Nagpur Veterinary College, Seminary Hills, Nagpur, India.
Environ Monit Assess. 2012 Dec;184(12):7365-72. doi: 10.1007/s10661-011-2505-9. Epub 2012 Jan 19.
Cattle grazing nearby coal-fired power stations are exposed to fly ash. The present investigation aims to assess the environmental and health impacts of fly ash containing mercury emitted from thermal power plant. The health effect of fly ash were studied using 20 lactating cattle reared within a 5-km radius of s thermal power plant for the possible effect of fly ash such as the alterations in hematological and biochemical parameters of blood, milk, and urine. Results indicated that the hemoglobin levels (6.65 ± 0.40 g/dl) were significantly reduced in all the exposed animals. Biochemical parameters viz., blood urea nitrogen (27.35 ± 1.19 mg/dl), serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (43.39 ± 3.08 IU/l), albumin, and creatinine were found to be increased, whereas serum glutamate pyruvic transaminase (29.26 ± 2.02) and Ca(2+) were observed to be statistically insignificant in exposed animals. Mercury concentrations estimated in the blood, milk, and urine of exposed (n = 20) and control (n = 20) animals were 7.41 ± 0.86, 4.75 ± 0.57, 2.08 ± 0.18, and 1.05 ± 0.07, 0.54 ± 0.03, 0.20 ± 0.02 μg/kg, respectively. The significant increase (P < 0.01) in the levels of mercury in blood, milk, and urine of exposed animals in comparison to control indicated that the alterations of biochemical parameters in exposed cattle could be due to their long term exposure to fly ash mercury which may have direct or indirect impact on human populations via food chain.
牛群在附近燃煤发电站放牧，会接触到粉煤灰。本研究旨在评估来自热电厂的含汞飞灰对环境和健康的影响。研究人员使用 20 头生活在距离热电厂 5 公里半径范围内的哺乳期奶牛，研究了粉煤灰的健康影响，这些奶牛可能受到粉煤灰的影响，如血液、牛奶和尿液的血液学和生化参数的变化。结果表明，所有暴露动物的血红蛋白水平（6.65±0.40 g/dl）明显降低。生化参数如血尿素氮（27.35±1.19 mg/dl）、血清谷氨酸草酰乙酸转氨酶（43.39±3.08 IU/l）、白蛋白和肌酐升高，而血清谷氨酸丙酮酸转氨酶（29.26±2.02）和 Ca(2+)在暴露动物中观察到统计学上无显著性差异。在暴露（n=20）和对照（n=20）动物的血液、牛奶和尿液中估计的汞浓度分别为 7.41±0.86、4.75±0.57、2.08±0.18 和 1.05±0.07、0.54±0.03、0.20±0.02 μg/kg。与对照组相比，暴露动物血液、牛奶和尿液中汞水平的显著增加（P<0.01）表明，暴露牛的生化参数变化可能是由于它们长期接触粉煤灰汞，这可能通过食物链对人类产生直接或间接影响。
