Wilson James, Carlson Ruth, Janz David, Lochmiller Robert, Schroder Jackie, Basta Nicholas
Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA.
J Toxicol Environ Health A. 2003 Feb 28;66(4):345-63. doi: 10.1080/15287390306367.
Landfarming is a widely used method of treating petrochemical waste through microbial bio-degradation. The effects of residual petrochemical contamination on wildlife, especially terrestrial mammals, are poorly understood. The effects of contaminants on the immune system and hematology of cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) living on five abandoned petrochemical landfarms (units 1-5) in Oklahoma were studied. Cotton rats were sampled seasonally (summer and winter) from each landfarm and from five ecologically matched reference sites for 2 yr (1998-2000) and returned to the laboratory for immunological and hematological assays. Overall analysis indicated that rats inhabiting landfarms exhibited decreased relative spleen size compared to rats collected from reference sites, with the landfarm at unit 1 showing the greatest reduction. Cotton rats collected from landfarms also had increased hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet levels and decreased blood leukocytes during summer. During winter, an increase in the number of popliteal node white blood cells was observed from rats collected on landfarms. No marked difference was detected for lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A, pokeweed, or interleukin-2. Lymphokine-activated killer cell lytic ability showed a seasonal pattern, but no treatment differences. No differences between landfarm and reference sites were detected in the hypersensitivity reaction of rats given an intradermal injection of phytohemagluttinin (PHA-P). Comparisons within individual sites indicated that two sites (units 1 and 3) had the greatest effects on immune function and hematology of cotton rats. The results of this study suggest that residual petrochemical waste affects the immune system and hematology of cotton rats living on abandoned landfarms during summer and is complicated by variation in the contaminants found on individual petroleum sites.
土地耕作法是一种通过微生物生物降解来处理石化废物的广泛应用的方法。人们对残留的石化污染物对野生动物，尤其是陆生哺乳动物的影响了解甚少。本研究调查了俄克拉荷马州五个废弃石化土地农场（1 - 5号场地）中，污染物对棉鼠（刚毛囊鼠）免疫系统和血液学的影响。在1998 - 2000年的两年间，季节性（夏季和冬季）从每个土地农场以及五个生态匹配的参考地点采集棉鼠样本，并带回实验室进行免疫和血液学检测。总体分析表明，与从参考地点采集的棉鼠相比，生活在土地农场的棉鼠脾脏相对大小减小，其中1号场地的棉鼠脾脏减小最为明显。夏季，从土地农场采集的棉鼠血红蛋白、血细胞比容和血小板水平升高，血液白细胞数量减少。冬季，在土地农场采集的棉鼠腘淋巴结白细胞数量增加。在对刀豆球蛋白A、商陆或白细胞介素-2的淋巴细胞增殖反应方面未检测到显著差异。淋巴因子激活的杀伤细胞溶解能力呈现季节性模式，但未发现处理差异。对皮内注射植物血凝素（PHA - P）的大鼠进行超敏反应检测，未发现土地农场和参考地点之间存在差异。在各个场地内部进行比较表明，有两个场地（1号和3号场地）对棉鼠的免疫功能和血液学影响最大。本研究结果表明，残留的石化废物在夏季会影响生活在废弃土地农场的棉鼠的免疫系统和血液学指标，并且各个石油场地中污染物的差异使情况变得复杂。
