Pb, Cd, and Cu Play a Major Role in Health Risk from Contamination in Duck Meat and Offal for Food Production in Thailand

Health effects of heavy metals in meat and poultry consumption in Noakhali, Bangladesh

This study examined the quantities of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Fe, and Cu) in commercially available meat, poultry, and game products in Noakhali, Bangladesh, and their potential health effects, as heavy metal contamination poses a significant food safety risk to human health Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was used to analyze heavy metals, and the health risk assessment was based on Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Targeted Hazard Quotient (THQ), Total THQ, and Total Carcinogenic Risk (TCR). Most samples exceeded Maximum Allowable Concentrations (MAC) for heavy metals. The EDI value of Cd, Pb, and Cr for duck liver, goat liver, and pigeon brain, were higher than the Maximum Tolerable Dietary Intake (MTDI). Children had 1.28 times higher HI values than an adult. The calculation of THQ of all elements in adults and children was in the order of Cu; Pb; Ni; Cr; Cd; and Fe. The calculated TTHQ values were in the range of 0.051 to 1.988 and 0.047 to 3.975 for adults and children, respectively. The TCR values for Cd in poultry liver, brain, and meat, Sonali chicken, cow, pigeon, duck, and goat liver were higher than the reference value for adults and children, suggesting a potential cancer risk. The average exposure to lead leads to an increase in blood pressure by 0.47 mmHg and a decrease in IQ score by 1.94 points. The present study reveals the need to determine strong relationships between heavy metal exposure and food supply.

Heavy metal exposure to a migratory waterfowl, Northern Pintail (Anas acuta), in two peri-urban wetlands

In this study, the heavy metal exposure risk model was employed to assess the exposure risk to a predominantly herbivore waterfowl, Northern Pintail, wintering in two wetland habitats in the Purulia district of West Bengal, located on overlapping Central Asian Flyway (CAF) and East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF). Both wetlands were important staging and roosting grounds for migratory waterfowl for ages. The exposure model was used to quantify the risk of exposure to metals through oral ingestion. Exposure doses of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cr through food plants ingestion and food-associated sediment consumption pathways were two potent sources of heavy metal exposure in the waterfowl under study. Exposure through water intake was ignored as metals were either of negligible concentrations or below the detection limit in water samples. Heavy metal concentrations showed significant positive correlations between bottom sediment and plant at both sites. At Purulia Sahebbandh (Site 1), the total exposure dose of all four metals was much higher than their conforming tolerable daily intake (TDI), and thereby, the metals might pose threats to the migratory wintering herbivorous waterfowl populations. However, in Adra Sahebbandh (Site 2), total exposure doses of Pb, Zn and Cu were much below their corresponding TDI. The Hazard Quotient (HQ) of Cr was highest followed by nonessential toxic Pb and these two elements could be considered as priority pollutants at Site 1. Prioritize threats were decreased in the following sequence: Cr > Pb > Cu > Zn at Site 1 and Cr > Zn > Pb > Cu at Site 2. Hazard Index was found to be >5 at Site 1 and for much higher metal loads a significant correlation between metal concentrations in plants, bottom sediment and exposure doses were also recorded. Therefore, the peri-urban Purulia Sahebbandh wetland could immediately be considered for risk control and demanded holistic management of important waterfowl habitats.

Potential Health Effects of Heavy Metals and Carcinogenic Health Risk Estimation of Pb and Cd Contaminated Eggs from a Closed Gold Mine Area in Northern Thailand

Gold-mining activities have been demonstrated to result in significant environmental pollution by Hg, Pb, and Mn, causing serious concerns regarding the potential threat to the public health of neighboring populations around the world. The present study focused on heavy-metal contamination in the eggs, blood, feed, soil, and drinking water on chicken farms, duck farms, and free-grazing duck farms located in areas < 25 km and > 25 km away from a gold mine in northern Thailand. In an area < 25 km away, Hg, Pb, and Mn concentrations in the eggs of free-grazing ducks were significantly higher than > 25 km away (p < 0.05). In blood, Hg concentration in free-grazing ducks was also significantly higher than those in an area > 25 km away (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the Pb concentration in the blood of farm ducks was significantly higher than in an area > 25 km away (p < 0.05). The concentration of Cd in drinking water on chicken farms was significantly higher for farms located within 25 km of the gold mine (p < 0.05). Furthermore, a high correlation was shown between the Pb (r2 = 0.84) and Cd (r2 = 0.42) found between drinking water and blood in free-grazing ducks in the area < 25 km away. Therefore, health risk from heavy-metal contamination was inevitably avoided in free-grazing activity near the gold mine. The incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) in the population of both Pb and Cd exceeded the cancer limit (10−4) for all age groups in both areas, which was particularly high in the area < 25 km for chicken-egg consumption, especially among people aged 13−18 and 18−35 years old. Based on these findings, long-term surveillance regarding human and animal health risk must be strictly operated through food chains and an appropriate control plan for poultry businesses roaming around the gold mine.

Health significant alarms of toxic carcinogenic risk consumption of blood meal metals contamination in poultry at a gold mining neighborhood, northern Thailand

The proposes of this study were to compare THg (total mercury), Pb(Lead), Cd(Cadmium), and Mn (Manganese) contamination in poultry blood between polluted areas (≤ 25 km) and unpolluted areas (> 25 km) adjacent to the largest gold mining in northern Thailand. The THg level in the free-grazing duck in polluted areas was significantly higher than unpolluted area. Both THg and Pb levels in free-grazing duck were also highest in polluted areas. In contrast, the level of (Mn) in chicken blood was the highest in polluted areas. Cadmium in farmed duck from polluted areas was significantly higher than unpolluted areas. The target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI) of Hg, Pb, Cd, and Mn in all age groups in both areas did not exceed 1, meaning there is no possibility of the non-carcinogenic toxicity. Whereas, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of both Pb and Cd exceeded 1 × 10^-4 in all age groups and these were particularly higher in the polluted area and considered to yield significant health effects of increasing the cancer risk. The ILCR in descending order for Pb and Cd was 13-18 years old = 18-35 years old > 6-13 years old = 35-65 years old > 3-6 years old > 65 up years old, respectively. The results revealed that the human cancer risk related to consuming poultry blood contaminated with both Pb and Cd in all age groups must be of concern, especially 13-18 and 18-35 years, it must be recommended to avoid raising animals in contaminated areas, especially free-grazing duck.

Distribution and safety assessment of heavy metals in fresh meat from Zhejiang, China

There are increasing concerns on heavy metals in animal derived foods. We analyzed the levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Pb in 1066 fresh meat samples including pork, beef, mutton, chicken and duck from Zhejiang province, southeast China. The average levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Pb were 0.018, 0.002, 0.061, 0.801, 0.0038, 0.055, and 0.029 mg/kg wet weight respectively. There are significant positive correlations among Cd, Hg and Pb (P < 0.05) and negative correlations for Cu–Pb or Cu–Cd (P < 0.05). The exposure assessment showed that the health risk to humans by consuming these meat products was relatively low. However, regular monitoring of heavy metals in meat products is still recommended considering their intensive industrial activities.

Effect of river-lake connectivity on heavy metal diffusion and source identification of heavy metals in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Metal pollution poses a significant threat to ecological security and human health. Current research on the causes, sources and distribution of metal pollution in the Yangtze River plain is lacking. This study investigated the accumulation, risk, distribution, and sources of heavy metals in 62 lakes along the Yangtze River, and analyzed the relationship between river-lake connectivity, economic structure, population and metal diffusion. The mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, Hg, Zn, Cd, Pb and As in the surface sediments of these lakes were 90.8, 60.1, 0.06, 102, 0.89, 42.7, and 6.01 mg/kg, respectively. Most (99%) of the lake sediments were contaminated with Cd, and the lakes in the middle reach and southern bank of the Yangtze River had a higher ecological risk. Cr originated from the natural environment, whereas Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd and As were affected by human activities. The lakes disconnected from the Yangtze River had higher concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb and As, while the lakes connected to the river had higher concentrations of Cd and Cr. This comprehensive analysis determined the pollution characteristics of heavy metals, illustrated the causes of non-point pollution in the Yangtze River plain, and showed that soil-water erosion is important in metal diffusion.