Assesment of cadmium toxicity in cattle of Eloor industrial area

Abstract

A study was undertaken to assess impact of environmental pollution with cadmium in cattle of Eloor industrial belt. Areas around Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), India, Aluminium Company (INDAL), Binani Zinc and Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) were selected for the study. As the first step, retrospective analysis of case sheets was done in Eloor and Muppathadam Veterinary hospitals. In Eloor veterinary hospital out of the 1503 case sheets examined 851 digestive disorders, 126 repeat breeders, 75 respiratory diseases and 41 deficiency diseases were observed. Out of 5920 case sheets analysed in Muppathadam veterinary hospital 3348 digestive disorders, 1284 repeat breeders 398 respiratory diseases and 433 deficiency diseases were observed. Disease conditions like digestive disorders, deficiency diseases and repeat breeders are suggestive of cadmium toxicity. The field samples like water and forages, biological samples like blood, serum, urine dung and milk were collected from cattle in the industrial field localities. The cadmium content in this field and biological sample were estimated by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Animals kept in the University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy were taken as controls. Field samples like water and fodder were also collected from area around University Livestock Farm, Mannuthy. The cadmium content of water from Alupuram, Binanipuram, Eloor south, Eloor north ranges from 0.03 – 0.04 ppm. These were significantly higher than controls (0.01 ppm). The cadmium content of fodder from Alupuram, Binanipuram, Eloor south, Eloor north ranges from 2.60 – 6.53. These were also significantly higher than controls (0.65 ppm). The cadmium level of blood, serum, milk, urine and dung from cattle of Alupuram, Binanipuram, Eloor south and Eloor north were significantly higher than controls. Haematologocal values like total erythrocyte count, haemoglobin and packed cell volume showed significant decrease in catle of test areas than controls. Other haematologic values like differential leucocyte count, total leucocyte count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration did not show any significant changes. Total serum protein and albumin values from cattle of Alupuram, Binanipuram, Eloor south and Eloor north were significantly lower than control values. Serum enzymes like aspartate amino transferase, alamine amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase levels were higher in cattle from test areas than controls. It can be concluded that field and biological samples collected from the vicinities around Fertilizers and Chemicals, Travancore (FACT), Binani Zinc and Indian Aluminium Company (INDAL) are contaminated with cadmium.