Mustafa Yipel

The entry of pollutants into the ecosystem is increasing daily, parallel to the rise in their production and use. This increase leads to an increase in the amount, frequency, and duration of exposure of living organisms in the ecosystem, either directly or indirectly through the food chain, thereby increasing public concern over potential toxic risks. Among these pollutants, dioxins or dioxin-like chemicals (polychlorinated dibenzofurans [PCDFs], dibenzo-p-dioxins [PCDDs], and polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs]) are important components in terms of ecosystem health, public health, and animal health due to their toxic effects as well as their diversity and increasing use. Due to their high toxic potential, the toxic effects of these pollutants, their toxicodynamic and kinetic properties, and their levels in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as in wild and domestic animals must be determined through scientific research. In particular, biological monitoring studies using bioindicator organisms can identify toxic effects at an early stage, preventing them from reaching the population and ecosystem levels. On the other hand, determining their levels in organisms in the food chain and other foods and conducting risk assessments based on different exposure scenarios is also important in terms of preventing or minimizing potential risks to public health.

Depending on bioconcentration, elements are classified as macro and micro. While some are essential for biological processes but may be toxic above the tolerable concentrations, than is necessary to monitor the concentrations. Also, the deficiency or excess of micro- and macroelements may diminish the effect of substances, such as other elements or drugs, or cause them to exert toxic effects. In the present study, macro (Ca, K, Mg, Na, and P) and micro (Al, B, Mn, Mo, Sb, Sn, and Tl) element concentrations and correlations were determined in shelter dogs. According to the results, the high to low micro- and macroelement concentrations were found to be K>Ca>P>Mg>Na and Se>Al>Mn>B>Mo>Sb>Sn>Tl respectively. Statistically significant positive (Ca-Sn, Mg-Mn, Mg-Sb, Mg-Se, P-Al, P-Sb) and negative (K-Al, K-Mn, Na-Al, Na-Sb, Na-Sn) correlations were determined between macro- and microelements. The concentrations of the macroelements that were analyzed in this study were within the reference range. There is no data on the concentrations and biological or toxic effects of some elements, such as B, Sb, Sn, and Tl, in dogs. Reference biomarkers should be identified for the early diagnosis of conditions induced by altered element concentrations and the health impacts of these changes should be thoroughly investigated.

Although Aluminum (Al) is a non-essential toxic (neurotoxic, immunotoxic, cardiotoxic, etc.) element, it is widely used in several industries (pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food, etc.). Al-containing vaccines, medicines, contaminated food, and polluted air are the main routes of exposure (inhalation, dermal or oral). Determination and monitoring of blood element concentrations is an important tool for the clinical diagnosis of toxicity in animal health and sheep is one of the indicator species for assessing environmental health status. Aluminum is highly (>80) bound to protein in blood. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a current analytical method with high potential to contribute to clinical diagnosis in the field of animal health, where elemental concentrations in biological samples can be measured at multiple and parts per trillion (ppt) concentrations. The aim of this study was to determine, statistically analyze, and compare Al concentrations in sheep (n=12) serum and plasma by ICP-MS. The concentrations (mean±SE) were 56.34±1.82 and 62.22±2.30 for serum and plasma, respectively. The mean plasma concentration was higher than the mean serum concentration, but the differences were not statistically significant (P=0.06). While toxic concentrations in the liver and kidney have been reported, there are no blood data for Al in sheep and the serum reference concentration is reported for humans only. Owing to the lack of information on Al toxicity in sheep, experimental acute toxic concentration studies of blood (whole blood, plasma, and serum) are required for Al in sheep. In conclusion, no statistical difference was found between serum and plasma concentrations, and no clinical signs were observed at these concentrations.

Even if some are essential for biological functions, the accumulation of heavy metals above tolerable physiological limits is potentially toxic to also wild animals. The present study aimed to investigate concentrations of environmentally relevant heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in feathers, muscle, heart, kidney, and liver tissues of wild birds (golden eagle [Aquila chrysaetos], sparrowhawk [Accipiter nisus], and white stork [Ciconia ciconia]) from Hatay province, southern Turkey. The metal concentrations of tissues were determined by a validated ICP-OES analysis method after microwave digestion. The concentration differences of metals in species/tissues and the correlations between essential/non-essential metals were determined by statistical analysis. According to the results, Fe (326.87±3.60 mg kg^-1) had the highest, and Hg (0.09±0.00 mg kg^-1) had the lowest mean concentration in all tissues. Compared to the literature; Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations were lower; Cd, Fe, and Mn concentrations were higher. The correlations between As and all essentials; Cd and Cu, Fe; Hg and Cu, Fe, Zn; Pb and all essentials were significantly positive. In the conclusion, while essential Cu, Fe, and Zn are below the threshold value and do not pose a risk, Mn is close to the threshold value. Therefore, periodically monitoring the pollutant concentrations in bioindicators is a key necessity for the early determination of biomagnification trends and prevention of potential toxic stress on wildlife ecology.

Even if some are essential for biological functions, the accumulation of heavy metals above tolerable physiological limits is potentially toxic to also wild animals. The present study aimed to investigate concentrations of environmentally relevant heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, and Zn) in feathers, muscle, heart, kidney, and liver tissues of wild birds (golden eagle [Aquila chrysaetos], sparrowhawk [Accipiter nisus], and white stork [Ciconia ciconia]) from Hatay province, southern Turkey. The metal concentrations of tissues were determined by a validated ICP-OES analysis method after microwave digestion. The concentration differences of metals in species/tissues and the correlations between essential/non-essential metals were determined by statistical analysis. According to the results, Fe (326.87 ± 3.60 mg kg^− 1) had the highest, and Hg (0.09 ± 0.00 mg kg^− 1) had the lowest mean concentration in all tissues. Compared to the literature; Cu, Hg, Pb, and Zn concentrations were lower; Cd, Fe, and Mn concentrations were higher. The correlations between As and all essentials; Cd and Cu, Fe; Hg and Cu, Fe, Zn; Pb and all essentials were significantly positive. In the conclusion, while essential Cu, Fe, and Zn are below the threshold value and do not pose a risk, Mn is close to the threshold value. Therefore, periodically monitoring the pollutant concentrations in bioindicators is a key necessity for the early determination of biomagnification trends and prevention of potential toxic stress on wildlife ecology.

Contamination of the aquatic environment and living things with pollutants is increasing daily. Among these pollutants, heavy metals come to the forefront regarding toxicological and public health due to their widespread use, toxicity, and resistance to degradation, as well as accumulation and biomagnification in the food chain. The study aimed to determine the essential (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Zn) and non-essential (As, Al, Cd, Pb) metal concentrations by ICP-OES of Metapenaeus monoceros, Penaeus japonicus, Penaeus semisulcatus (n=30) caught from the Northeastern Mediterranean, Iskenderun Bay. The concentration of Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb were under LOD. The concentration (ppm) ranges were Al: 0.73-38.89, As: 2.18-9.68, Cu: 28.96-69.01, Fe: 7.85-241.36, Mn: 0.44-1.28, and Zn: 51.71-108.51 for all species. Except for the As concentrations, the differences between mean concentrations of metals in shrimp species were not statistically significant. When the results of the study are compared with the findings of other studies on shrimps caught from the Iskenderun Bay, it shows that Cd, Cr, Ni, and Pb contamination levels decreased, while Cu, Fe, and Zn contamination levels increased.