Effect of Diatomite on the Accumulation of Lead and Cadmium in the Body of White Rats

All-Russian Research Institute of Veterinary Sanitation, Hygiene, and Ecology – a branch of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Scientific Center – All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin and Ya.R. Kovalenko Russian Academy of Sciences", Moscow, 123022, Russia

^* Corresponding author: ns2008p@mail.ru

Abstract

Every year, pollution by eco-toxicants of natural and anthropogenic origin is becoming more and more acute. Some of the most toxic among them are heavy metals, especially cadmium and lead. These elements do not decompose. Once released into the environment, these elements continue to circulate in water, soil, and air for a very long time, accumulating in plants and livestock products. Therefore, there is a problem of obtaining safe agricultural products in areas contaminated with heavy metals. In animal husbandry, synthetic and natural enterosorbents are used for obtaining safe products. For example, such enterosorbents are shungites, bentonites, diatomites, clays. We tested diatomite from the Kamyshlovskoye deposit at a dose of 5.0 g/kg of feed to reduce cadmium accumulation and lead during their combined intake. We investigated the feed intake of a combination of cadmium and lead at doses of 5.0 and 50.0 mg/kg feed. The result of this experiment is the accumulation of metals in the liver, kidneys, and bones, and, in addition, in the testes. The use of diatomite to reduce the accumulation of heavy metals has not been successful. There is an increase in lead accumulation in the liver, kidneys, and testes. The content of cadmium in diatomite is 3.86 ± 0.20 mg/kg, lead – 105.0 ± 7.2 mg/kg. The results obtained indicate that diatomite as a feed additive to reduce lead and cadmium intoxication did not show protective properties.