Trace element levels in liver and kidney from cattle, swine and poultry slaughtered in Canada

Levels of arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury and lead were determined in approximately 650 samples of liver and kidney from cattle, swine and poultry slaughtered in Canada during 1979-81. In addition zinc levels were determined in livers and kidneys from swine, and selenium and zinc levels were determined in the livers and kidneys from cattle. Depending on the element several methods of atomic absorption spectroscopy were used to analyze samples including flame, hydride generation, cold vapour generation and graphite furnace atomization. Analyses were also done by plasma emission spectroscopy. Levels of arsenic over 2.0 micrograms/g were detected in 0.9% of swine livers and 0.3% of swine kidneys. Cadmium levels higher than 1.0 micrograms/g were detected in 0.3% of cattle livers, 10.8% of cattle kidneys, 1.8% of swine kidneys, 0.4% of poultry livers and 0.3% of poultry kidneys. Levels of copper over 150 micrograms/g were detected in 0.4% of cattle and swine livers. Levels of lead over 2.0 micrograms/g were detected in 1.4% of poultry livers and 1.6% of poultry kidneys. The highest level of mercury detected in all species was 0.25 micrograms/g and the highest level of selenium was 1.9 micrograms/g. Zinc levels of over 100 micrograms/g were detected in 1.7% of cattle livers, 0.2% of cattle kidneys and 5.0% of swine livers.