Possible Effects of Depleted Uranium (DU):
I. Changes in Cellular and Biochemical Values in Peripheral Blood of Ruminants in Exposed Areas

Tatjana P. Božić, Jelka Ž. Stevanović1, Milica M. Kovačević-Filipović1, Sunčica Z. Borozan2, Dragana Lj. Popović3, and Dragana J. Todorović4

1 Department of Pathophysiology, 2 Department of Chemistry, 3 Department of Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
4 Laboratory of Environmental and Radiation Protection, Institute of Nuclear Sciences “Vinča”, Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Corresponding author: Prof. Dragana Popović
    Department of Physics and Biophysics
    Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
    University of Belgrade
    Bul.JA 18
    11000 Belgrade
    Serbia and Montenegro
    Telephone: + 381 11 361 54 36
    Fax number: + 381 11 685 936
    E-mail: draganapo@eunet.yu

CEJOEM 2003, Vol.9. No.4.: 267–272


Key words:
Depleted uranium (DU), oxidative stress, environment, health impacts, animals, peripheral blood parameters

Abbreviations:
DU     = depleted uranium
Cp      = ceruloplasmin
RBC   = red blood cell
MDA = malondialdehyde
SOD   = superoxide dysmutase
Hb      = hemoglobin
PCV   = packed cell volume
ROS   = reactive oxygen species

Abstract:
The paper presents preliminary results of the study on environmental and health effects due to the use of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition during NATO bombing of Serbia and Montenegro in 1999. Samples of animal blood (sheep, cows) were randomly collected in the region of Bujanovac (Novo Selo, Borovac) in 2003. Biochemical and hematological parameters of peripheral blood (oxidase activity of ceruloplasmin, malondialdehide concentration of red blood cell, activity of erythrocytic superoxide dismutase, concentration of hemoglobin, red blood cells count, etc.) indicating possible effects of oxidative stress due to the impact of DU on the environment were analyzed. The results have been evaluated in respect to the effect of the environmental DU.


Received: 15 August 2003
Accepted: 30 September 2003

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