DETERMINATION OF THE FOUR SELECTED HEAVY METALS IN VITAL ORGANS OF POULTRY BIRDS AND LOCAL CHICKENS REARED WITHIN APETE COMMUNITY

ABSTRACT Poultry farming plays a vital role in global food security, particularly in developing countries, where it serves as a major source of affordable animal protein. The increasing demand for poultry meat and eggs has led to the expansion of both commercial and backyard poultry systems. However, this growth has coincided with rising environmental concerns, especially the contamination of poultry ecosystems by heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg). The primary objective of this research was to determine and compare the concentrations of four selected heavy metals Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd), Arsenic (As), and Mercury (Hg) in the liver, heart, and gizzard of commercially reared poultry birds and local free-range chickens. A total of four birds (two commercial and two local) were collected and their vital organs were harvested. Samples underwent preparation via drying at 150 ∘C and sequential dry ashing (at 450 ∘C) and acid digestion using concentrated nitric acid (HNO3). Heavy metal concentrations were quantified using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). The analytical reliability was ensured through a rigorous Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) program. Statistical analysis utilized descriptive statistics and One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to compare concentration differences across the aggregated sample groups. The results confirmed the presence of all four heavy metals in the analyzed organs. Arsenic and Cadmium exhibited the highest concentrations across the samples, with maximum values recorded in the liver (e.g., 3.597±0.025 ppm As and 1.400±0.02 ppm Cd). Descriptive data suggested higher As and Cd levels in local scavenging chickens, indicating greater environmental exposure. However, ANOVA results demonstrated no statistically significant difference (p>0.05) across the tested groups for Pb,Cd, and Hg concentrations, while As showed only a borderline non-significant result (p=0.051517). In conclusion, the detection of Arsenic and Cadmium at noteworthy levels highlights a definite potential food safety concern for consumers of poultry products from the Apete Community. While statistical power may have been limited, the absolute concentrations necessitate intervention.