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Author Spotlight: Technologies and Challenges in Elemental Analysis of Food Samples
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Author Spotlight: Technologies and Challenges in Elemental Analysis of Food Samples

Published on: December 22, 2023

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Relationships between the Content of Micro- and Macroelements in Animal Samples and Diseases of Different Etiologies

Marina V Stepanova1,2, Larisa F Sotnikova2,3, Sergei Yu Zaitsev2

  • 1Department of Bioecology and Biological Safety, Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Russian Biotechnological University (ROSBIOTECH)", Volokolamsk Highway, 11, 125080 Moscow, Russia.

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|March 11, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Environmental micro- and macro-elements (MMEs) can cause animal diseases. This study linked MME accumulation in mammals to specific conditions like skin, cardiovascular, and oncological diseases, emphasizing regular monitoring.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Medicine
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Animal Health

Background:

  • Micro- and macro-elements (MMEs) are essential but environmental imbalances can cause animal diseases (microelementoses).
  • Understanding MME accumulation in wild and exotic animals is crucial for disease prevention and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between MME accumulation in mammals and specific diseases.
  • To identify correlations between key MMEs (Zn, Cu, Fe, Cd, Pb, As) and pathological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 820 hair/fur samples from 67 mammal species across four Russian zoological institutions.
  • Utilized wet-acid-ashing and atomic absorption spectrometry (Kvant-2A) to quantify MME content.
  • Assessed levels of zinc, copper, iron, cadmium, lead, and arsenic.

Main Results:

  • Established correlations between Zn accumulation and skin/oncological diseases.
  • Linked Cu to musculoskeletal/cardiovascular diseases, Fe to oncological diseases.
  • Found associations between Pb and metabolic/nervous/oncological diseases, and Cd with cardiovascular diseases.

Conclusions:

  • MME levels significantly impact animal health and disease development.
  • Regular monitoring of MME status (ideally every 6 months) is vital for wild and exotic animals.
  • Findings support targeted interventions based on MME status for disease prevention.
Keywords:
animal health and diseasesatomic absorption spectrometryclasses of diseasesessential and toxic microelementsgeneral morbidity of animals

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