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Metal contaminated soil from mining area caused metal accumulation and biological responses in rats
Shouta M M Nakayama1, Yoshinori Ikenaka, Kaampwe Muzandu
1Laboratory of Toxicology, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 18, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.
Abstract:
In order to assess the effects of metal contamination on wildlife, we collected wild black rats (Rattus sp.) from mining areas (Kabwe and Chingola) and a control area (Lusaka) in Zambia and compared metal and metallothionein (MT) levels in their tissues. Furthermore, we exposed metal-contaminated soil from Kabwe to laboratory Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) for one year in order to determine the accumulation factors and effects of metals caused by soil exposure. Results of both the field and laboratory studies suggested that metal-contaminated soil caused accumulation and biological responses such as elevation of MT-2 mRNA expression levels in rats.
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