Soil toxicity, biochemical and histopathological alterations of the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) liver at Sharkia...

The residual concentration of pesticides and heavy metals (arsenic, mercury, selenium, lead, cadmium, and aluminum) was measured in the soil and the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) liver from two localities at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The pesticide residues have taken the following pattern: chlorpyrifos > metalaxyl > piperonyl butoxide > thiophanate-methyl, in the soil. The residual concentration of pesticides was greater in the soil at Kafr El-Ashraf village (agricultural site) than at El-Qanayat city (garbage site) during the summer season of 2021 compared with the winter season of 2022. The soil and cattle egrets' liver of El-Qanayat city achieved the highest heavy metal concentration. Investigations of heavy metals indicated a general health risk related to the agricultural and garbage soils as the goodness of the bird's liver did not conform with the international standard limits advised by USEPA, FAO and WHO, and ANZECC and ARMCANZ. The paper significantly contributes to the heavy metal and pesticide potential risk indexes of the soil at two study sites which are limited in the literature on the perceived value relevance of the soil quality. Also, we are the first to study the state of the illness cattle egrets in Sharkia province and indicate the impact of pesticides and heavy metals on their liver tissues. Prospective adverse health effects in this case might be prevented if the soil were sufficiently cleaned and by reducing the pesticides and heavy metals usage as much as possible.