Heavy Metal Residues In Beef Tissues And Organs With Relation To Its Public Health

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine the residual amounts of heavy metals ( cadmium , lead , mercur and zinc; the most frequently in the environment) in muscle, liver , kidney and spleen of cattle slaughtered at the local abattoir of Zagazig city. In order to evaluate influence of age and sex on heavy metal accumulation, four groups of cattle carcases ( five of each) were utilized after being examined for age and sex. Those cattle with milky teeth or changed the two central'incisor teeth (1.9 - 2 years) were considered young , but those changed all incisor teeth were placed in the aged groups. Specimens were grouped according to the age and sex of examined animals into 4 groups : group 1( young male), group 2 ( young female), group 3 ( aged male)and group 4 ( aged female) . Tissue samples including muscle, liver, kidney and spleen,(20 gm of each ) were collected from tissues and organs of examined cattle . Individual samples were immediately transmitted to the laboratory in polyethylene bags with its identifications ( type of tissue , sex and age of cattle). Samples ( one gram each) were subjected for wet digestion procedure in screw capped tubes using nitric and perchloric acid mixture (3: 2) . The tubes, following overnight incubation at room temperature, were placed in a water bath set at 70C