HEAVY METAL CONCENTRATIONS AND THEIR RISK ASSESSMENT IN MARKETED SLAUGHTERED ANIMALS IN SHARKIA GOVERNORATE, EGYPT

Toxic metals (lead, cadmium and mercury) and essential trace elements (copper and zinc) were analyzed in a total number of 120 samples of muscle, kidney and liver collected from camel, cattle, buffalo and sheep using atomic absorption spectrophotometer after wet digestion. The concentrations of heavy metals ranged from 0.17 +/- 0.6 to 0.49 +/- 0.09, 0.03 +/- 0.01 to 0.12 +/- 0.03, 0.39 +/- 0.1 to 1.19 +/- 0.18, 0.10 +/- 0.04 to 8.82 +/- 1.01 and 3.25 +/- 0.16 to 8.35 +/- 1.33 mg/kg for lead, cadmium, mercury, copper and zinc, respectively. In general, the liver samples had the highest level of lead and mercury, while kidney samples showed the highest content of cadmium as compared with muscle samples. Cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) levels in all of samples were less than the Egyptian standard limits. The estimation of human health risk for adults revealed an estimated daily intake (EDI) value of muscle and offal below threshold of oral reference dose (RFD) for all metals analyzed. Hazard index (HI) and Hazard quotient (THQ) for all the analyzed metals were below 1, demonstrating that human health risk through consumption of meat and offal is not possible.