HUMAN HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF HEAVY METALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS RESIDUES IN POULTRY MEAT RETAILED IN SHARKIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the residual concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) in muscles and livers of chicken (broilers and layers), turkeys and quails marketed in Egypt. Metal-metal correlations were further analyzed. Moreover, metal’s dietary intake and health risk assessment among Egyptian consumers were calculated. Livers had higher metal residues compared with the muscles in all species examined. The ranges (μg/g ww) of the elemental concentrations in the livers of the examined bird species were 0.03-0.46 (Cu), 1.77-10.33 (Zn), 0.05-1.09 (Pb), 0.02-0.15 (Cd) and 0.13-0.99 (Hg). Such ranges (μg/g ww) in the muscle samples were 0.007-0.60 (Cu), 0.69-4.64 (Zn), 0.01-0.55 (Pb), 0.02-0.13 (Cd) and 0.11-0.94 (Hg). Correlation analysis among metals revealed both tissue-dependent and inter-species differences for the accumulation patterns of metals. The potential risk assessment of all investigated metals in poultry meats revealed no significance risk on Egyptians. However, intake of repetitive small concentrations of metals may lead to severe toxicological implications.

Keywords

• poultry
• heavy metals
• risk assessment