Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2009, 6 3131 in tissues could be observed when high dietary supplements of copper were used in commercial pig fattening rations [31]. Moreover, cadmium absorption is increased if dietary calcium is low [32]. However, these findings suggest that industrial activities in the studied areas introduce higher amounts of Cd than Hg into the food chain. Higher Cd concentrations are found in hot spots related to human activities and on agricultural land where high amounts of phosphate fertilizers and manure are utilized [33]. The total concentrations of toxic elements found in the analysed kidneys were usually low and did not exceed the maximum permissible levels established by the Serbian legislation. Since vegetable foods constitute the major source of Cd for humans [1,34] it can be concluded that the levels of total toxic elements including Cd found in the tested kidneys do not represent an imminent toxicological risk to Serbian consumers. However, it is very important to keep the measures necessary to maintain a steady control of the levels of these elements in staple food in the country in view of the potential health hazard that toxic elements represent. 2.2. Pathomorphology Examination 2.2.1. Gross pathology The pathomorphological examination results are summarized in Figures 1–3. In all 90 pigs were slaughtered during the study period. Kidneys from these pigs submitted to the laboratory were pale, swollen and enlarged with a change in color from the normal mahogany to tan, as follows: 43 (47.7%) had ―mottled or pale kidneys‖, while 27 (30%) had enlarged kidneys (Figure 1) and 11 (12.2%) were smaller than normal. The only macroscopic lesions observed in few cases were small grey-white foci on the kidney surface. No obvious difference was observed between the right and left kidney. No significant changes were seen in other organs. The external surface of kidney in which Hg (first four) and Cd (the last one) were detected, are shown in Figure 1A, while, the external surface of kidney in which co-incidence of Hg and Cd (0.012 ng/g and 0.05 ng/g, respectively) was detected, is shown in Figure 1B (red arrow). Figure 1. External surface of kidneys from which where Hg and Cd were detected. A B