Chronic arsenicosis and cadmium exposure in wild snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) breeding near Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (Canada), part 1: Evaluation of oxidative stress, antioxidant activities and hepatic damage
Autor: | B. Grahn, S. Amuno, Ankur Jamwal, Som Niyogi |
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Rok vydání: | 2018 |
Předmět: |
0301 basic medicine
Veterinary medicine Environmental Engineering animal diseases chemistry.chemical_element Breeding 010501 environmental sciences medicine.disease_cause 01 natural sciences Antioxidants Mining Lipid peroxidation Superoxide dismutase Northwest Territories 03 medical and health sciences chemistry.chemical_compound Arsenic Poisoning medicine Animals Environmental Chemistry Waste Management and Disposal Arsenic 0105 earth and related environmental sciences Arsenopyrite chemistry.chemical_classification Cadmium biology Ecology Glutathione peroxidase Environmental Exposure Hares Pollution Oxidative Stress 030104 developmental biology Liver chemistry Catalase visual_art biology.protein visual_art.visual_art_medium Oxidative stress |
Zdroj: | Science of The Total Environment. 618:916-926 |
ISSN: | 0048-9697 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.08.278 |
Popis: | Previous gold mining activities and arsenopyrite ore roasting activities at the Giant mine site (1948 to 2004) resulted in the release of high amounts of arsenic and trace metals into the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. While elevated levels of arsenic has been consistently reported in surface soils and vegetation near the vicinity of the Giant mine area and in surrounding locations, systematic studies evaluating the overall health status of terrestrial small mammals endemic to the area are lacking. The purpose of this present study was to evaluate and comparatively assess the biochemical responses and histopathological effects induced by chronic arsenic and cadmium exposure in wild snowshoe hares breeding near the city of Yellowknife, specifically around the vicinity of the abandoned Giant mine site and in reference locations. Analysis included measurement of total arsenic and cadmium concentration in nails, livers, kidneys, bones, stomach content of hares, in addition to histopathological evaluation of hepatic and ocular lesions. Biochemical responses were determined through measurement of lipid peroxidation levels and antioxidant enzymes activities (catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione disulfide). The results revealed that arsenic concentration was 17.8 to 48.9 times higher in the stomach content, and in the range of 4 to 23 times elevated in the nails of hares from the mine area compared to the reference location. Arsenic and cadmium levels were also noted to be increased in the bones, renal and hepatic tissues of hares captured near the mine area compared to the reference site. Specifically, hares from the mine area showed nail cadmium levels that was 2.3 to 17.6 times higher than those from the reference site. Histopathological examination of the eyes revealed no specific ocular lesions, such as lens opacity (cataracts) or conjunctivitis; however, hares from both locations exhibited hepatic steatosis (fatty liver change). Lipid peroxidation levels were relatively increased and accompanied with reduced antioxidant enzyme activities in hares from the mine area compared to the hares from the reference site. The results of this preliminary study suggest that the snowshoe hares breeding near the vicinity of Yellowknife, including near the Giant mine area have been chronically exposed to elevated levels of arsenic and cadmium, which consequently led to the increased levels of oxidative stress and perturbation of antioxidant defense system in exposed animals. The results of this present study constitute the first observation of chronic arsenicosis in wild small mammal species in Canada. |
Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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