present in a broad spectrum of foods.

The BfR MEAL Study provides representative levels of substances in foods consumed in Germany. Mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel are contaminants present in foods introduced by environmental and industrial processes. Levels of these elements were investigated in 356foods. Foods were purchased representatively, prepared as consumed and pooled with similar foods before analysis. Highest mean levels of mercury were determined in fish and seafood, while high levels of cadmium, lead, and nickel were present in cocoa products and legumes, nuts, oilseeds, and spices. The sampling by region, season, and production type showed minor differences in element levels for specific foods, however no tendency over all foods or for some food groups was apparent. The data on mercury, cadmium, lead, and nickel provide a comprehensive basis for chronic dietary exposure assessment of the population in Germany. All levels found were below regulated maximum levels.

Evaluation of the use of reindeer droppings for monitoring essential and non-essential elements in the polar terrestrial environment

Excess or toxic metals, non-metals and metalloids can be eliminated from the organism by deposition in inert tissue (e.g. fur) or excretion with body secretions, urine and faeces. Droppings are one of the main routes for the elimination of multiple elements and they can be collected without direct contact with the animal. Contaminant concentration has been examined in non-lethally collected tissues of several species (especially reptilian, avian and mammalian). However, studies on species residing in polar areas are still limited, especially of mammals from the European Arctic. Reindeers are the only large herbivores living in Svalbard, being an essential part of the Arctic terrestrial ecosystem. Although reindeer presence has a high impact on their surroundings, those huge mammals are rarely part of ecotoxicological studies regarding metal pollution. In this paper, the droppings of Svalbard reindeer were used as a non-invasively collected tissue to examine the excretion pathway of 30 elements. Samples were collected in mesic and moss tundra, representing summer, winter and winter-transitional excretion. For more than a half of the studied elements, significant differences occurred between the samples collected in the two tundra types. The feasibility of older and fresh samples was assessed based on summer droppings, and significant differences were found for K, As, Mn, Na, Ni, and Sb concentrations. No relevant differences in element levels were observed for samples collected from adult females, adult males and calves, except for zinc and potassium. Results show that reindeer droppings are an important vector for the transfer of many metals, non-metals and metalloids including calcium, phosphorus, zinc, aluminium and lead. As a sedentary species, feeding on local food sources, Svalbard reindeer is a valuable indicator of trace element presence in the polar terrestrial ecosystem.

Trace and macro elements in the femoral bone as indicators of long-term environmental exposure to toxic metals in European brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Croatia.

We explored the long-term accumulation of aluminium, strontium, cadmium and lead in the compact and trabecular bone of the femoral epiphysis, metaphysis and diaphysis in 41 brown bears (Ursus arctos) from Croatia. Also, we assessed their influence on macro and trace elements (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and barium) in bears' bone. There were no sex differences in element levels in general, while age was associated with bone length and levels of all elements, except for cadmium. Elements had different levels depending on the part of the bone sampled. More pronounced differences were observed between the compact and trabecular regions, with higher levels of majority of elements found in compact bone. Moderate to high associations (Spearman coefficient, rS = 0.59-0.97) were confirmed between calcium and potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, cobalt, zinc, strontium and lead. Lead levels in the bone were below those known to cause adverse health effects, but in 4 of 41 animals they exceeded baseline levels for domestic animals. The femoral bone of the brown bear reflected the accumulative nature of lead and strontium well, as it did the impairment of bone-forming essential element levels associated with these two elements. However, the distribution pattern of elements along the bone was not uniform, so additional care should be taken when choosing on the part of the bone sampled.

Determination of Macro- and Microelements in Cow, Goat, and Human Milk Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

The contents of macro- and microelements in cow, goat, and human milk from Croatia were measured and compared for the first time. The highest concentrations of element were measured in milk cow: calcium 1.4 g/kg, sodium 0.6 g/kg, zinc 4.0 mg/kg, strontium 0.4 mg/kg; goat: magnesium 0.2 g/kg, potassium 2.2 g/kg, iron 0.8 mg/kg, manganese 71 µg/kg, selenium 35 µg/kg, molybdenum 20 µg/kg, chromium 72 µg/kg, lithium 14 µg/kg; and human: copper 193 µg/kg. Equal content of molybdenum (20 µg/kg) was determined in cow and goat milk. Significant differences in element levels between the three species were determined. Concentrations of magnesium, manganese, selenium, chromium, and lithium in goat milk were significantly higher than in cow milk. Significantly lower levels of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, and strontium were determined in human milk than in cow and goat milk. Chromium content was significantly higher in goat than in human milk. Copper content in human milk was significantly higher than in cow milk. Correlations, mostly moderate and positive, were found between elements in cow and goat milk.

Comparison of element levels in minimal and complex yeast media

The cellular functions are strongly influenced by the composition of the environment. In particular, phenotypes of microbial strains are modulated by concentrations of ions in the culture medium, and differences in element levels may be responsible for a phenotypic variability observed when microbial strains are grown on synthetic versus complex media. In this report, we analyzed the levels of nine elements (magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, copper, manganese, zinc, and phosphorus) and sulphate ions in commercially available peptone and yeast extract and compared them with those in yeast nitrogen base routinely used for preparation of synthetic minimal media. We observed that whereas some elements are present at similar levels, the levels of others differ by a factor as high as 20. The observed differences should be taken into account when interpreting different phenotypes observed for microbial strains grown on synthetic versus complex media.

Lead, cadmium, mercury and selenium in Greenland marine biota and sediments during AMAP phase 1

Lead, cadmium, mercury and selenium levels in the Greenland marine environment from the first phase of the AMAP are presented. Samples were collected in 1994–1995 covering four widely separated regions in Greenland. Samples included sediments, soft tissue of blue mussel; and liver of polar cod, shorthorn sculpin, glaucous gull, Iceland gull and ringed seal. Concentrations of lead were found to increase with the size of blue mussel, but not with the age of gulls or ringed seal. Both cadmium and mercury concentrations were found to increase with the size/age of all species. Selenium concentrations decreased with increasing size of blue mussel, but increased with the age of gulls and ringed seal. Element levels found are within the range of those found in previous studies in Greenland. Relative to global background levels, lead levels must be considered low, whereas levels of cadmium, mercury and selenium in Greenland marine biota are high. Significant differences in element levels in sediments and biota among regions in Greenland were seen in several cases. There was a tendency for the highest lead and mercury concentrations to be found in east Greenland, whereas the highest cadmium concentrations were found in central west Greenland. However, the geographical differences among the media did not show a consistent pattern.

Quality of Diets with Fluidized Bed Combustion Residue Treatment: II. Swine Trials

AbstractGrowing pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) were fed for an 8‐wk period in two trials on diets produced on soils treated with fluidized bed combustion residue (FBCR) or limestone. Diets contained corn (Zea mays L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) mixtures with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] meal, supplemented with vegetables, fruits, and meat. Pigs were fed ad libitum and effects of diet treatment on rate of gain, N balance, blood composition, and element composition of the carcass and organs were determined. The FBCR diet caused a decrease (P < 0.05 in Trial 1, P < 0.07 in Trial 2) in body weight gains of pigs, but increased (P < 0.05) N retention in one trial. Blood composition was not influenced markedly by diet treatment, with small but significant differences in serum Ca, triglycerides, certain amino acids, and whole blood Pb concentrations; effects were not consistent between trials. Urinary As concentration was slightly higher for pigs on FBCR diets. Analysis of the carcass and organs of pigs slaughtered posttrial showed significant differences in element levels from those of pretrial animals, but differences in tissue mineral concentrations related to diet treatment were few and inconsistent. Element concentrations in the organs of pigs were within normal ranges. No explanation for the depression in weight gain of pigs fed FBCR‐treated diets was found. Except for the weight response, results support data from other trials with laboratory animals showing no apparent adverse effects of FBCR application to soils on nutritive quality of foods.

Trace metal monitoring of pelagic organisms from the open Mediterranean Sea

During the periods 1974-75 and 1977 mixed microplankton and individual species of macrozooplankton and nekton were sampled from a number of areas in the mediterranean Sea in order to establish baseline levels of selected trace elements in pelagic species from the open Mediterranean. Trace elements analyzed were Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Rb, Sc, Se, V, and Zn. Variability for concentrations of many of the trace elements was high, and broadly speaking if trace element concentrations in all species examined from any one area in the Mediterranean are considered, no general regional differences in element levels were evident. On the other hand, metal concentrations in certain individual pelagic species did suggest limited regional variations. No significant differences between metal concentrations in organisms collected in 1974-75 and 1977 were noted. For most of the elements, similar data for the same species collected in other years do not exist, therefore at present it is not possible to establish temporal trends for metals in pelagic Mediterranean organisms. Comparison of these results with data reported for similar species from other oceanic regions suggests that metal levels in open ocean organisms are no higher in the Mediterranean than elsewhere. It is concluded that long-term, open ocean ecological monitoring programmes, while useful and possible to carry out technically, may be severely limited by the high costs of shiptime and lack of long-term commitment and financial support from both national and international bodies.

Effect of simulated acid rain on growth and yield of Valencia orange, floradade tomato and slash pine in Florida

Direct effects of simulated acidic deposition on vegetation were studied in the laboratory under controlled conditions for three commercially important resources: slash pine, Floradade tomato and Valencia orange. Treatment was similar to convective rain in Florida in ion composition, total volume, frequency and rate of application, intensity and sulfate/nitrate ratio. The surface of the growth medium was covered with plastic during application of the solution. Water and nutrients optimum for growth were provided directly to the growth medium. No visible injury resulted from application of the simulated rain. No effects of pH treatments on vegetative growth of slash pine, orange or tomato were observed. However, fruit yield of tomato and orange differed significantly between plants subjected to different pH treatments. The yield of tomato was lower and that of orange was higher at the lower pH treatments. Calcium and magnesium levels were highest in the foliage of tomato plants receiving the pH 5.5 treatment. No differences in element levels of orange foliage were observed.