Level of Heavy Metal Residues in Dairy Animals, Faisalabad, Pakisttan: Heavy Metals

Heavy metals are a threat to public health. one way of their entry to the human food chain is through contaminated milk. The present study was conducted in north-east and north-west of Faisalabad, Pakistan, where sewerage water is used for irrigating the agricultural land. Fodder grown on these lands are used by the dairy animals. To ensure safety of such milk for human consumption, The concentration of heavy metal (Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb)rsidues was determined in cattle and goat's milk by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Milk from both of the species was found richly contaminated with selected heavy metals. The residual levels of Cd and Pb have been found higher in goat milk. The Ni residues in cattle milk are higher than in goat milk while residues of Cr are non significantly different in both species but these levels are much higher than the available MRLs in the literature and most reported values. Drastic measures are suggested to detoxicate and treat both the industrial and domestic effluents which are intended to be used for agricultural purposes.