THE EFFECT OF EMISSIONS ON HEAVY-METALS CONCENTRATIONS IN CATTLE FROMTHE AREA OF AN INDUSTRIAL-PLANT IN SLOVAKIA

Attention was devoted to the effects of risk element-containing indust rial emissions on the biological material of cattle bred on farms in t he vicinity of a metallurgical plant in East SIovakia. The observation s lasted two years and included four agricultural farms in the pollute d area and one control farm outside this area. In 1991, 20, 30, 30, 30 , and 30 samples of milk, muscle, liver, heart, and kidney tissue were analyzed, whereas in 1992, 30, 48, 48, 48, and 48 respective samples were taken. For Cu, Zn, Mn, Cd, Pb, and Ni analyses, the AAS method wa s employed, using the UMICAM 939 device, while Hg residues were determ ined on the TMA 254 analyzer. In 1991, of a total of 120 samples of ti ssue and organs, 12.5%, 9.16% and 0.8% were found to contain above-lim it levels of Cd, Ni, and Cu, respectively. The concentrations of the r emaining elements, viz., Zn, Mn, Pb, and Hg, did not surpass the permi tted maxima. In 1992, 1.03%, 2.60%, 0.51%, and 5.20% of 192 samples of tissure and organs contained above-limit Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn levels.