The public health implications of farming cattle in areas with high background concentrations of vanadium

Performance and mechanisms for V(v) bio-reduction by straw: key influencing factors

A high concentration of vanadium [V(v)] in groundwater is extremely harmful for humans. Weak movability and low toxicity after microbial V(v) reduction have attracted remarkable attention, especially for using solid carbon sources. However, the influencing factors remain unclear. In this study, the initial V(v) concentration, inocula amount and straw dosage were examined to ascertain the mechanisms behind them. Increasing the initial V(v) concentration led to the decrease of the V(v) removal efficiency, which was also positively correlated with the straw dosage within a certain range. The initial sludge amount was not a main factor affecting microbial V(v) removal in this study. With the initial amount of 10 mg L^-1 V(v), 25 mL initial inocula and 5 g straw, 88.2% of V(v) was removed. According to the dissolved organic matter (DOM) analysis results, microbial activity prevailed in groups with higher V(v) removal efficiency, indicating that the V(v) bio-reduction was attributed to the microbial activity, which was considered a major factor. Functional species as unclassified_f_Enterobacteriaceae presumably contributed to the V(v) bioreduction, with upregulated ABC transporter genes and enzymes.

Lead Toxicoses in Free-Range Chickens in Artisanal Gold-Mining Communities, Zamfara, Nigeria

BACKGROUND

In early 2010, outbreaks of lead poisoning due to artisanal gold mining in villages in the northwest Nigerian state of Zamfara have resulted in the death of hundreds of children < 5 years old. There have also been unconfirmed reports of high mortality of geese within these villages.

OBJECTIVES

To report a case of lead poisoning in three domestic free-range chickens found in one of the affected communities where illegal small-scale gold mining activities take place.

METHODS

Three free-range domestic chickens were presented during a field investigation in one of the villages. The birds were observed to be emaciated, weak, showing nervous manifestations and moribund.

RESULTS

Tissue extracts of liver, spleen and intestines were negative for Newcastle viral antigens, while cultures of liver and spleen biopsy were positive for Escherichia coli. Histopathological lesions were observed in the kidney, proventriculus and brain. Concentrations of lead in the tissues ranged between 7.5 mg/kg and 120.5 mg/kg wet weight, and the potential daily intake of lead in the tissues were estimated at 34.06-200.15 μg/day/kg body weight with an average of 118.37 μg/day/kg body weight.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the present study suggest probable risk to human health due to the consumption of chicken contaminated by lead in the affected villages. Poisoning in animal populations may serve as a sentinel to assess the extent of environmental contamination and human health problems related to lead.

ETHICS APPROVAL

Protocols were approved and performed in accordance with relevant local guidelines and regulations as set by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria.

COMPETING INTERESTS

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

Effect of physical and chemical properties of vanadium slag from stone coal on the form of vanadium

Vanadium mining and smelting activities were increasing extensively and causing serious vanadium pollution in soil around the mining area. Different existing forms of vanadium had different biological effects and the exchangeable state had been recognized as a severe threat to biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. At present, the research on vanadium morphology had not received much attention. In this study, the area that we researched had been severely polluted with vanadium due to mining and smelting activities. The changes in the morphology of vanadium in soil were studied by adjusting the organic matter content, clay mineral content, pH value, and Eh value. The results showed that at pH 8 and for 1% of humic acid added, the exchangeable fraction of vanadium in the slag was 10% and 9%, respectively, which was 5% and 6% lower than the control group. The addition of kaolin and the redox change had little effect on the exchangeable fraction of vanadium, with a change of only about 2%. To control the soil pollution caused by slag and to repair its ecological characteristics, kaolin and humic acid were used for the repair test. The results showed that after 1% humic acid mixed with 8% kaolin was added in soil, the germination rate of ryegrass reached 95% and grew flourishingly which is significantly better than other treatment groups. Our research can provide a reference for future vanadium pollution control, especially in the morphology of vanadium research.

Vanadium in Biosphere and Its Role in Biological Processes

Ultra-trace elements or occasionally beneficial elements (OBE) are the new categories of minerals including vanadium (V). The importance of V is attributed due to its multifaceted biological roles, i.e., glucose and lipid metabolism as an insulin-mimetic, antilipemic and a potent stress alleviating agent in diabetes when vanadium is administered at lower doses. It competes with iron for transferrin (binding site for transportation) and with lactoferrin as it is secreted in milk also. The intracellular enzyme protein tyrosine phosphatase, causing the dephosphorylation at beta subunit of the insulin receptor, is inhibited by vanadium, thus facilitating the uptake of glucose inside the cell but only in the presence of insulin. Vanadium could be useful as a potential immune-stimulating agent and also as an antiinflammatory therapeutic metallodrug targeting various diseases. Physiological state and dose of vanadium compounds hold importance in causing toxicity also. Research has been carried out mostly on laboratory animals but evidence for vanadium importance as a therapeutic agent are available in humans and large animals also. This review examines the potential biochemical and molecular role, possible kinetics and distribution, essentiality, immunity, and toxicity-related study of vanadium in a biological system.

Effective phytoremediation of low-level heavy metals by native macrophytes in a vanadium mining area, China

Heavy metal contamination, particularly vanadium contamination in mining and smelting areas, is a worldwide serious problem threatening the ecological system and human health. The contamination level of vanadium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, mercury, and lead in sediments and waters in a vanadium mining area in China was investigated in the present study. The behavior of heavy metal uptake by 12 native aquatic macrophytes was evaluated, including 5 species of emergent aquatic plants (Acorus calamus, Scirpus tabernaemontani, Typha orientalis, Phragmites australis, and Bermuda grass), 3 species of floating plants (Marsilea quadrifolia, Nymphaea tetragona, and Eleocharis plantagineiformis), and 4 species of submerged plants (Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, Myriophyllum verticillatum, and Potamogetom crispus). Different heavy metal accumulation abilities were found across these macrophytes. Generally, they tended to accumulate higher contents of chromium, and C. demersum showed a particularly higher accumulation capacity for vanadium. The heavy metals were preferentially distributed in roots, instead of translocation into leaves and stems, indicating an internal detoxification mechanism for heavy metal tolerance in macrophytes. In 24-day laboratory hydroponic experiments, the macrophytes had a satisfied phytoremediation performance for heavy metals, when their concentrations were at the microgram per liter level. Particularly, vanadium was effectively removed by P. australis and C. demersum, the removal efficiencies of which were approximately 50%. In addition, a combination of terrestrial plant (Bermuda grass) and aquatic macrophytes (P. australis, M. quadrifolia, and C. demersum) exhibited high uptake capacity of all the six heavy metals and their residual concentrations were 95 (vanadium), 39.5 (arsenic), 4.54 (cadmium), 17.2 (chromium), 0.028 (mercury), and 7.9 (lead) μg/L, respectively. This work is of significant importance for introducing native macrophytes to remove low-level heavy metal contamination, particularly vanadium, and suggests phytoremediation as a promising and cost-effective method for in situ remediation at mining sites.

Bioelectrochemical Systems for Removal of Selected Metals and Perchlorate from Groundwater: A Review

Groundwater contamination is a major issue for human health, due to its largely diffused exploitation for water supply. Several pollutants have been detected in groundwater; amongst them arsenic, cadmium, chromium, vanadium, and perchlorate. Various technologies have been applied for groundwater remediation, involving physical, chemical, and biological processes. Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) have emerged over the last 15 years as an alternative to conventional treatments for a wide variety of wastewater, and have been proposed as a feasible option for groundwater remediation due to the nature of the technology: the presence of two different redox environments, the use of electrodes as virtually inexhaustible electron acceptor/donor (anode and cathode, respectively), and the possibility of microbial catalysis enhance their possibility to achieve complete remediation of contaminants, even in combination. Arsenic and organic matter can be oxidized at the bioanode, while vanadium, perchlorate, chromium, and cadmium can be reduced at the cathode, which can be biotic or abiotic. Additionally, BES has been shown to produce bioenergy while performing organic contaminants removal, lowering the overall energy balance. This review examines the application of BES for groundwater remediation of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, vanadium, and perchlorate, focusing also on the perspectives of the technology in the groundwater treatment field.

Isolation of vanadium-resistance endophytic bacterium PRE01 from Pteris vittata in stone coal smelting district and characterization for potential use in phytoremediation

This study investigates the V-resistant endophytic bacteria isolated from V-accumulator Pteris vittata grown on stone coal smelting district. Among all the ten isolates, the strain PRE01 identified as Serratia marcescens ss marcescens by Biolog GEN III MicroPlate™ was screened out by ranking first in terms of heavy metal resistance and plant growth promoting traits. The S. marcescens PRE01 had strong V, Cr and Cd resistance especially for V up to 1500mg/L. In addition, it exhibited ACC deaminase activity, siderophore production and high indoleacetic acid production (60.14mg/L) and solubilizing P potential (336.41mg/L). For heavy metal detoxification tests, PRE01 could specifically assimilate 97.6%, 21.7% and 6.6% of Cd(II), Cr(VI) and V(V) within 72h incubation. Despite the poor absorption of the two anions, most V(V) and Cr(VI) were detoxified and reduced to lower valence states by the strain. Furthermore, the isolate had the potential to facilitate the metals uptake of their hosts by changing heavy metal speciation. Our research may open up further scope of utilizing the endophyte for enhancing phytoextraction of vanadium industry contaminated soils.

Hazards identified and the need for health risk assessment in the South African mining industry

Although mining plays a prominent role in the economy of South Africa, it is associated with many chemical hazards. Exposure to dust from mining can lead to many pathological effects depending on mineralogical composition, size, shape and levels and duration of exposure. Mining and processing of minerals also result in occupational exposure to toxic substances such as platinum, chromium, vanadium, manganese, mercury, cyanide and diesel particulate. South Africa has set occupational exposure limits (OELs) for some hazards, but mine workers are still at a risk. Since the hazard posed by a mineral depends on its physiochemical properties, it is recommended that South Africa should not simply adopt OELs from other countries but rather set her own standards based on local toxicity studies. The limits should take into account the issue of mixtures to which workers could be exposed as well as the health status of the workers. The mining industry is also a source of contamination of the environment, due inter alia to the large areas of tailings dams and dumps left behind. Therefore, there is need to develop guidelines for safe land-uses of contaminated lands after mine closure.

Potential nutritional strategies for the amelioration or prevention of high rigor temperature in cattle – a review

Environmental conditions influence animal production from an animal performance perspective and at the carcass level post-slaughter. High rigor temperature occurs when the animal is hyperthermic pre-slaughter, and this leads to tougher meat. Hyperthermia can result from increased environmental temperature, exercise, stress or a combination of these factors. Consumer satisfaction with beef meat is influenced by the visual and sensory traits of the product when raw and cooked, with beef consumers commonly selecting tenderness of the product as the most important quality trait. High rigor temperature leads to a reduction in carcass and eating quality. This review examines some possible metabolic causes of hyperthermia, with focus on the importance of adipose tissue metabolism and the roles of insulin and leptin. Potential strategies for the amelioration or prevention of high rigor temperature are offered, including the use of dietary supplements such as betaine and chromium, anti-diabetic agents such as thiazolidinediones, vitamin D, and magnesium (Mg) to provide stress relief.

Permissible value for vanadium in allitic udic ferrisols based on physiological responses of green Chinese cabbage and soil microbes

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to study the permissible value of vanadium (V) based on the growth and physiological responses of green Chinese cabbage (Brassica chinensis L.), and effects of V on microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and enzyme activities in allitic udic ferrisols were also studied. The results showed that biomass of cabbage grown on soil treated with 133 mg V kg(-1) significantly decreased by 25.1% compared with the control (P < 0.05). Vanadium concentrations in leaves and roots increased with increasing soil V concentration. Contents of vitamin C (Vc) increased by 10.3%, while that of soluble sugar in leaves significantly decreased by 54.0% when soil V concentration was 133 mg kg(-1), respectively. The uptake of essential nutrient elements by cabbage was disturbed when soil V concentration exceeded 253 mg kg(-1). Soil MBC was significantly stimulated by 15.5%, while dehydrogenase activity significantly decreased by 62.8% and urease activity slightly changed at treatment of 133 mg V kg(-1) as compared with the control, respectively. Therefore, the permissible value of V in allitic udic ferrisols is proposed as 130 mg kg(-1).

Vanadium uptake by alfalfa grown in V-Cd-contaminated soil by pot experiment

In order to characterize uptake of vanadium in alfalfa grown in vanadium-cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soil, 104 soil samples and 94 plant samples were collected from pot experiment. The results showed alfalfa had strong metal adaptability (up to 400 mg kg(-1)) and high accumulation (up to 3,440.14 mg kg(-1)) of vanadium. Root had higher contents and better absorption to vanadium than overground part. Moreover, both root and overground part had direct correlation with vanadium in soil, especially with the sum of first three fractions and reducible fraction. With the increasing of vanadium, higher concentration of Cd may inhibit the absorption of vanadium in alfalfa.

A stochastic exposure assessment model to estimate vanadium intake by beef cattle used as sentinels for the South African vanadium mining industry

This paper presents an environmental exposure assessment model for estimating chronic intake of vanadium (a transition metal) by cattle farmed extensively in areas contaminated by vanadium pollutants. The exposure model differs from most other models in several ways: (1) it does not rely heavily on extrapolating information from the point source (e.g. stack height, exit velocity, exit diameter) to the point of exposure. (2) It incorporates the physiological constraints of the species exposed. (3) It takes into account oral as well as inhalation exposure. (4) It addresses terrain, by using measurements at the point of exposure. (5) It accounts for existing background concentrations of pollutants and pollutants from multiple sources. (6) It uses a stochastic process with distribution functions to account for variability in the data over time. Environmental inputs into the model included aerial fall-out sample vanadium (n=566), unwashed grass sample vanadium (n=342) and soluble soil sample vanadium (n=342). Physiological cattle inputs were derived from two cohorts of Brahman-cross sentinel cattle (n=30). The model provided an estimate of the chronic external exposure dose of vanadium for two separate groups of cattle grazing over a 5-year period (1999-2004) immediately adjacent (median dose=2.14mg vanadium/kg body weight/day) and 2km away (median dose=1.07mg/kg/day) from a South African vanadium-processing plant, respectively. The final output of the model is a distribution curve of the probable vanadium intake based on the variability within the inputs over the 5-year period of the study. The model is adaptable enough for application to other transition metals and species (including man), and could be used as an alternative to plume-dispersion modelling.

The assessment of biomarkers in sentinel cattle for monitoring vanadium exposure

Various potential biomarkers were sampled for vanadium every 3-4 months from Bos indicus beef cattle farmed extensively immediately adjacent (high exposure (HE) group) and two km away (low exposure (LE) group) from a vanadium processing plant, respectively. Vanadium intake (mg vanadium kg(-1) bwt d(-1)) was modelled using environmental and physiological data as inputs. The vanadium intake ranged from 0.57 to 5.44 mg vanadium kg(-1) bwt d(-1) in the HE group and 0.41 to 2.61 mg vanadium kg(-1) bwt d(-1) in the LE group over a five-year period of monitoring. Samples collected from live sentinel animals over the five-year period included caudal coccygeal vertebrae, tail-switch hair, milk, urine, faeces, rib-bone biopsies and a wide range of blood clinical pathology and haematological parameters. The data was analysed for differences in response between the HE and LE groups. Where differences were found, a linear mixed-effects regression model was fitted to model the relationship between the exposure dose and the response variable. The model included the effects of age, duration of exposure and response, and allowed the prediction of the exposure dose given these inputs. Moreover, forty-two adult cattle were slaughtered over the five years. A wide range of tissue samples, rumen content and whole blood were taken from the cattle at slaughter for vanadium determination. In live animals, a difference in response was found between the HE group and LE group with respect to serum albumin (n = 36), monocyte (n = 36) and thrombocyte (n = 36) counts, and hair (n = 2) and faeces (n = 34) vanadium concentrations. No difference in vanadium concentrations could be shown for urine (n = 36), the traditional occupational health biomarker. Regression models are described for serum albumin, monocyte counts, faeces and hair, which showed the most promise as biomarkers. Average concentrations of vanadium in the tissues of slaughtered cattle ranged from 0.08 to 2.94 mg kg(-1) (wet-weight basis) and rumen content contained 16.67 mg kg(-1). Significant correlations were found between the exposure dose (end-dose) just prior to slaughter and the concentrations of vanadium in the coccygeal vertebrae, liver, diaphragm and rib-bone in descending order of magnitude. Other tissues showed poor correlation to the end-dose. Tissue levels of vanadium in healthy cattle include a much wider range than is currently reflected in the literature. The best tissue from slaughter animals for assessing chronic vanadium exposure is probably the liver.