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Review
. 2023 Mar 29:10:1149720.
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1149720. eCollection 2023.

A review of important heavy metals toxicity with special emphasis on nephrotoxicity and its management in cattle

Ifrah Tahir  1 , Khalid Ali Alkheraije  2
Affiliations
Review

A review of important heavy metals toxicity with special emphasis on nephrotoxicity and its management in cattle

Ifrah Tahir et al. Front Vet Sci. .

Abstract

Toxicity with heavy metals has proven to be a significant hazard with several health problems linked to it. Heavy metals bioaccumulate in living organisms, pollute the food chain, and possibly threaten the health of animals. Many industries, fertilizers, traffic, automobile, paint, groundwater, and animal feed are sources of contamination of heavy metals. Few metals, such as aluminum (Al), may be eliminated by the elimination processes, but other metals like lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Ca) accumulate in the body and food chain, leading to chronic toxicity in animals. Even if these metals have no biological purpose, their toxic effects are still present in some form that is damaging to the animal body and its appropriate functioning. Cadmium (Cd) and Pb have negative impacts on a number of physiological and biochemical processes when exposed to sub-lethal doses. The nephrotoxic effects of Pb, As, and Cd are well known, and high amounts of naturally occurring environmental metals as well as occupational populations with high exposures have an adverse relationship between kidney damage and toxic metal exposure. Metal toxicity is determined by the absorbed dosage, the route of exposure, and the duration of exposure, whether acute or chronic. This can lead to numerous disorders and can also result in excessive damage due to oxidative stress generated by free radical production. Heavy metals concentration can be decreased through various procedures including bioremediation, pyrolysis, phytoremediation, rhizofiltration, biochar, and thermal process. This review discusses few heavy metals, their toxicity mechanisms, and their health impacts on cattle with special emphasis on the kidneys.

Keywords: acute kidney failure; arsenic; cadmium; cattle; geographic distribution; lead; oxidative stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Source of heavy metals toxicity in animals (derived from bio render).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Source and effects of lead (derived from bio render).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Source and mechanism of arsenic exposure (derived from bio render).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Source, mechanism, and effects of cadmium (derived from bio render).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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