Evaluation of Heavy Metal Residues in Poultry Farms in Ismailia Province

Heavy metals pollution, along with environmental pollution, is increasing every day. It contaminates foodstuff. Moreover, in the last few years, the frequency of renal failure and liver cirrhosis in a human was markedly increased which could be related to heavy metal pollution in Egypt. The present study was designed to investigate the presence of heavy metals (lead, cadmium and iron) as well as macro elements (sodium, calcium and manganese) in drinking water (tap and well water), feed and tissue residues in 5 different broiler's farms (A,B,C,D and E) in Ismailia Governorate. Farm A was in Fayed area, farm B was in El Tall El Kebir area, farm C was in Abu Khalifa area, farm D was in Taie area, and farm E was in Sarabium area. Both farms A and B used tap water while farms C, D and E used well water. Levels of lead (Pb) were non-detectable or within the permissible limits stated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Egyptian Organization of Standardization (EOS) in all water types, feed and tissues. The levels of cadmium (Cd) were non-detectable or within permissible limits in both water types, while it was detected in the feed of all farms and exceeded the permissible limit in farms B and C with increased tissue residue in farm B. Iron (Fe) water level was non-detectable in farm A, while it was detected in the other farms and were within the permissible limit. Iron feed and tissues levels were considerably high in broilers in all tested farms. Sodium was detected in higher levels in water and feed of farms C and D with exceeding permissible limits in the water. The sodium (Na) level was significantly higher in kidney samples of farm C than in other farms. Calcium (Ca) levels were higher in the water of farms C and D than permissible limits with significantly higher kidney residue in farm D than others. Magnesium (Mg) was detected in water within the permissible limit in all farms with more values in Farms C and D that were reflected as significant elevations in tissue residues of the former farms. Levels of heavy metal are variable between different farms under investigation with high levels of lead and cadmium in farms that used tap water for broilers farms that were attributed to the nearness of human activities to such farms.