MVSc

The objective of the present study was to assess the
extent of environmental pollution with fluorine by industrial effluents
on health of cattle in Eloor industrial area.
A field investigation was carried out in the vicinity of
Indian Aluminium Company (INDAL) situated at Alupuram and
. Fertilizers And Chemicals Travancore (FACT) situated at Eloor
centre and Eloor north. Hence, Alupuram, Eloor centre and Eloor
north were selected to conduct the study.
Retrospective analysis of case sheets in the Eloor
Veterinary Hospital and clinical examination of cattle in the study
area was carried out. In the analysis of 1513 case sheets, 108 dental
abnormalities, 193 lameness, 207 debility, 254 reproductive disorders,
296 gastro-intestinal problems and 72 hypocalcaemia were recorded.
In the clinical examination, affected animals exhibited lameness,
reluctance to move, palpable bony exostosis, dental lesions and
debility. Reduced milk yield, higher incidence of infertility, diarrhoea
and cud-dropping were the major complaints by the farmers. On the
basis of clinical examination and case sheet analysis, a tentative
diagnosis of fluoride toxicity was made.
The field samples namely water, surface sludge and
forage were collected from the study area and analysed for fluorine
content by IOn specific potentiometry usmg m icroprocessor

ionalyser/90 1. The biological samples VIZ., blood, milk and urme
were collected from the randomly selected thirty cattle aged three
years and above in the study area and fluorine content was estimated
using microprocessor ionalyser/90 I. Blood samples were also
collected to study haematology and serum biochemistry. Bone
samples were collected from the local slaughterhouse at Alupuram.
Blood, urine and milk samples were collected from the
randomly selected ten healthy cattle aged three years and above from
University Livestock Farm (ULF), Mannuthy as control. Bone
samples were collected from the slaughtered animals at Meat
"'
Technology Unit, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
Mannuthy and fluorine was estimated. Fodder, soil and water
samples were collected from University Livestock Farm for fluorine
estimation.
Fluoride tOXICIty was confirmed by estimati ng the
fluoride levels in the serum, plasma, urine and milk of cattle in the
study area. The fluoride levels (ppm) in plasma, urine, milk were
1.247 +0.123, 35.477 +5.35 and 0.496 +0.041 for the cattle of
Alupuram, 1.021 +0.051, 28.200 +3.314 and 0.427 +0.032 for the
cattle of Eloor centre and 0.910 +0.054, 26.529 +1.402 and
0.413 +0.054 for the cattle of Eloor north respectively. The
concentration (ppm) in plasma, urine and milk was significantly
higher (P<0.01) compared to control animals, which was
0.108 +0.016, 5.031 +0.576 and 0.076 +0.006 respectively.
Significantly higher (P ~
in bone samples collected from" local slaughterhouse, which was

3523.057 + 591.885, compared to 420.393 + 62.225 for control
samples.
Samples of water, sludge and forage collected from the
study area showed significantly higher (P control samples. The values (ppm) for the forage, sludge and water
samples were higher in the area of Alupuram (302.507 +38.968,
212.746 +24.176 and 1.328 +0.294 respectively), Eloor centre
(251.700 +23.113,101.737 +9.724 and 0.871 +0.060 respectively)
and Eloor north (228.249 +29'.017, 65.524 +15.276 and
0.834 +0.053 respectively) than the control (3.832 +0,158,
2,577 +0.053 and 0,094 +0.003 respectively).
From the haemogram, it was observed that the total
erythrocyte count, haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume
showed significant decrease in the cattle of affected area. Differential
leucocyte count showed eosinophilia, neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia
and monocytopenia.
Serum biochemical study revealed significant decrease in
serum calcium and total protein, and significant increase in serum
alkaline phosphatase 'and inorganic phosphorus in the affected
animals.
It can be concluded from the present study that
aluminium smelter (INDAL) and fertilizer unit (FACT) are involved
in the environmental contamination with fluorine in the Alupuram,
Eloor centre and Eloor north and causes incidence of fluorosis
in cattle.