Magnesium, calcium and zinc fluctuations on skin induced injuries in correlation with time of induction.

ABSTRACT

In the present study, fluctuations of trace elements Mg, Ca and Zn concentrations with time on skin-induced injuries was investigated. To accomplish this, 144 animals (pig) aged between 5-6 months scheduled for food provision process (slaughter) were used. At the gluteus area, injuries were induced prior to slaughter at intervals of 30 s, 30 min, 1, 2, 4, 8 h. Local anaesthesia and cold therapy for prompt relief of pain (ethylchloride, C2H5Cl) was applied. Postmortem tissue excision in and around the injured site was promptly performed. The tissue obtained was segmented into three zones of equal distances (2 cm) in between and weighed 3 g wet weight. Tissue specimens were analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for the three elements. The results were correlated with time of injury. Suggestive alterations in trace elements mean concentrations with time were confirmed. The ratios of the mean in twos (Ca/Zn, Ca/Mg, Mg/Zn) versus time were graphed. Effectively, the curves achieved by analysing postmortem tissues, serve to estimate the time of an injury induced in vivo.