The aim of this study was to determine the trace minerals in the serum of goats in Zaria and its environs, and to find out the levels of lead and cadmium in the serum of these goats, so as to see if they can serve as biomonitors of pollution. A total of 120 goats were sampled from eight different locations randomly and their serum assayed for trace elements, lead and cadmium using the atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The values obtained were: lead 0.2586 ± 0.0437mg/L, cadmium 0.006 ± 0.0003 mg/L, chromium 0.072 ± 0.0058 mg/L, copper 0.0894 ± 0.006 mg/L, iron ± 0.0164 mg/L, zinc 0.256 ± 0.024 mg/L, nickel 0.127 ± 0.0078 mg/L, cobalt 0.135 ± 0.0087 mg/L, manganese 0.042 ± 0.0028 mg/L. Lead was above acceptable levels, cadmium was at acceptable levels, zinc, copper, iron and nickel were deficient, chromium was marginally deficient, while cobalt and manganese were normal. The effects of breed, sex, age and locations were generally not significant. The values obtained from lead is of public health significance, since these goats are sources of food to people in the immediate environment, and also this implies that people in the immediate environment are also exposed to the same sources of lead. There should be regular seromonitoring of blood lead levels in man and animals, and farmers should be enlightened on the need to augment the feeding of their animal with mineral supplements.
Key words: Heavy metal; trace element; goat; lead; seromonitoring
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