Influence of copper status on the accumulation of toxic and essential metals in cattle

• Published in: Environment international Vol. 32; no. 7; pp. 901 - 906
• Main Authors: Blanco-Penedo, I., Cruz, J.M., López-Alonso, M., Miranda, M., Castillo, C., Hernández, J., Benedito, J.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01-09-2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Cattle; Copper - pharmacology; Copper accumulation; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Kidney - drug effects; Kidney - metabolism; Lead - pharmacokinetics; Lead - toxicity; Liver - drug effects; Liver - metabolism; Manure; Metal interactions; Metals, Heavy - pharmacokinetics; Metals, Heavy - toxicity; Molybdenum - pharmacokinetics; Molybdenum - toxicity; Soil Pollutants - pharmacokinetics; Soil Pollutants - toxicity; Spain; Spectrophotometry, Atomic; Swine; Terrestrial environment, soil, air; Toxic and essential elements; Trace Elements - pharmacokinetics; Trace Elements - toxicity; Europe; Spain; Spain, Deza; Metal interactions; Toxic and essential elements; Copper accumulation; Cattle; Bovine; Ecotoxicology; Animal slurry; Soil pollution; Grazing; Heavy metal; Pig; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Lead; Artiodactyla; Biological accumulation; Copper; Ungulata; Organic amendment; Chemical contamination
• ISSN: 0160-4120; 1873-6750
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2006.05.012

The aim of the present study was to assess whether the use of pig slurry and associated copper accumulation in calves grazing pastures fertilized with pig slurry from the Deza region in NW Spain has a significant influence on toxic metal and essential metal levels, and to investigate whether copper accumulation is correlated with the levels of these other metals. Correlations between copper, toxic metals (cadmium, lead) and essential metals (molybdenum, iron, zinc, selenium, manganese and cobalt) concentrations were evaluated in liver and kidney of 195 calves from the region of Deza. Metal concentrations were determined by ICP-OES and correlations between pairs of elements by Pearson correlation analysis. There was a strongly significant positive association between copper and lead in the liver. Considering the trace metals, copper in the liver showed significant positive correlations with cobalt in both liver and kidney, and with molybdenum in the liver. In addition, significant correlations were observed between copper and most essential metals in kidney. These associations are similar to those found in different animal species experimentally dosed with copper and other metals, as well as in cattle exposed to normal copper concentrations.