Assessment of Trace Metals in Consumer Chickens in Bangladesh

BACKGROUND. Bangladesh is a densely populated country with a high demand for non-vegetable protein. Poultry meat is an important source of protein due to its affordability. Trace metals are persistent in the environment and are subject to bioaccumulation in the food chain. Contaminated poultry feed can pose a risk to human health as it biomagnifies and bioconcentrates toxic metals up the food chain, which can enter the human body and cause adverse and toxic health effects. OBJECTIVES. The aim of the current study was to assess the concentration and distribution of metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) in different types and parts of poultry in markets in Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS. A total of 15 chickens were collected from five commercial markets of Dhaka city. Three types of poultry were selected, broiler, layer and cock. Altogether, 45 chicken samples were analyzed for toxic metals concentrations using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. RESULTS. The concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Ni obtained in the broiler, layer and cock chickens were 0.728, 0.232, 0.392; 0.595, 0.245, 0.271; 0.058, 0.016, 0.096; 5.275, 1.562, 22.180; 3.571, 2.269, 4.241, and 0.332, 0.211, 0.433 mg/kg (wet weight), respectively. The results indicate that the concentrations of As, Cr, and Cu in the analyzed samples exceeded the maximum permissible levels, whereas the concentrations of Cd and Ni were within acceptable limits. Metal concentrations decreased in the order of Cr > Cu > As > Cd > Ni > Co. The target hazard quotient and cancer risk values were estimated for each metal due to consumption of the different types of chicken. CONCLUSIONS. The estimated metal concentrations of As, Cr and Cu were higher than the permissible levels of international standards, indicating a health risk. Groundwater in many parts of the country is contaminated with As and is a probable source of As contamination in poultry. High concentrations of Cr and Cu in chicken may be caused by contaminated poultry feed. In the present study, layer chickens were comparatively less contaminated with metals than other types of chicken. The estimated target hazard quotient and cancer risk values of the analyzed chicken samples were lower than acceptable limits for all individual trace metals in the three types of chicken, indicating no non-carcinogenic and cancer health risk from ingestion of a single trace metal through consumption of these chickens. ETHICAL APPROVAL. This study was approved by the Academic Committee of the Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. COMPETING INTERESTS. The authors declare no competing financial interests.