Heavy metal residues in beef carcasses in Beni-Suef abattoir, Egypt

Overview

Khalafalla and colleagues measured lead, cadmium, total arsenic, total mercury, nickel, and total chromium in cattle muscle, liver, and kidney samples from the Beni-Suef abattoir in Egypt. The study reports µg/kg fresh weight tissue concentrations for 100 samples per tissue. Offal and muscle are kept separate because kidney carried the highest mean concentrations for most analytes.

Key numbers

• Sample frame: 300 samples total from cattle slaughtered at Beni-Suef abattoir, comprising 100 muscle, 100 liver, and 100 kidney samples; cattle were less than three years old (18-30 months).
• Table II overall means (µg/kg fresh weight, mean ± SE): muscle lead (Pb) 8.77 ± 0.76, cadmium (Cd) 1.40 ± 0.22, total arsenic (tAs) 5.06 ± 0.46, total mercury (tHg) 3.91 ± 1.07, nickel (Ni) 21.17 ± 1.78, chromium (Cr) 11.20 ± 0.76.
• Table II overall means (µg/kg fresh weight, mean ± SE): liver Pb 42.70 ± 4.39, Cd 14.16 ± 0.72, tAs 4.64 ± 0.40, tHg 5.81 ± 0.68, Ni 14.59 ± 1.16, Cr 21.85 ± 2.24.
• Table II overall means (µg/kg fresh weight, mean ± SE): kidney Pb 109.42 ± 10.68, Cd 62.56 ± 4.28, tAs 14.92 ± 1.70, tHg 10.14 ± 0.58, Ni 34.95 ± 2.96, Cr 25.49 ± 2.51.
• Table I lead (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=7, minimum ND, maximum 35.60, mean 8.77, SE 0.76; liver n=100, <LOD=2, minimum ND, maximum 196.65, mean 42.70, SE 4.39; kidney n=100, <LOD=1, minimum ND, maximum 464.80, mean 109.42, SE 10.68.
• Table III cadmium (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=9, minimum ND, maximum 17.78, mean 1.40, SE 0.22; liver n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 4.46, maximum 41.85, mean 14.16, SE 0.72; kidney n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 16.92, maximum 280.75, mean 62.56, SE 4.28.
• Table IV total arsenic (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 1.85, maximum 26.77, mean 5.06, SE 0.46; liver n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 1.20, maximum 26.36, mean 4.64, SE 0.40; kidney n=100, <LOD=3, minimum ND, maximum 113.00, mean 14.92, SE 1.70.
• Table V total mercury (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=1, minimum ND, maximum 80.80, mean 3.91, SE 1.07; liver n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 0.67, maximum 45.72, mean 5.81, SE 0.68; kidney n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 2.51, maximum 26.29, mean 10.14, SE 0.58.
• Table VI nickel (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 1.35, maximum 90.27, mean 21.17, SE 1.78; liver n=100, <LOD=2, minimum ND, maximum 42.46, mean 14.59, SE 1.16; kidney n=100, <LOD=4, minimum ND, maximum 143.85, mean 34.95, SE 2.96.
• Table VII total chromium (µg/kg fresh weight): muscle n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 1.05, maximum 47.95, mean 11.20, SE 0.76; liver n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 1.96, maximum 112.85, mean 21.85, SE 2.24; kidney n=100, <LOD=0, minimum 2.60, maximum 143.62, mean 25.49, SE 2.51.

Methods (brief)

The authors randomly selected cattle from the Beni-Suef abattoir slaughter line, packed muscle, liver, and kidney samples separately in plastic bags, identified them, and stored them at -18°C until analysis at the Max Rubner Institute in Kulmbach, Germany. Visible fat was removed and samples were homogenized for about 20 sec using a laboratory mixer with a pure-titanium blade to avoid chromium and nickel contamination from stainless steel. Samples were wet-digested with HNO3 65% in closed microwave vessels, made up to 25 ml with double-deionized water, and analyzed by ICP-MS on an Agilent 7500 C with Octopole Reaction System; Cr was measured with collision-cell conditions because of Cr52 interference.

Related evidence

• Lead
• Cadmium
• Arsenic, Total
• Mercury, Total
• Nickel
• Chromium
• Beef
• Meat and poultry
• Organ Meats (Kidney and Liver)
• Beef

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