HISTOLOGICAL STUDY OF LIVER, KIDNEY AND TESTES OF FERAL PIGEON (COLUMBA LIVIA) LIVING IN CORTYARD OF FERRONICKEL SMELTER IN DRENAS TOWN-KOSOVO

This study was aimed to asses and monitors the environmental pollution with heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) of area around ferronickel smelter in Drenas town - Kosovo. For this purpose twenty specimens of feral pigeon (Columba livia; 20 birds; 11 males and 9 females), were collected in Ferronickel smelter courtyard, also the same (20 birds, 9 males and 11 females) in Lubizhdë village (non-contaminated area - control group) to assess the effects the environmental pollution from ferronickel smelter on histology of liver, kidney and testes. In the liver, we found out the histological alterations, ranging from leukocyte infiltration, tissue vacuolization, extended of interstitial spaces and necrosis; in the kidney we found out the desquamation of epithelia, renal tissue degeneration, tissue vacuolization, leukocyte infiltration, extended of subcapsular of glomerular spaces, glumerular adhesion and necrosis. Also, in the testes we found out the desquamation of epithelia, atrophy and necrosis. The control groups of birds have had very small number of these aforementioned lesions. The histological changes could be the result of the high concentration of heavy metals (Ni, Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn) in the liver, kidney and testes of these birds from ferronickel area previously analyzed.