Survey of Pollution With Heavy Metals in Various Tissues of Sheep in the Vicinity of Specialized Industrial Park of Zinc in Zanjan Province

To maintain the health of consumers and achieve food safety, the control of maximum allowed heavy metals in food should be considered. This study aimed to investigate the concentration of heavy metals of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) in livestock tissues in the vicinity of Zinc Specialized Industrial Park.

Ten samples were collected from each sheep tissue (including meat, liver, kidney, and bone) in each of the four geographical directions. To compare the current situation, samples from a control area (Qarah Poshtlu area of Zanjan) were also considered. A dry ash method was used to digest organic matter.

Based on the results, the concentration of Cu was significantly high in the muscle and liver of the control group (P <0.05). The concentration of Zn was not affected by the study areas. The accumulation of Pb in the liver and bone and Cd in the muscle and liver of animals was significantly high in the western part of the study area (P <0.05). The levels of Cu in the kidney and bone tissues, Pb in the muscle and kidney tissues, and Cd in the kidney and bone tissues were not affected. The accumulation of Cu was inversely related to Pb and Cd.

In general, the results showed that despite heavy metal accumulation in the west of the study area, the concentrations of these metals in the tissues of sheep around it were within the allowable range and they were not dangerous to consumers.