Founded in 1993
  Year: 2010 | Volume: 18 | Issue: 1-2 | Pages: 17-22
  Article
  ASSESMENT OF TOXIC ELEMENTS’ CONTENT IN SWINE KIDNEYS: PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
Dragan R. Milicevic, Milijan Jovanovic, Verica B. Juric, Zoran I. Petrovic, Dubravka ˇ. Vukovic
  DOI: 10.2298/AOO1002017M
  Abstract:
  Background: In order to ensure the safety of consumers in Serbia, the toxic elements’ (Cd, Hg, As, Pb) content in swine kidneys collected from three different sites in Serbia (n=90), were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Also, in order to find information on the effects of accumulation of toxic elements in swine kidneys, histopathological examination of kidneys was carried out.
Methods: Determination of toxic elements (Cd, Hg, As, Pb) in swine kidneys was performed by atomic absorption spectrometry. For microscopic examination, kidney samples were fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and absolute alcohol for 5 to 7 days, processed by routine methods, sectioned at 5-8 im, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) for light microscopy.
Results: The presence of mercury was found in 33.3% of kidney samples in the range of 0.005-0.055 mg/kg, while presence of cadmium was found in less degree (27.7%) but in higher content (0.05-1,23 mg/kg). The presence of arsenic was found only in one sample, while presence of lead was not found. The metal-to-metal correlation analysis supported the theory that there were different sources of contamination. Histopathological examination of kidneys confirms tubulopathies with edema and cell vacuolization. In addition, hemorrhages and necrosis of proximal kidney tubules’ cells were found.
Conclusion: This study shows the presence of toxic elements in pigs butchered in Serbia at levels comparable to those reported in other countries., and consequently do not represent any concern from a consumer safety point of view. The lack of strong correlation between histopathological changes and incidence of toxic elements found in our trial may explain the possible synergism among toxic elements and other nephrotoxic compounds, which enhances the toxicity, especially in cases of low contamination.
  Key words: Food Contamination; Swine; Kidney; Mercury; Cadmium; Arsenic; Lead; Risk Assessment
  Read full text in PDF [Full Text]
Next article

Previous article

Table of contents

Browse all Volumes

Search all Volumes
By keywords
By authors

  Search AoO for:
 

  Related articles in AoO:
 
About Journal | Editorial Board | Editorial Policy | Instructions for Authors | Open Access | Advertising | Payed issues | Article Submission Charge | Contact
Founder and owner: Oncology Institute of Vojvodina, Serbia
Publisher: Oncology Institute of Vojvodina
Co-publisher: Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad
Online since 1997 (Abstracts only); 2000 (Abstracts and Full text)
ISSN: 0354-7310 eISSN: 1450-9520