Authors : D.O. Nwude, P.A.C. Okoye and J.O. Babayemi
Abstract: The increasing level of pollution in both aquatic and terrestrial environment with which some animals which form part of human diet are constantly in contact has been a global concern, minding the contamination of aquatic and terrestrial organisms especially in countries which are prone to severe environmental pollution due to the lack of appropriate waste management system and technologies. In Nigeria as well as several other countries, meat from cattle is the most common hence, the need to assess the level of heavy metals in cow muscle tissue. The levels of Pb, Cd, Co, Zn, Cu and Fe were determined in the muscle tissue of 15 cattle at slaughter during 3 different seasons. The samples were digested and analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The values ranged from ND-14.80 mg kg-1 at the on-set of rainy season; 0.01-3.53 mg kg-1 at the peak of rainy season and 0.005-3.90 mg kg-1 during the dry season.
D.O. Nwude, P.A.C. Okoye and J.O. Babayemi, 2010. Heavy Metal Levels in Animal Muscle Tissue: A Case Study of Nigerian Raised Cattle. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 5: 146-150.