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Competing interests No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported. Funding sources State funding sources (grants, funding sources, equipment, and supplies). Include name and number of grant if available. Not applicable. Availability of data and material This is a review paper.

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The present investigation was performed to assess the concentrations of four heavy metals-lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co)-in goats reared in the vicinity of an industrial area of West Bengal, India, including soil, water, and feedstuffs; tissues of liver, kidney, lung, spleen, and muscle; and milk and faeces. In addition, histopathological changes in liver, lung, kidney, spleen, and muscle samples were examined. Mejia block as an industrial polluted site and Vatar block as a reference site (without any industrial activities and 120 km away from the polluted site) were selected for this study. The results showed that concentrations of these heavy metals in soil, water feedstuffs, all tissues, milk, and faeces were greater (P < 0.05) in the polluted site than the reference site. The largest concentrations of Cd and Pb were found in kidney followed by liver, lung, spleen, and muscle. However, Co and Cu accumulations in the tissues were in following order: liver > kidney > lung > spleen > muscle. Concentrations of heavy metals were greater in older animals than in young ones. Haemoglobin, total protein, packed cell volume, total erythrocyte counts, and total leucocytes counts were significantly (P < 0.01) decreased in blood of goats in the polluted site compared with the reference site. Serum glucose, creatinine, aspartate amino transferase, alanine amino transferase, and alkanline phosphatase were significantly (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01) increased. Histological examination showed several pathological alterations including degeneration, vacuolation, and tubulitis in kidney; congestion, degeneration, periportal necrosis, and focal haemorrhages in liver; and congestion and diffuse haemorrhage in lungs. It was concluded that natural exposure to these environmental heavy metals significantly increases toxic heavy-metal concentrations in several visceral organs resulting in pathological changes in these tissues. Thus, consumption of the meat of goats reared in the polluted site may pose human health hazards.

This study was carried out to determine the concentrations of four heavy metals, cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and cobalt (Co), and histopathological lesions in tissues of chickens reared in an industrial area of West Bengal, India. In particular, Mejhia Block was selected as a heavy metal-exposed area and Vatar Block (120 km away from industrially polluted areas) as a reference site. Samples were collected from the backyard chickens in these areas. Concentrations of heavy metals in soil, water, feedstuffs, tissues (liver, kidney, spleen, lung, and muscle), and droppings were greater (p < 0.05) in the polluted site than in the reference site. The greatest tissue concentrations of Cd and Pb were noted in the kidney, followed by the liver, lung, spleen, and muscle, whereas Cu and Co concentrations accumulated in these tissues resulted in the following: liver > kidney > lung > spleen > muscle. Heavy metal concentrations were greater in older chickens (> 1 year) than in young chickens (< 1 year). Packed cell volume, total erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin, total protein, and total leucocyte counts were significantly (p < 0.01) lower in the blood picture of chickens in the exposed area. Different serum enzymes and biochemical profiles were altered due to heavy metal exposure. Histological changes revealed necrotic lesions and tubulitis in the kidney, degeneration and necrosis in liver parenchyma, and periarteriolitis, peribronchiolitis, and presence of hemosiderin pigment in the lung of chickens in the exposed site. Results indicated that backyard chickens in heavy metal-exposed site may show pathological lesions in different tissues due to accumulation of heavy metals, and thus, the consumption of chicken meat from the industrially exposed site may pose a potential health risk to local residents of polluted sites.