Can red deer antlers be used as an indicator of environmental and edible tissues’ trace element contamination?

Abstract

Venison is an attractive product for consumers concerned with healthy lifestyle; however, it can contain high levels of toxic elements, and therefore, it is a possible source of hazardous contaminants in human diet. Antlers are suitable bioindicators of environmental metal contamination, and herein, we assessed the ability of trace element levels in antlers to indicate levels in edible soft tissues. We determined the concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) in the liver, kidney, muscle, and antlers of 14 free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) from northeastern Poland using atomic absorption spectrometry. We found the highest concentrations of Pb (0.321 ± 0.165 mg/kg), As (0.045 ± 0.074 mg/kg), Zn (105.31 ± 16.33 mg/kg), and Fe (220.92 ± 117.18 mg/kg) in antlers; of Cd (4.974 ± 1.90 mg/kg) and Hg (0.048 ± 0.102 mg/kg) in kidney; and of Cu (7.29 ± 7.02 mg/kg) in the liver. A positive relationship between concentrations in antlers and muscle was found only for Cu (p = 0.001), and it therefore appears that red deer antlers cannot be used as an index for element concentrations in soft tissues. While our results confirm that the Mazury region is little polluted, consumption of red deer offal from this area should be limited according to extant legal limits set for livestock consumption.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-017-8798-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Monitoring of metal content in the tissues of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and its food safety aspect

“…The concentration of Zn in the liver of wild boar was closely similar in females (54.73 ± 14.39 mg/kg) and males (62.77 ± 12.00 mg/kg) (Kasprzyk et al 2020 ). The detected concentration of Zn was 67.14 ± 15.67 mg/kg in the muscle of red deer in Poland, which is slightly higher than that detected by us in wild boars (Giżejewska et al 2017 ).…”

“…Higher concentrations were noted in ruminants such as in European deer muscle tissue ( Capreolus capreolus ) at an average of 1.65 mg/kg (extreme: 0.43–5.36 mg/kg) and in red deer ( Cervus elephus ) meat (average: 11 mg/kg; extreme value: 5.7–22 mg/kg) (Dlugaszek and Kopczyński 2013 ; Jarzyńska and Falandysz 2011 ). Giżejewska et al ( 2017 ) determined the concentration of Cu in tissues of free-ranging red deer in Poland and find an average of 7.29 ± 7.02 mg/kg Cu in the liver, 4.08 ± 0.45 mg/kg Cu in the kidney, and 1.10 ± 0.35 mg/kg Cu in the muscle tissue.…”

“…Sources of environmental pollution are located not only near industrial areas but also in agricultural and natural ecosystems, sometimes away from emission sources (Giżejewska et al 2015 ; 2017 ).…”

The Mineral Composition of Bone Marrow, Plasma, Bones and the First Antlers of Farmed Fallow Deer

“…In fallow deer, as well as in farmed and wild red deer living in the same area, the presence of toxic elements in their tissues was demonstrated: lower concentrations of Sb, Ba, Pb, As and Be, higher Cd concentrations, and similar As and Ba levels [ 8 ]. Bone tissues can therefore serve as a reservoir of heavy metals [ 82 ]. There are no precise quantitative data on the rate of remodeling of the deer skeletal system; most data concern the movement of minerals and other substances from the bone to the antler as it grows [ 83 ].…”

Cadmium Body Burden and Inflammatory Arthritis: A Pilot Study in Patients from Lower Silesia, Poland

“…The liver is a source of complete protein, vitamins, and minerals [ 54 ]; however, because of its function in the body, it also accumulates heavy metals and toxins. High levels of cadmium are detected in edible offal, especially in kidneys and liver [ 53 , 57 , 58 , 59 ]. The higher consumption of offal (liver) among the IA patients as compared with the controls may be explained by the fact that it is generally perceived as healthy.…”