The presented study is a part of the long term ongoing project on the health risk assessment on animals and humans in the region. The collected data is intended to provide a base for the animal and human risk assessment as well as an estimate of the general pollution status of the environment in the region. Since some of the investigated elements are classified as important trace elements for livestock, the results could also be used to balance and improve the animal diet and thus, improve the growth and reproduction rate.

No abstract

The paper presents results of the study on depleted uranium (DU) health effects on cows bred in areas exposed to DU ammunition, during NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999. The samples of animal blood, soils and feed were collected randomly in the region of Bujanovac, in 2003. Complete blood cells count was performed according to standard laboratory procedures. Concentration of red blood cells malondialdehyde (RBC MDA) and erythrocyte superoxid dismutase (SOD) activity were determined spectrophotometrically. The functional activity of leukocytes was investigated by NBT reduction and adhesion test. Activity of the radionuclides was determined by standard gamma spectrometry. The obtained results of complete red blood cells count indicate normocytic normochromic anaemia. Considerably increased RBC MDA concentration suggests a violent oxidative stress in cows bred in the exposed area although the activity of their RBC antioxidant enzyme SOD was in the range of values obtained in the control group. The total number of leukocytes and the differential leukocyte counts were within the physiological range. NBT reduction test revealed the absence of leukocyte oxidative burst, which pointed to the absence of inflammation. A significant decrease of granulocyte adhesiveness, pointed at partial impairment of granulocyte functional activity. The activity of 238U/235U in soils and feed was below the minimal detectable concentration (10-3 Bq/kg), while the content of natural (226Ra and 232Th) and anthropogenic 137Cs) radionuclides in soils were within the average values for the region, except for low levels of 40K - indicating soils impoverishment in potassium

The influence of toluene exposure on some biochemical and hematological parameters was investigated in adult female Wistar rats. The animals were subjected to intraperitoneal administration of toluene diluted in propylene glycol and the diluent alone for 3, 7 and 11 consecutive days at the same time intervals. The effects of toluene and propylene glycol were evaluated biochemically by determining the plasma concentrations of total proteins albumin and ceruloplasmin (Cp) together with erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA), and hematological indices from peripheral blood and bone marrow. The biochemical acute phase response was manifested by an elevated Cp concentration in all experimental animals. The markedly enhanced MDA concentration and statistically significant decrease in albumin level in toluene treated rats, indicated damage, to blood vessel endothelia. Alterations of leukocytes of peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM) granulocytic-monocytic progenitor cells were typical of an inflammatory response, with stimulation of granulo-monocytopoiesis. Therefore, it can be assumed that both toluene and propylene glycol mediated sterile peritonitis and oxidative stress injury, with changes intensified by toluene action

Serum iron concentration and iron saturation of transferrin (Trf) are measures of body iron stores after administration of iron supplements. In clinical and experimental research, the complex determination of Trf was replaced by the simple determination of total iron binding capacity (TIBC). The objective of this work was to define if TIBC could be an adequate measure for Trf in neonatal piglets after i.m. iron administration. Treated piglets received 150 mg of iron-dextran i.m. the first day of life, and were compared to the untreated control group. Prior to iron administration, as well as on days 2, 8 and 12 after iron administration, serum iron and TIBC concentration were analyzed by an automatized chemical analyzer and Trf was determined by densitometry of electrophoretic strips. Our results show that regardless of iron treatment, TIBC is not a measure of Trf concentration in neonatal piglets two days after birth. At day 8 of their life a high correlation coefficient of these two parameters was established in non-treated animals, while in iron-treated piglets the same correlation was established 12 days after iron treatment. Thus, we suggest that in neonatal piglets, TIBC could be used as a measure of Trf concentration only 12 days after i.m. iron treatment