Arsenic and Heavy metals levels into edible fresh meat (chicken, goat, and beef) and associated health risks

The current study (very first) measured the concentrations (dry weight; µg/kg) of arsenic (As) and selected heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn) by using ICP-MS in muscle and liver samples of chicken, mutton, and beef from different areas (Peshawar, Islamabad, Gujrat, Lahore) of Pakistan. In general, the occurrence trend of studied toxic elements in liver and muscle samples were as follows: Zn > Cu > Mn > Cr > Ni > Pb > As > Cd. As, Cd, Pb (µg/kg) and Cu (mg/kg) were significantly higher in beef liver (110.2, 100, 358.6, and 115.1, respectively) than those of mutton (51.3, 63.3, 234.9 and 74.5) and chicken liver (41.3, 29.3, 115.5 and 11.3). On the other hand, As, Pb (µg/kg), and Zn (mg/kg) concentrations were significantly higher in the muscles of mutton (121.6, 247.7, 146.6, respectively) and beef (117.2,227.2 and 166.4) followed by chicken (44.5, 141.1, 41.3). Similarly, organ-wise levels of the studied toxic elements (particularly Mn, and Cu) were higher in liver samples than those of muscles of all types of animals except for As (high in mutton muscle) and Cr, Ni, Zn (high in beef muscle). Our results highlighted that beef (liver and muscle) is the most contaminated type of meat than those of mutton and chicken (liver and muscle). Correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) highlighted that studied toxic metals exposure may be linked to the contaminated soil/dust (Mn, Pb, Cd, Ni), water (As, Cr, Pb) and food (Zn, Cu, Cd, Ni) at different locations of Indus floodplain. Chronic exposure of the studied toxic metals (HQ > 1 for As, Cr, Cu, and Zn) through meat (particularly beef liver and muscle) consumption may be harmful for human health and may pose significant threat to the consumer’s health.