Abstract
Cattle in the Kempen area (in the province North-Brabant, the Netherlands) were investigated for cadmium, lead, zinc, and copper in livers and kidneys. The animals originated from farms located within a 20 km radius around several zinc refinery plants. The local soil is polluted with zinc and cadmium because of a thermal refining process used in the past.
Mean cadmium organ concentrations were 2.5 times, and mean lead organ concentrations were 1.5 times higher than the concentrations found in controls. Copper levels tended to be decreased, but zinc levels did not differ from controls.
The observed cadmium and lead organ concentrations did not indicate intoxication of the animals, but 22% of the kidneys and 3% of the livers investigated trespassed the maximum tolerance limit of cadmium with regard to human consumption.
Continuous control of cadmium organ contents in organs from slaughtercattle kept in cadmium-polluted areas is recommended.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aaseth, J. and Norseth, T.: 1986, ‘Copper’, in Friberg, L., Nordberg, G. F., and Vouk, V. B. (eds.), Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, (2nd ed.), Vol. II, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 233–254.
Baars, A. J., VanBeek, H., Spierenburg, Th. J., Beeftink, W. G., Nieuwenhuize, J., Pekelder, J. J., and Boom, J.: 1988, ‘Environmental Contamination by Heavy Metals and Fluoride in the Saeftinge Salt Marsh (The Netherlands) and its Effect on Sheep’, Veterinary Quarterly 10, 90–98.
CCRX — Coordinating Commission for the Measurements of Radioactivity and Xenobiotics: 1985, ‘Cadmium, de belasting van het Nederlandse milieu (Cadmium, its Burden of the Dutch Environment)’, Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Environment, Leidschendam.
Doyle, J. J. and Spaulding, J. E.: 1978, ‘Toxic and Essential Trace Elements in Meat — a Review’, J. Anim. Sci. 47: 398–419.
Elinder, C.-G.: 1986, ‘Zinc’, in Friberg, L., Nordberg, G. F., and Vouk, V. B. (eds.), Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, (2nd ed.), Vol. II, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 664–679.
Friberg, L., Kjellström, T., and Nordberg, G. F.: 1986, ‘Cadmium’, in Friberg, L., Nordberg, G. F., and Vouk, V. B. (eds.), Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, (2nd ed.), Vol. II, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 130–184.
Hunziker, P. E. and Kägi, J. H. R.: 1985, ‘Metallothionein’, in Harrison, P. (ed.), Metalloproteins, Part 2, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, pp. 149–181.
Krajnc, E. I., Vos, J. G., and VanLogten, M. J.: 1983, ‘Recent Animal Studies with Regard to Cadmium Toxicity’, in Schmidt, E. H. F. and Hildebrandt, A. G. (eds.), Health Evaluation of Heavy Metals in Infant Formula and Junior Food, Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp. 112–119.
NAS — National Academy of Science, National Research Council, Subcommittee on animal nutrition: 1980, ‘Mineral Tolerance of Domestic Animals’, Washington DC.
Nederlandse Staatscourant (Dutch Governmental Newspaper): March 22, 1985, ‘Regeling normen zware metalen (Settlement of Rules for Heavy Metals)’, Government Publishing Office, Den Haag, no. 58, p. 9.
Nordberg, G. F., Parizek, J., Pershagen, G., and Gerhardsson, L.: 1986, ‘Factors Influencing Effects and Dose-Response Relationships of Metals’, in Friberg, L., Nordberg, G. F., and Vouk, V. B. (eds.), Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, (2nd ed.), Vol. I, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 175–205.
Ramakrishna, T. V., Robinson, J. W., and West, P. W.: 1967, ‘Determination of Copper, Cadmium and Zinc by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy’, Anal. Chim. Acta, 37, 20–26.
Sachs, L.: 1984, Angewandte Statistik, (6th ed.), Springer Verlag, Berlin.
Tsuchiya, K.: 1986, ‘Lead’, in Friberg, L., Nordberg, G. F., and Vouk, V. B. (eds.), Handbook on the Toxicology of Metals, (2nd ed.), Vol. II, Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 298–353.
VanBeek, H., Greefkes, H. C. A., and Baars, A. J.: 1987, ‘Determination of Copper, Iron, Manganese, Lead and Cadmium in Automatically Wet-Digested Animal Tissue by Graphite-Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry with Zeeman Background Correction’, Talanta 34, 580–582.
VanBruwaene, R., Kirchmann, R., and Impens, R.: 1984, ‘Cadmium Contamination in Agriculture and Zootechnology’, Experientia 40, 43–52.
VanDriel, W. and Smilde, K. W.: 1981, ‘Heavy-Metal Content of Dutch Arable Soils’, Landwirtsch. Forschung 38, 305–313.
VanLuit, B. and Smilde, K. W.: 1983, ‘Onderzoek naar de verontreiniging met cadmium en zink van grond en gewas in de omgeving van zinkfabrieken (Study of the Cadmium and Zinc Contamination of Soil and Vegetation in the Neighbourhood of Zinc Refineries)’, Bedrijfsontwikkeling 14, 489–493.
Wentink, G. H., Wensing, Th., Baars, A. J., VanBeek, H., Zeeuwen, A. A. P. A., and Schotman, A. J. H.: 1988, ‘Effects of Cadmium on Some Clinical and Biochemical Measurements in Heifers’, Bull. Environm. Contam. Toxicol. 40, 131–138.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Spierenburg, T.J., De Graaf, G.J., Baars, A.J. et al. Cadmium, zinc, lead, and copper in livers and kidneys of cattle in the neighbourhood of zinc refineries. Environ Monit Assess 11, 107–114 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401723
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00401723