Almalki, A.M.; Ajarem, J.; Altoom, N.; Al-Otaibi, F.S.; Maodaa, S.N.; Allam, A.A.; Mahmoud, A.M. Effects of Mining Activities on Gerbillus nanus in Saudi Arabia: A Biochemical and Histological Study. Animals2019, 9, 664.
Almalki, A.M.; Ajarem, J.; Altoom, N.; Al-Otaibi, F.S.; Maodaa, S.N.; Allam, A.A.; Mahmoud, A.M. Effects of Mining Activities on Gerbillus nanus in Saudi Arabia: A Biochemical and Histological Study. Animals 2019, 9, 664.
Almalki, A.M.; Ajarem, J.; Altoom, N.; Al-Otaibi, F.S.; Maodaa, S.N.; Allam, A.A.; Mahmoud, A.M. Effects of Mining Activities on Gerbillus nanus in Saudi Arabia: A Biochemical and Histological Study. Animals2019, 9, 664.
Almalki, A.M.; Ajarem, J.; Altoom, N.; Al-Otaibi, F.S.; Maodaa, S.N.; Allam, A.A.; Mahmoud, A.M. Effects of Mining Activities on Gerbillus nanus in Saudi Arabia: A Biochemical and Histological Study. Animals 2019, 9, 664.
Abstract
Mining can impact the environment, biodiversity and human health through direct and indirect practices. This study investigated the effects of gold mining on Gerbillus nanus, pointing to organ dysfunction and redox imbalance. Soil samples, Lycium shawii and G. nanus were collected from a site near a mining planet and a control site. Soil and L. shawii samples from the mining site showed a significant increase cadmium (Cd), cupper (Cu), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and vanadium (V). Hepatic, renal and pulmonary Cd, Pb, Hg, Zn, Cu, Fe, As and V concentrations were increased significantly in G. nanus at the mining site. Markers of liver and kidney function were elevated in serum, and several histological manifestations were demonstrated in liver, kidney and lung of G. nanus at the mining site. Malondialdehyde and nitric oxide were increased, and glutathione and antioxidant enzyme were declined in the liver and kidney of G. nanus. In conclusion, mining practices triggered tissue damage and oxidative stress in G. nanus living close to the mining site. These findings can represent the scientific basis for evaluating the environmental and health impact of mining in the on the nearby communities.
Keywords
Heavy metals; Mining; Balochistan gerbil; liver injury; Kidney damage.
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
