Assessment of Heavy Metal Residues in Hides of animals Singed with Tyres, and Public Health Implications Associated with such Practice in Lokoja Metropolis

Abstract

The safety of food has been an issue of concern in developing countries like Nigeria where the processing method can pose some environmental health challenge. The use of scrap automobile tires to singe meat has been reported to possess some toxic materials that can pose health challenge to humans. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the concentration of heavy metals in meat singed with fire wood and scrap tires in Lokoja, Nigeria. Samples of cattle hides singed with firewood and scrap tires were collected from four (4) different abattoirs and analyzed for the concentration of Cu, Pb, Fe and Zn using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. There was significant increase in the concentration of Cu, Zn and Pb of the cattle hides singed with firewood and scrap tires when compared to the unsinged. The concentration of heavy metals for firewood singed cattle hide is within recommended Maximum Permissible Levels (MPLs) of the European Commission Regulations while the concentration of scrap tires is above the recommended Maximum Permissible Levels (MPLs) of the European Commission Regulations for Cu, Zn and Fe. Though there was increase in the concentration of Fe it is within the recommended Maximum Permissible Levels. The presence of heavy metals concentration above the permissible levels in cattle hides singed with scrap tires makes it unsafe for human consumption hence safer method should be adopted by the abattoirs.