Food-toxicological judgement of heavy metal content in the muscle of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the concentrations of the elements Arsenic, Cobalt, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Lead and Zinc in the muscle tissue of Roe deer. The 18 samples were taken from the biceps femoris muscle during the regular hunting season close to Eger in Hungary. Because of the difficulties involved in controlling and investigating the diet of wild animals, post mortem investigations is a good option to determine whether the concentrations present are dangerous for either the animal, for human consumption, or for both. The 18 samples were investigated using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the concentration of the above mentioned elements. Based on our results the level of Arsenic (0.27073±0.20082 mg/kg), Cobalt (0.143±0.02739 mg/kg), Chromium (0.69096±0.78338 mg/kg), Copper (12.4008±2.28991 mg/kg), Iron (26.7309±13.70023 mg/kg), Mercury (0.86659±0.40169 mg/kg), Molybdenum (4.0934±0.15594 mg/kg), Nickel (0.23361±0.09748 mg/kg), Lead (0.47956±0.21159 mg/kg) and Zinc (24.0554±15.08459 mg/kg) in the meat does not cause health risk for the human consumers according to PTWI and other official regulations. Some values were above the European average, but the concentrations were not high enough to be likely to produce any harmful effect. However, due to man-made hazards (e.g. pollution from for example industry and traffic), the environment in which the Roe deer reside can be contaminated and this can lead to accumulation of heavy metals in their tissue. The increased concentrations of heavy metals (Chromium, Iron and Nickel) in the tissue of the Roe deer may be due to the increased levels of them in the nutrient of deer (e.g. mosses) near the site where the samples were collected. Similarly, the use of Lead-based ammunition by hunters can lead to high concentration of Lead in the tissue of the hunted animal, and the hunters must take extra precautions to avoid ingestion of tissue contaminated with Lead from the bullet. The prolonged intake of the highly contaminated foods of animal origin (muscle, liver and other edible tissues) can lead to accumulation of heavy metals in the human body and can induce latent alterations or even chronic toxicosis. There were not found any concentrations in the Roe deer that were too high for the animal itself to cause toxicosis and other problems.