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Blood concentration of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead in horses and its relation to hematological and biochemical parameters.

Abstract: Environmental pollution results in serious health hazards to animals and blood analysis serves as a good alternative for health status assessment. The target of this study was to analyze the concentration of selected metals in equine blood, to analyze the blood parameters and to find possible correlations. Blood samples were collected from the vena jugularis of healthy adult horses. The highest concentration of all elements was found in whole blood (Cu 3.84 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Cd = 0.81 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Zn 26.67 ± 14.12 mg L(-1); Pb 9.33 ± 5.76 mg L(-1)). Higher concentrations of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead were detected in blood clots compared to blood sera (44.04%). A similar tendency was found for cadmium (50%), zinc (13.08%) and lead (46.02%), which showed generally higher concentrations in blood clots (cells). Correlation analysis proved some relations between analyzed elements. In blood clots there is a strong positive correlation between Cd - Pb (r = 0.93) and Zn - Pb (r = 0.71) was detected. For biochemical and hematological parameters mainly medium correlations were detected. Obtained results prove different correlations of analyzed elements in blood components as well as the effect on parameters of blood biochemical and hematological profiles.
Publication Date: 2014-04-29 PubMed ID: 24766599DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2014.894322Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

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This research explored the concentration of certain metals in the blood of horses and their impact on blood parameters. It was found that elevated levels of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead existed, with some correlations identified between these elements and various biochemical and hematological parameters.

Introduction and Background

  • Environmental pollution poses serious health risks to animals. The study sought to use blood analysis – a practical way to assess health status – to determine the effect of certain pollutants.
  • The pollutants in question were the metals copper, cadmium, zinc and lead. The study aimed to find the concentration of these metals in horse blood, analyze blood parameters, and identify potential correlations.

Methodology

  • Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein of healthy adult horses for analysis.

Results

  • Highest concentrations of all the analyzed metals were found in the whole blood with values for each metal provided as Cu 3.84 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Cd = 0.81 ± 0.90 mg L(-1); Zn 26.67 ± 14.12 mg L(-1); Pb 9.33 ± 5.76 mg L(-1).
  • Blood clots showed higher concentrations of the metals than blood serum, with the percentages of increased concentrations given as copper (44.04%), cadmium (50%), zinc (13.08%), and lead (46.02%).

Analysis

  • Correlation analysis was conducted to determine the relationships between the analyzed metals in the blood.
  • In the blood clots, a strong positive correlation was identified between cadmium and lead (r = 0.93) and between zinc and lead (r = 0.71).
  • Linkages between the metal concentrations and biochemical and hematological parameters of the blood showed mostly average correlations.

Conclusion

  • The results of the study showed measurable correlations between the metals in the blood of horses and blood parameters, shedding light on the impact of these environmental pollutants on the health of animals.

Cite This Article

APA
Massanyi P, Stawarz R, Halo M, Formicki G, Lukac N, Cupka P, Schwarcz P, Kovacik A, Tusimova E, Kovacik J. (2014). Blood concentration of copper, cadmium, zinc and lead in horses and its relation to hematological and biochemical parameters. J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 49(8), 973-979. https://doi.org/10.1080/10934529.2014.894322

Publication

ISSN: 1532-4117
NlmUniqueID: 9812551
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 49
Issue: 8
Pages: 973-979

Researcher Affiliations

Massanyi, Peter
  • a Department of Animal Physiology , Slovak University of Agriculture , Nitra , Slovak Republic.
Stawarz, Robert
    Halo, Marko
      Formicki, Grzegorz
        Lukac, Norbert
          Cupka, Peter
            Schwarcz, Pavol
              Kovacik, Anton
                Tusimova, Eva
                  Kovacik, Jaroslav

                    MeSH Terms

                    • Adult
                    • Animals
                    • Cadmium / blood
                    • Copper / blood
                    • Hematologic Tests
                    • Horses / blood
                    • Humans
                    • Lead / blood
                    • Male
                    • Zinc / blood

                    Citations

                    This article has been cited 13 times.
                    1. Kirchner R, Kirchnerová S, Tirpák F, Halo M Jr, Slanina T, Tokárová K, Kováčik A, Miškeje M, Komárňanská V, Greń A, Formicki G, Massányi P. Biogenic Elements and Heavy Metals in Hermann's Tortoises-Testudo hermanni: Effect on Serum Biochemistry and Oxidative Status Parameters. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 6;13(13).
                      doi: 10.3390/ani13132218pubmed: 37444016google scholar: lookup
                    2. Massányi M, Halo M Jr, Massányi P, Mlyneková E, Greń A, Formicki G, Halo M. Changes in haematological and biochemical parameters in blood serum of horses during exposition to workload stress. Heliyon 2022 Dec;8(12):e12241.
                      doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12241pubmed: 36536901google scholar: lookup
                    3. Capitão C, Martins R, Santos O, Bicho M, Szigeti T, Katsonouri A, Bocca B, Ruggieri F, Wasowicz W, Tolonen H, Virgolino A. Exposure to heavy metals and red blood cell parameters in children: A systematic review of observational studies. Front Pediatr 2022;10:921239.
                      doi: 10.3389/fped.2022.921239pubmed: 36275050google scholar: lookup
                    4. Tirpák F, Greifová H, Lukáč N, Stawarz R, Massányi P. Exogenous Factors Affecting the Functional Integrity of Male Reproduction. Life (Basel) 2021 Mar 9;11(3).
                      doi: 10.3390/life11030213pubmed: 33803103google scholar: lookup
                    5. Massányi P, Massányi M, Madeddu R, Stawarz R, Lukáč N. Effects of Cadmium, Lead, and Mercury on the Structure and Function of Reproductive Organs. Toxics 2020 Oct 29;8(4).
                      doi: 10.3390/toxics8040094pubmed: 33137881google scholar: lookup
                    6. Massányi M, Kohút L, Argente MJ, Halo M, Kováčik A, Kováčiková E, Ondruška Ľ, Formicki G, Massányi P. The effect of different sample collection methods on rabbit blood parameters. Saudi J Biol Sci 2020 Nov;27(11):3157-3160.
                      doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.07.016pubmed: 33100878google scholar: lookup
                    7. Barrasso R, Ceci E, Stinga L, Tantillo G, Bozzo G. Presence of cadmium residues in muscle, liver and kidney of Bubalus bubalis and histological evidence. Ital J Food Saf 2018 Sep 26;7(3):7684.
                      doi: 10.4081/ijfs.2018.7684pubmed: 30538963google scholar: lookup
                    8. Cortés-Gómez AA, Tvarijonaviciute A, Girondot M, Tecles F, Romero D. Relationship between plasma biochemistry values and metal concentrations in nesting olive ridley sea turtles. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2018 Dec;25(36):36671-36679.
                      doi: 10.1007/s11356-018-3467-zpubmed: 30377965google scholar: lookup
                    9. Janíček M, Massányi M, Kováčik A, Halo M Jr, Tirpák F, Blaszczyk-Altman M, Albrycht M, Stawarz R, Halo M, Massányi P. Content of Biogenic Elements in Sheep Wool by the Regions of Slovakia. Biol Trace Elem Res 2025 Apr;203(4):1886-1897.
                      doi: 10.1007/s12011-024-04328-9pubmed: 39115643google scholar: lookup
                    10. Knazicka Z, Bihari M, Janco I, Harangozo L, Arvay J, Kovacik A, Massanyi P, Galik B, Saraiva JMA, Habanova M. Blood Concentration of Macro- and Microelements in Women Who Are Overweight/Obesity and Their Associations with Serum Biochemistry. Life (Basel) 2024 Apr 2;14(4).
                      doi: 10.3390/life14040465pubmed: 38672736google scholar: lookup
                    11. Sawesi OK, Elbaz AK, Mahmoud AS, Duro EM, Alteab AA, Milad KK, Bennuor EM. Hematological reference values of horses in Western Libya and their relationship to breed, age, and management. Open Vet J 2023 Dec;13(12):1696-1707.
                      doi: 10.5455/OVJ.2023.v13.i12.18pubmed: 38292715google scholar: lookup
                    12. Kovacik A, Tvrda E, Tomka M, Revesz N, Arvay J, Fik M, Harangozo L, Hleba L, Kovacikova E, Jambor T, Hlebova M, Andreji J, Massanyi P. Seasonal assessment of selected trace elements in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) blood and their effects on the biochemistry and oxidative stress markers. Environ Monit Assess 2023 Nov 23;195(12):1522.
                      doi: 10.1007/s10661-023-12152-2pubmed: 37995020google scholar: lookup
                    13. Haque E, Moran ME, Thorne PS. Retrospective blood lead assessment from archived clotted erythrocyte fraction in a cohort of lead-exposed mother-child dyads. Sci Total Environ 2021 Feb 1;754:142166.