Title: Morphologic and morphometric analysis of adrenal gland cortex of sheep grazing on pastures with the ground of electrofilter ash

Authors: Polona Juntes, Uros Pestevsek, Milan Pogacnik

Addresses: Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Pathology, Forensic and Administrative Veterinary Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Gerbiceva 60, SI 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ' Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Pathology, Forensic and Administrative Veterinary Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Gerbiceva 60, SI 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. ' Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Pathology, Forensic and Administrative Veterinary Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Gerbiceva 60, SI 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract: Electrofilter ash is a side product of power plants using coal as a fuel. Trials for transforming ash covered areas into cultivated landscape are ongoing e.g., efforts to form grasslands that would be usable for animal breeding and production. However the question of how safe grazing is on such surfaces in relation to animal health and the use of animal products, produced on such surfaces, for human consumption has not been truly resolved yet. The main goal of our work is a systematic search for the possible negative effects on animals grazing on such surfaces. In this work we present the results of morphologic and morphometric analyses that were made to evaluate the potential toxic or some other impact of electrofilter ash constituents on the adrenal gland cortex. No conclusive evidence of such effects was determined in this study.

Keywords: veterinary medicine; adrenal gland cortex; sheep; safe grazing; electrofilter ash; coal fly ash; image analysis; morphology; morphometry; coal power plants; grasslands; animal health; animal products; toxicity; land reclamation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2007.015663

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2007 Vol.31 No.1/2, pp.56 - 64

Published online: 07 Nov 2007 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article