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Assessment Of Swine (Sus Scrofa Domesticus) Alveolar Macrophage Viability Associated With Heavy Metal Air Pollutants, Gemerlyn G. Garcia, Eduardo H. Grivialde, Lerma C. Ocampo, Claro N. Mingala

The Thai Journal of Veterinary Medicine

The impact of air pollution on airway cellular defense of pigs raised under backyard, semi-commercial and commercial conditions was investigated. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was used to analyze Cadmium (Cd) and Lead (Pb) while manual cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry was applied to evaluate Mercury (Hg) contents of dust particles from farms. Tests for viable counts of swine alveolar macrophages (SAM) that simulate animal responses to air pollutants, microbiological techniques for the recovery of bacterial cells and evaluation for cellular function were undertaken. Results showed that air pollution was accompanied by significant high levels of Pb and Cd. Exposure of …