Exposure to Metal Accumulation in Chicken Giblets and Human Health Risk in Lokoja, Nigeria

Abstract

When consumed, the toxic heavy metals in chicken giblets pose a grave risk to humans. An inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) was used to measure the concentrations of metals (Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Pb) in the liver, gizzard, and kidney of chickens from the Lokoja poultry market. Except for lead, which slightly exceeded the FAO/WHO limit of 0.1 mg kg-1, the metal concentrations found were all within the threshold limit. The estimated daily intake (EDI), hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), and cancer risk (CR) were used to assess the risks that humans would face from consuming the chicken giblets. The Nigerian population's daily consumption of the metals under study was found to be less than the allowable dietary intake levels established by several international organizations. The giblets' estimated HI, which accounts for all the metals present, is 1.05E-01, meaning that the current intake level of consuming the giblets is safe. The carcinogenic risk associated with hazardous metals exhibits values below the 10-4 US-EPA reference limit, except for Cr. The risk due to Cr can be classified as a tolerable risk as Cr values were marginally above the threshold limit. The result indicated that Cr (56% in gizzard and 67% in liver) exposure was the main contributor to the overall cancer risk from the lifetime ingestion of Lokoja chicken giblets. The findings could not be regarded as cause for concern since the values of EDI, HQ, HI, and CR calculated were below their respective reference limits. It suggests that heavy metal exposure through the intake of Lokoja chicken giblets is not likely to cause potential health risks to consumers.