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Potentially Toxic Metal Flux and Bioaccumulation Pathways in Buffaloes from Rural and Urban Agroecosystems: a
Ilker Ugulu1, Zafar Iqbal Khan2, Asma Ashfaq2,3
1Faculty of Education, Usak University, Usak, Turkey. ilkerugulu@gmail.com.
Environmental Geochemistry and Health
|May 21, 2026
Summary
Toxic metal contamination in Pakistan
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Food Safety
- Toxicology
- Agroecosystems
Background:
- Potentially toxic metal contamination in agroecosystems is a growing risk to environmental and food safety.
- Arid regions face heightened risks due to water scarcity, increasing reliance on groundwater irrigation and metal accumulation.
- Integrated assessments across environmental and biological matrices for these metals are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and nickel (Ni) in various environmental and biological samples.
- To assess potential metal accumulation in buffalo-rearing systems in Bhalwal, Punjab, Pakistan.
- To compare metal concentrations with established guideline limits and background levels.
Main Methods:
- Collection of irrigation water, soil, forage, milk, and hair samples from rural and urban buffalo-rearing systems.
- Acid digestion of samples.
- Quantification of metals using Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS).
Main Results:
- Iron (Fe) and Nickel (Ni) in irrigation water exceeded WHO and USEPA guideline limits at several sites, particularly in urban areas.
- Elevated concentrations of Fe and Ni were also observed in soil and forage samples.
- Milk and hair samples showed metal accumulation, with hair reflecting longer-term exposure, indicating potential accumulation patterns rather than definitive trophic transfer.
Conclusions:
- Buffalo-rearing systems in the study area show potential for toxic metal accumulation, particularly Fe and Ni, exceeding safety guidelines.
- Elevated metal levels in environmental matrices (water, soil, forage) correlate with findings in biological samples (milk, hair).
- Further research is needed to elucidate definitive trophic transfer pathways and long-term health implications.
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