Detection of some toxic heavy metals in meat and offal of slaughtered cattle in Tanta abattoir, Gharbia governorate

ABSTRACT

A lot of one hundred and twenty random samples of meat, liver and kidney were collected from young and old slaughtered cattle [20 of each] at Tanta slaughter house, Gharbia governorate, Egypt, for detection of some heavy metal residues as Lead, cadmium and mercury by using Atomic absorption spectrometer. The results revealed that the highest mean value of lead concentration was recorded as 0.606 +/- 0.190 mg/kg wet weight in weight in old slaughtered cattle liver, while the lowest mean value of lead concentration was 0.036 +/- 0.016 mg/ kg wet weight in meat samples of young slaughtered cattle. More over, the highest mean value of cadmium concentration was recorded in as slaughtered cattle 1.752 +/- 0.469 mg/kg wet weight in kidney sample, while the lowest value of cadmium level in young slaughtered cattle was 0.858 +/- 0.133 mg/kg wet weight in meat samples. Regarding the mercury concentration in slaughtered cattle the highest level was recorded in liver of old aged cattle 0.499 +/- 0.171 mg/kg wet weight, whilemean the lowest results were recorded in meat sample of young aged slaughtered cattle as 0.218 + 0.041, All the obtained results of lead cadmium and mercury were compared with the permissible limsts of FAO/WHQ [1992] and ES [1993] and public health hazards of such toxic heavy metals were discussed. Hygienic measures and awareness programs were implemented to avoid contamination of meat and offal with such toxic heavy meals