Dietary Intake of Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Nickel, and Lead through the Consumption of Meat, Liver, and Kidney and Assessment of Human Health Risk in Birjand, Southeast of Iran

This study aimed to evaluate the mean concentration of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in the meat and offal of cow and sheep. Also, the estimated daily intake (EDI) and health risk of these metals were calculated. Analysis of metals was undertaken by the use of an inductively coupled plasma-optic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). All samples were contaminated with all metals. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed a clear differentiation of cow and sheep in both the kidney and liver samples. In the liver and kidney, level of Cd, Cu, and Pb were positively correlated. The highest target hazard quotients (THQs) were calculated for Pb. Cd level in cow kidney had the highest carcinogenic rate (CR). Although, hazard index (HI) was lower than one, consumption of muscle especially in children should be noticed in both national and international consumers due to higher level of HI.