Lead and cadmium levels in cattle muscle and edible tissues collected from a slaughter slab in Nigeria.

Contamination levels of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in muscles, liver and kidney of 50 randomly selected, freshly slaughtered cattle in Ogun State, Nigeria were assessed using an official procedure and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results showed that Pb and Cd were present in all of the tested samples. Mean Pb concentrations were 0.721 ± 0.180 mg kg(-1), 0.809 ± 0.220 mg kg(-1) and 0.908 ± 0.422 mg kg(-1) in muscle, liver and kidney tissues, respectively. Mean Cd concentrations were 0.157 ± 0.049 mg kg(-1), 0.172 ± 0.071 mg kg(-1) and 0.197 ± 0.070 mg kg(-1) in muscle, liver and kidney tissues, respectively. Pb and Cd levels in muscle versus kidney tissues and also in liver versus kidney samples were significantly different (p < 0.05). Mean Pb concentrations in all tested tissues were significantly higher than the International Standards while the mean Cd concentrations in liver and kidney samples were within the limits of these standards.