Perspective of bone tissues (antlers, mandibles) of roe deer for retrospective bioindication is presented. Temporal changes in fluoride contents in antlers (period 1960-2007) and mandibles (1997-2009), originated from the vicinity of the Šoštanj Power Plant (ŠTPP) confirmed significantly lower exposure of organisms to fluorides after the installation of air cleaning devices at the ŠTPP in 1995 and 2000, respectively. Results confirmed that the area has never been extensively polluted with fluorides. The study provides comprehensive biomonitoring of temporal changes in environmental pollution.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1078230
The prevalence of mandibular osteolyelitis (a rare, but eventually fatal disease) in roe deer in Slovenia was determined in the total national annual hunting bag in 2007 (n = 41,679). Chronic osteomyelitis (‘‘lumpy jaw’’) was found in 113 mandibles of adults (0.7%); however, neither fawns nor yearlings exhibited any presence of this lesion. The majority of cases were observed from the Mediterranean and subalpine regions, near larger cities and thermal power plants. Coarse and abrasive food, and to some extent dental fluorosis, are the most probable triggers for development of this lesions.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1098710
By assessing the dental fluorosis of roe deer, shot in 2007 in east Slovenia (7,158 mandibles) we confirmed that Slovenia is in general not polluted with fluorides (<1% of mandibles showed moderate to severe fluorosis). However, elevated fluoride pollution is present in the vicinity of the aluminium smelter Kidričevo. The GRM model revealed that 3 variables exert impact on the distribution of dental fluorosis in eastern Slovenia: (i) distance from the smelter (explains 94.6% of the total variance); (ii) age of the animal (5.0%); and (iii) distance from the forest edge (0.7%), respectively.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1077974
Perspective of bone tissues (primarily antlers) of roe deer for retrospective bioindication of environmental pollution with fluorides and lead is presented in the paper. Temporal changes in lead content in antlers, originated from the Upper Meža Valley and shot after 1925 were emphasised, and confirmed significantly lower exposure of living beings to lead pollution after 1990, when smelting of lead ore was stopped. The paper coincides fairly well with the basic aims of the project; indeed, it provides much more comprehensive biomonitoring of temporal changes in environmental pollution.
COBISS.SI-ID: 971734
Perspectives and advantages of roe deer mandibles as a relevant bioindicator tool for determining fluoride pollution are presented in the paper. A detailed review of previous studies, made across the globe, is provided in two sections as follows: (i) accumulative bioindication (determination of fluoride contents in bones, i.e. mandibles); (ii) sensitive bioindication (macroscopic assessment of the presence and severity of dental fluorosis as a specific morphologic change, which is the consequence of fluorides affecting the formation of the enamel in the time of tooth formation).
COBISS.SI-ID: 1077718