Schlagworle/key words: Russia, game animals, cadmium, lead, ,,bush meat" ... philosopher VERNADSKT (1940) undertook first .... Children
Beitege zur Jagd-und Wildforschung,Bd. 34 (2009) 487-504
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.,AGD &wlI.D forschuns' 34
Aroxrv Serctvlv, AnxeNorr< S,tveutv, VvacHtsr-av Sor,ol'vsv, Pavrr- Oru-ov, Kirov, ALEXANDER BoNDAREV, Barnaul. Lva Kovenov, Norilsk, Snncnv Cnsrummu, Astrakhar/Russia
Is Russiangamemeatdangerous?A lead and cadmiumcasestudy Schlagworle/key words: Russia, game animals, cadmium, lead, ,,bushmeat" quality
Introduction About especial quality of meat of game animals (,,bushmeat") the emphasisin many publications is placed (Wn,xrr-vevenet al. 2004). In Russia,ecotoxicologicalresearchhasbeendone lor almosta cenrury.althoughthe lerm \\ as introduced into pmctice much later and is still not widely usedtoday.At the beginningofthe 20th century, the outstanding Russian scientist and (1940) undertook first philosopher VERNADSKT studiesand deviseda progressivetheory on the relationship between the chemical composition of organisms and their environment. His followers Vruocneoov (1957) and Vonen (1960) studied the significance of microelements lor animalsaridplants. In the early 1970s, findings in wild and domestic animals living in areas with natual biogeochemicalabnormalitieswere published (KovAr,sKry 1974). Studies on the content of origin chemical pollutanls of anth-ropogenic in wildlife were first carried oui in the former USSR in the 1960s.However, at that time the results of those studies were classifiedas top secret. They were therefore not published in the scientific literature open to the public and not communicatedby mass media. Fimi accessible publications appeared,in the 1980s @oranznrvsrv 1985). At the sam€ time, large-
scale studies on wildlife ecotoxicology were staxted by the Institute of Plants and Animals Ecology in Sverdlovsk (now Yekaterinburg); however, mainly on micromammalia (Bnzel 1987).First paperson pollutant levels in game animals were published in the mid - 1980s. Studiesconcenhatedon wild ungulatesin the Baltic regions (Horoererv & Orr 1983), and later on ungulates and camivores in Byelorussia (Drnveenve1995,1996;SevcurNKo& SrDoRoVrcH1994). In the second hatf of the 1990s, researchon game animal toxicology re-stafied due to an improved economic situation and the availability of new analytical methods. Presently, about ten Russian scientific centers are engaged in ecotoxicologicalstudies on game animals. Among the toxic substancescontarninating the environment, healry metals are considered the most dangerous. Detemination of background concantations of thesemetals in the tissuesof game animals is important when evaluating the questionsof safety of meat of wild mammals and birds for human consumption. Tlre aim of our investigation was to estimate the level of lead and cadmium oollution of the game animals in some regions of Russia with useof own and rel'erence dataand comparison of the received results with data from other regionsof the world.
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Beitragezur Jagd-undWildforschung, Bd. 34 (2009)
the indicator of maximum permissibleconcentration (ma-\imum concentration limit) is. TechThe investigations were carried out during the niquesofan establishmentof suchlimiting conperiod 1998 2008. Researchofchemical com- centration in a foodstuff, soil, water and air are position ofmoose, brown beal hares,arrdgame in detail described in the literature (Kuzunove birds take place in Kirov region. Samples waet al. 2000, etc.). Comparingthe litemry infortefowl was taken from Kirov, Tuva and Altai mation on impurity production game meat, it is regions, samplesof pheasantswas taken from necessaryto consider that admissible threshold Astrakhan region, samples ftom reindeers was levels can strongly vary in the different countaken in Taimlr Peninsula. Investigations intries, and supervisingbodiesthroughoutsecond cluded the definition of microelements in difhalf of last century regularly made updating ferent organs and tissues with the aim to evaluof limiting sizes, gradually softening requireate the contamination level in such an object. ments.Constantlifting ofa lath ofthe resolved Sampleswere collecteddudng the autumn-win- quantities of pollutants has been connected, ter-spdng hunting period as in contaminated first ofall, with rising pollution ofenvironment areas as in conditionally clean and in places and all increasingdifficulty of observanceof where the chemical pollution was supposed to hygienic norms. In Russia special maxrmum exist. Shooting and trapping methods for ani- concentration limits are not developed for the mal harvestingwere used. Samplesof muscle, game meat, however hygienic norms operating liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, spleen,bones and here for meat ofagricultural animals are one of fat were taken. the most stdct in the world on arsenic, mercury The probes was put in chemical passivepack and cadmium and much more liberally on lead and frozen about -20oC until the time of that in a certain measurereflects real degree of the detemination. In the labomtory samples pollution by this metal of products of an animal were dried under the temperatue 60'C till the origin in our counhy (Table 1). weight became consistent,then the homoge- Hygienic norms repeatedly were exposedto the nized probes were prepared with ,dry" method. seriouscdticism, it is quite probablethat their The estimationoflead and cadmiumconcentra- obseryance does not guarantee full protection tions is basedon the method of flame atomic against negative influence from toxic substancabsorption spectrometry. The apparatus are es. As chemical environmentalcontamination ,,Spectr-5-3"and ,,Satum". For statisticalproin many indushial and developing countries is cessing of results generally accepted methods rather great, experts of the Joint Food and Agofanalysis (Socer-& RoHrn 1995)are used. riculture Organization/World Heatth Orgat\zation Expefi Committeeon FoodAdditives have suggestednot to forbid the most polluted products to use,and to limit receipttoxic substances Resultsand Discussion in an organism for a time unit. Long time exSpecial specificationsare developedfor an es- perts consideredthe weekly use with food and timation of degree of impurity of foodstuff in water of lead of 50 mkg,&gofweight of a body many countdes,basic of which is the indicato ofthe adult personas safethresholdvalue (proMaterials and methods
Table I Maximum permissible concenbation of lead and cadmium (mg/kg ww) in afoodstuff o.fan animal origin in Russia (SAN.-EPID. PMVILA ... 2002)
Age
Meat
Children3years
0,2
0,5
Metal
Pb
Adults
cd
Liver.heart.longue
Kidneys 0,5
0,6
1,0
Children
0,03
0,3
0,3
Adults
0,05
0,3
1,0
A leadand cadmiumcasestudy ls Russiangamemeatdangerous?
visional tolerableweekly intake,PTWI) (WHO 1977).To the begiming 1990 it was found out that the adult percon can use without risk for health twice less 25 mkg ofPb&g of weight ol a body per week (that is about 250 rrlkg ol lead on the adult man in weight of70 kg a day) (FAO^VHO 1990). By toxicologists' estimations, in industrially developedcountnesto an organism ofthe adult person with lood and water gets on the average from 48 to 574 mg of lead weekly (CuaDRanoet al. 1995,DABEKA & et al. 2005, McrlNzre 1987,Er.us 1985,F.c.Lco Fox 1987, LLoBETet al. 2003, MORETRAS et al. 1995,Ruaroet al. 2004). The basic sourcesof receipt of lead in diets of the person are plant products. On a share of meat and fish products 5-7 o/oof total of the metal getting to an organism with food and wate1 while on fiuit, vegetables,croups(especially bean) 50 65 Yo(Fox 1987) are necessary on the average. The PTWI for Cd in adults is 7 mkglkg body weight/week or 70 mkg/day. Estimated dietary Cd intakes vary widely in different countries. Most ol such estimates show that dietary Cd intake vary between l0 and 30 mkg/day, corespondingto 17-50 % ofthe PTWI QrlesnronxE & PeneNr-Massnr 2002; S,tmnuc et al. 2003). Approximately two-thirds of dietary Cd intake is derived from plant products, and animal produats provide the remaining one-third of total Cd intake (Fox 1987,Seraruc et al. 2002). Becausefoodstuffs are the main sourceof humarl intake ofheavy metals, greater efforts need to be made to reduce exposure to dietaxy Pb and Cd. Thus, the maximum level for Pb and Cd in a foodstuff should be set as low as reasonably achievable.From this point ,,additional" lead or cadmium from game meat which get to ar organism of hunters and members oftheir iamilies can lower ,,a stock of toxic durability" and evento be inju ous to health. The data under the maintenance dangeroustoxic agentsin objectsofthe wild natureofRussia and other countries of the former USSR is limited. The purposes of the reseaxchescoruIected with definition of a chemical compoundof an organismof wild animalswere very different.It is paradoxical, but the estimation of quality of meat ofgame did not enterinto problemsofthe overwhelming majority of them.
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The moose (Alces alces) is the main hunting object on taiga zone of Russia, meat of this speciesmakeshere the basic shareof ,,edible" production of the hunting economy. The greatest gastronomic value is represented by meat of animalsextractedduring the rutling season period (August-September). Afler animals pass on winter forages, flavouring qualities of their meat wo$en that is connectedwith smaller nutritiousnessand featuresof a chemical compound of branches and barks, and also deteriorationof energeticbalanceof arimals in the conditions of a cold and deep snow. Wild ungulatesmay be overloadedby ch,ronicexposure to metals ftom natural sources of minerals and from contamination.The majority of reported average Pb concentrations in organs from wild ungulates are below l mg/kg ww. Hepatic and renal concentrationsare similar. The highest concentrations are reported in wild boar- red deer and roe deer from Germany.in white-taileddeerftom the USA, and in reindeer from Norway, Spitsbergen, and the Canadian Arctic. Meat and organs of moose from the Kirov region contained insignificant quantities of lead and cadmium basically (Table 2). Strongly polluted there were only two individuals. Lead level came nearer to averageworld values. Average values and cadmium limits in meat, liver and kidneys were essentiallylower than in the majority ofregions ofRussia andthe world (Pic. 1). Meat and organs of a reindeer (Rangifer tarandas) ptay the important role in a food of inhabitants ofthe Far North, especiallyat the majodty of the aboriginal citizens. Meat of this animal diflers by especiallyhigh flavouring qualities. In seasonalmigmtionsin someareaslargescale purchases of meat are caried out. Extraction is canied out mainly on crossingsthough the large rivers. Production prepared thus not only is realizedto local citizens,but also delivered in other regions of the county. Antlers of the wild reindeer are used as the important source of biologically active substances.The maintenqnce of lead at a reindeer of Taimyr has appeared slightly more low, than at an moose from the Kirov region, and cadmium - a little above (Table 3). On the reference data high Pb and Cd concentrationsin reindeer may be result from their nutritional habit on the Arctic
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Table2 Concentration oflead alld cadmium in meat a d organs ofmoosefrom Kirov region, Russia (mg/kg drr)
Tissues
M
n
6
m
Med
mln
max
Lead,
Meat
t9
Liver
0,93
0,15
0,6'7
0,6'1
0,38
3,14 2,81 )ao
l'7
| 14
0,19
0,78
0,83
0,30
Kidneys
18
1,09
0,15
0,62
0,98
0,18
Lungs
8
0,81
0,13
0,3'1
0,83
0,36
1,30
0,17
0,69
o,'72
0,09
2,80
0,80 12,62
0,10
0,05
2,7|
0,13
0,05
52,0'7
Heart
l6
0,88
Meat
l9
na)
0,18
Liver
t'7
3,66
3,06
Kidneys
l8
3,09
10,17
0,21
0,08
8
0,87
0,69
1,95
0,t2
16
0,40
0,18
0,'72
0,13
0,09 0,06
Cadmium
Lungs Healt
2,8'7
T.NoMayS.Canada 4.Byelarussia S.Estoniao.Sweden 1.Russia 2.Russia 3.Russia Belgorod Karclia Kirov Pic. I Cadmiuminthe kidneysofmooseftom difrerentrcgionsofthe world 2007,4 - DERYABNA 1995,5 - HoDRErARv, Om 1983, 1-ourdata,2 -TvurrKovet al. 1997,3 - IvANrrR,MEDVEDDV et al. 1987 6 - FRANK 1981.7- FRosLrE 1986.8 - CRErE
plateaus,leeding p marily on lichens which accumulate large arnounts of these metals. The maintenance of the basic toxic metals in bodies and tissues of reindeers from vicinities of one of the world's largest metallugical enterprises ,,Norilsk nickel" has appeaxed rather low, essentially conceding to similar indicators for Nofihern Europe and Canada(Pic. 2). For
example the highest Cd conc€ntmtions measured in reindeer kidneys ftom Finland and Swedenare 4.8 and 8.5 mg&g ww respectively (Erursiou et al. 1990), whereas the highest value found in reindeer from a highland plateau in Central Norway was 30 mg,{
