Veterinary Archives, Vol. 78 No. 5, 2008.
Original scientific paper
Heavy metal composition of livers and kidneys of cattle from southern Nigeria
Chukwujindu Maxwell Azubuike Iwegbue
; Department of Chemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria
Abstract
Results are presented for the levels of cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, iron, manganese and nickel as determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, in the livers and kidneys of 88 cattle from seven different locations in southern Nigeria. The mean and range for each metal in mg.kg-1, in livers and kidneys were as follows; cadmium 0.08 (0.01-0.23) and 0.14 (0.01-0.46); chromium 3.62 (0.98-6.33) and 3.63 (1.08-5.87); copper 1.99 (0.11-8.99) and 3.27 (0.22-7.49); 0.8 (n.d-0.23) and 0.04 (n.d-0.95); iron 37.75 (2.64-85.60) and 32.26 (0.10-78.65); Ni 0.12 (0.01-0.55) and 0.20 (0.02-0.46). Significant differences were observed in the heavy metal levels in livers and kidneys from the different locations and between the heavy metal levels in livers and kidneys from the same location. The levels of the various metals were generally low, and within international statutory safe limits.
Keywords
heavy metals; liver; kidney; cattle; environmental pollution; Nigeria
Hrčak ID:
28916
URI
Publication date:
20.10.2008.
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