Metais tóxicos e seus efeitos sobre a reprodução dos animais. Revisão

Abstract

In Brazil, as a result of the ongoing environmental crimes involving mining companies, concern was raised about the risk to human and animal health from exposure to toxic metals. This review aims to make a bibliographical survey about the reproductive changes in animals promoted by toxic metals contaminating the environment, including possible permanent damages to the genetic bank of the fauna of the affected regions. Toxic metals, inaccurately named "heavy metals", refer to a group of elements that have no known physiological functions in living organisms. Therefore, they can produce damaging effects on metabolic functions, even in very small amounts. Bioaccumulation and high reactivity of metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium, among others, makes poisonings a public health concern. The impact of the occurrence of toxic metals poisoning in the Brazilian livestock production is still difficult to measure, due to lack of statistical data. These metals also contribute to the destruction of the animal genetic pool, especially wildlife, since such animals are exposed to toxic metals due to contaminated areas close to their natural habitat.