Toxicological assessment of toxic element residues in swine kidney and its role in public health risk assessment

Abstract

In order to ensure the safety of consumers in Serbia the prevalence of toxic elements (As, Cd, Hg, Pb) in swine kidney collected from three different areas in Serbia (n = 90) was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Also, in order to find information on the effects of accumulation of toxic elements on swine kidney, pathohistological examination of the kidneys was performed. The presence of mercury was found in 33.3% of kidney samples in the range of 0.005-0.055 mg/kg, while the presence of cadmium was detected less often (27.7%) but in larger amounts (0.05-1.23 mg/kg). The presence of arsenic was found only in one sample, while no lead was found. The results of the metal-to-metal correlation analysis supported there were the result of different sources of contamination. Pathohistological examination of kidneys confirms tubulopathies with oedema and cell vacuolization. In addition, haemorrhages and necrosis of proximal kidney tubule cells were found. This study demonstrates that toxic elements in Serbian slaughtered pigs are found at levels comparable to those reported in other countries, and consequently the levels reported in this study do not represent a concern from a consumer safety point of view. The lack of a strong correlation between histopathological changes and the incidence of toxic elements found in this study might be explained as the result of synergism among toxic elements and other nephrotoxic compounds which enhance the toxicity of the individual toxins even at the relatively low mean concentrations observed in this study.

Keywords: kidney; pathomorphology; residue; swine; toxic elements.

Figure 1.

External surface of kidneys from which where Hg and Cd were detected.

Figure 2.

Major renal histopathological changes. Hemorrhages in cortex (A), Fatty change (B), Dystrophy and vacuolar degeneration in the epithelium of proximal tubules` cells (C), and Focal interstitial nephritis (D).

Figure 3.

Summary of pathohistological findings (PH) of renal tissues and incidence of toxic elements in kidney from slaughtered pigs (n = 90). Necrosis of proximal tubule cells (1), hypercellularity of vascular loop (2), vascular changes (3), exudat in Bowman’s space (4), focal interstitial nephritis (5), dystrophy of proximal tubule cells (6), swelling of proximal tubule cells (7), renal hemorrhages (8), fatty changes of proximal tubules cells (9). N-number of pathohistological findings of renal tissues and co-incidence of toxic elements in kidney.