A multiannual survey of cadmium content in pig tissues collected in the Czech Republic during the years 2015–2019

The assessment of cadmium content in the muscle, liver and kidneys of fattening pigs and sows was conducted in the Czech Republic during the period of 2015–2019. The samples were collected from a total of 32 sows and 210 fattening pigs. The mean cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all sows was 0.102 ± 0.010 and 0.361 ± 0.032 mg·kg-1, respectively. The mean cadmium content in the livers and kidneys of all fattening pigs was 0.028 ± 0.001 and 0.141 ± 0.005 mg·kg-1, respectively. The maximum residual limit for human consumption was not exceeded in any sample. The cadmium content in the liver did not differ significantly between sows and fattening pigs in any particular year. In contrast, the cadmium content in kidneys differed significantly between sows and fattening pigs, being higher in sows (P < 0.05). No significant decreasing trend was observed for the cadmium content in tissues during the whole time period. It can be concluded that there is a need for further monitoring of the cadmium content in pig tissues in the Czech Republic. Heavy metals, kidney, sow, fattening pig Heavy metals are present in soil, water and air and their harmful effects on human and animal health are well known (Li et al. 2019). Cadmium is one of the most important contaminants. Prolonged exposure to low doses of cadmium can have an effect on human health, and great effort is exerted to minimize the exposure of the general public to the metal (Grawé et al. 1997). The toxic effect of cadmium lies in its negative impact on the enzymatic systems of cells. Cadmium has a very strong affinity for biological structures containing SH groups, such as proteins, enzymes, and nucleic acids (Stohs 1995). Another area of growing concern about cadmium is its multi-tissue carcinogenicity (Waalkes 2000). Compared to other potentially harmful environmental substances, cadmium is more easily transported from soil through the root system to the edible part of agricultural crops (Jalil et al. 1994; McLaughlin et al. 1996). Cadmium is a toxic metal that easily accumulates in the body. It has been shown to accumulate in almost all animal tissues, particularly in the liver and kidneys (Satarug et al. 2003). The source of cadmium in the viscera of pigs is most likely the feed with a high concentration of naturally occurring cadmium (Grawé et al. 1997). The determination of cadmium in pig tissues is carried out in the framework of monitoring programs which take place in many countries in order to avoid the distribution of food that could pose a risk to human health. The aim of the present paper was to analyze and present the results of a multiannual survey of cadmium content in pig tissues collected in the Czech Republic during the years 2015–2019. ACTA VET. BRNO 2020, 89: 349–355; https://doi.org/10.2754/avb202089040349 Address for correspondence: Doc. MVDr. Martin Svoboda, Ph.D. Ruminant and Swine Clinic Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic Phone: + 420 541 562 433 E-mail: svobodama@vfu.cz http://actavet.vfu.cz/