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Subject: Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology × Author: KAU × Author: Senthil Kumar, P × Start date: 2000 × Thesis Type: M.V.Sc. ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Fluorine toxicity and its effect on cattle in Eloor industrial area
    (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, 2000) Senthil Kumar, P; KAU; Aravindakashan, C M
    The objective of the present study was to assess the extent of environmental pollution with fluorine by industrial effluents on health of cattle in Eloor industrial area. A field investigation was carried out in the vicinity of Indian Aluminium Company (INDAL) situated at Alupuram and . Fertilizers And Chemicals Travancore (FACT) situated at Eloor centre and Eloor north. Hence, Alupuram, Eloor centre and Eloor north were selected to conduct the study. Retrospective analysis of case sheets in the Eloor Veterinary Hospital and clinical examination of cattle in the study area was carried out. In the analysis of 1513 case sheets, 108 dental abnormalities, 193 lameness, 207 debility, 254 reproductive disorders, 296 gastro-intestinal problems and 72 hypocalcaemia were recorded. In the clinical examination, affected animals exhibited lameness, reluctance to move, palpable bony exostosis, dental lesions and debility. Reduced milk yield, higher incidence of infertility, diarrhoea and cud-dropping were the major complaints by the farmers. On the basis of clinical examination and case sheet analysis, a tentative diagnosis of fluoride toxicity was made. The field samples namely water, surface sludge and forage were collected from the study area and analysed for fluorine content by IOn specific potentiometry usmg m icroprocessor ionalyser/90 1. The biological samples VIZ., blood, milk and urme were collected from the randomly selected thirty cattle aged three years and above in the study area and fluorine content was estimated using microprocessor ionalyser/90 I. Blood samples were also collected to study haematology and serum biochemistry. Bone samples were collected from the local slaughterhouse at Alupuram. Blood, urine and milk samples were collected from the randomly selected ten healthy cattle aged three years and above from University Livestock Farm (ULF), Mannuthy as control. Bone samples were collected from the slaughtered animals at Meat "' Technology Unit, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy and fluorine was estimated. Fodder, soil and water samples were collected from University Livestock Farm for fluorine estimation. Fluoride tOXICIty was confirmed by estimati ng the fluoride levels in the serum, plasma, urine and milk of cattle in the study area. The fluoride levels (ppm) in plasma, urine, milk were 1.247 +0.123, 35.477 +5.35 and 0.496 +0.041 for the cattle of Alupuram, 1.021 +0.051, 28.200 +3.314 and 0.427 +0.032 for the cattle of Eloor centre and 0.910 +0.054, 26.529 +1.402 and 0.413 +0.054 for the cattle of Eloor north respectively. The concentration (ppm) in plasma, urine and milk was significantly higher (P<0.01) compared to control animals, which was 0.108 +0.016, 5.031 +0.576 and 0.076 +0.006 respectively. Significantly higher (P~ in bone samples collected from" local slaughterhouse, which was 3523.057 + 591.885, compared to 420.393 + 62.225 for control samples. Samples of water, sludge and forage collected from the study area showed significantly higher (Pcontrol samples. The values (ppm) for the forage, sludge and water samples were higher in the area of Alupuram (302.507 +38.968, 212.746 +24.176 and 1.328 +0.294 respectively), Eloor centre (251.700 +23.113,101.737 +9.724 and 0.871 +0.060 respectively) and Eloor north (228.249 +29'.017, 65.524 +15.276 and 0.834 +0.053 respectively) than the control (3.832 +0,158, 2,577 +0.053 and 0,094 +0.003 respectively). From the haemogram, it was observed that the total erythrocyte count, haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume showed significant decrease in the cattle of affected area. Differential leucocyte count showed eosinophilia, neutrophilia, lymphocytopenia and monocytopenia. Serum biochemical study revealed significant decrease in serum calcium and total protein, and significant increase in serum alkaline phosphatase 'and inorganic phosphorus in the affected animals. It can be concluded from the present study that aluminium smelter (INDAL) and fertilizer unit (FACT) are involved in the environmental contamination with fluorine in the Alupuram, Eloor centre and Eloor north and causes incidence of fluorosis in cattle.