Hair and Blood Trace Elements (Cadmium, Zinc, Chrome, Lead, Iron and Copper) Biomonitoring in the Athletic Horse: The Potential Role of Haematological Parameters as Biomarkers.
Abstract: The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), Chrome (Cr), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu), in the blood, serum, tail and mane of horses from the industrialized area of Milazzo (Messina, Sicily), to understand the relationships between haematological parameters: Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs), Haemoglobin (Hb), Haematocrit (Hct), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Platelets (PLTs) and the concentrations of trace elements. Blood and hair samples from 20 healthy Italian Saddle horses and water, hay and concentrates samples were obtained to determine the haemogram and mineral concentration using a Thermo Scientific iCAP-Q ICP-MS spectrometer. Descriptive analysis showed a higher concentration of Zn, Cr, Pb, Fe, and Cu in the blood and a higher concentration of Cd in the tail than other substrates. A positive correlation was found for Cr ( < 0.0001) and Zn ( < 0.01) between blood and serum substrates, for Zn ( < 0.001) between mane and tail and for Pb ( < 0.01) between blood and mane, while a negative correlation was observed for Cr ( < 0.01) between blood and tail. Results showed a close relationship between the bioaccumulation of certain trace elements in biological substrates and haematological parameters, which represent useful biomarkers suggesting further studies, given the role of haematological parameters in athletic horses.
Publication Date: 2024-11-08 PubMed ID: 39595259PubMed Central: PMC11591294DOI: 10.3390/ani14223206Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research aimed to assess the accumulation of several elements within horses from an industrialized region, examining potential relationships between these concentrations and various blood markers. They identified correlations between element concentrations and blood parameters, proposing further investigation into the use of such blood markers in monitoring health in athletic horses.
Research Objective and Methodology
- The study’s primary purpose was to evaluate the accumulation, or bioaccumulation, of several trace elements in horses. Specifically, it focused on cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), Chrome (Cr), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu) within the bloodstream, serum (the fluid portion of blood), and the horse’s mane and tail hair.
- The researchers assessed these concentrations in relation to various haematological parameters, which are measures and characteristics of the blood, including Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs), Haemoglobin (Hb), Haematocrit (Hct), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), and Platelets (PLTs).
- The study fielded 20 healthy Italian Saddle horses from Milazzo (Messina, Sicily), an industrialized region, as its subjects. In addition to the horses’ blood and hair, the researchers also collected water, hay, and concentrate samples, determining their mineral concentrations through a Thermo Scientific iCAP-Q ICP-MS spectrometer.
Results and Findings
- The analysis found higher concentrations of Zn, Cr, Pb, Fe, and Cu in the horses’ blood, whilst Cd was more concentrated in the tail hair than in other substrates.
- Positive correlations were observed with Cr and Zn between the blood and serum, Zn between the mane and tail, and Pb between the blood and mane. A negative correlation was found for Cr between the blood and tail.
- This indicates that the presence and concentration of certain trace elements within a horse’s biological substrates (like blood and hair) closely correlate with the values of specific haematological parameters. This suggests that these blood characteristics may serve as effective biomarkers for these trace elements.
Implications and Conclusions
- The results suggest that haematological parameters could potentially serve as biomarkers for assessing bioaccumulation of trace elements in horses, specifically those bred within industrialized areas where exposure to such elements may be higher.
- This has important implications for the health management of athletic horses, as tracking these parameters can provide an insight into a horse’s health and potential exposure to potentially harmful environmental contaminants.
- The authors recommend further study to validate the role of these haematological parameters in athletic horses’ health and their value as biomarkers monitoring health and environmental exposure.
Cite This Article
APA
Aragona F, Giannetto C, Piccione G, Licata P, Deniz Ö, Fazio F.
(2024).
Hair and Blood Trace Elements (Cadmium, Zinc, Chrome, Lead, Iron and Copper) Biomonitoring in the Athletic Horse: The Potential Role of Haematological Parameters as Biomarkers.
Animals (Basel), 14(22), 3206.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223206 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Via Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Via Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Via Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Via Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Science and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kastamonu University, 37200 Kastamonu, Turkey.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Via Palatucci 13, 98168 Messina, Italy.
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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