Bio-monitoring of Environmental Toxicants using West African Dwarf Goats at Amawzari Mbano, Imo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Several health risks have been linked to exposure to environmental toxicants in food consume by man. This study aimed to determine the level of environmental toxicants in goats tended by rural farmers. Fur and blood samples were carefully collected from sixteen (16) goats in open range husbandry (ex situ) at four sites in Amawzari, Imo State, Nigeria. The samples were digested and analyzed separately to determine the concentrations of some environmental toxicants (heavy metals). The concentrations of Pb, Cr, Cd and Ni in blood were 0.01 to 0.05, 0.01 to 0.07, 0.00 to 0.01 and 0.05 to 0.12 mg/kg, while their concentration in fur were 0.02 to 0.03, 0.001 to 0.006, 0.00 to 0.00, and 0.04 to 0.05 mg/kg, respectively. Pearson correlation analysis show very strong positive relationship between Pb in blood and Pb in fur (r = 0.855, p < 0.01) and Ni in blood and Ni in fur (r = 0.811, p < 0.01). The order of abundance of the four heavy metals tested in goat fur and blood is Ni > Cr > Pb > Cd. Based on our findings, the concentrations of heavy metals in blood were higher than its corresponding values in fur. Thus, consumption of meat processed from these metal-contaminated goats and utilization of their blood to manufacture blood meal for pigs and poultry birds will result to bio-magnification of heavy metals in man and animals. Therefore, we recommend that rural farmers should be enlightened on health challenges associated with in situ form of animal husbandry.