[Studies of the levels of copper and zinc in the soil, grass and blood serum and hair of bulls from the areas irrigated with waste water from the Ner River].

The effect of irrigation with waste water on the levels of copper and zinc in the soil, vegetation and the blood plasma as well as on the hair of animals receiving hay from the irrigated meadows was studied. Irrigation with the Ner river water increased the copper content of the soil ten times. (1.7-2.2 ppm Cu in the non-irrigated soil and 18.1-22.7 ppm Cu in the irrigated soil). The increase in the zinc content of the soil was even more pronounced (3-5 ppm Zn in the non-irrigated soil and 156-209 ppm Zn in the irrigated soil). The plants growing on the irrigated soil contained increased amounts of copper and zinc. The copper content of the hay grown on the irrigated soil had no effect on the copper level in the organisms of young bulls receiving this hay. The zinc level in the blood plasma of the bulls was higher than normal, but the zinc level in the hair did not depend on the zinc content of the fodder.