Dike NgoziI
Keywords: Trace-elements, bioaccumulation, vegetable-diets, rabbits, liver, meat, bone and faeces.
Abstract: This study focused on determination of eight trace elements - aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), rubidium (Rb) and vanadium (V) concentrations in cabbage and carrots raised on an irrigated farm within the catchment area of River Jakara in Kano, Nigeria and in selected tissues notably liver, meat and bone and faeces of rabbits that fed on them. The samples of the vegetable feeds, tissues and faeces were analyzed for the presence of the trace elements using Neutron Activation Analysis. The results show that the concentrations of the trace elements in the selected studied vegetable diets, tissues and faeces are varied. In the mean combined diets, livers, meat, bones and faeces, the order of the trace elements were Al>Fe>Zn>Mn>Rb>Cr>Co>V, Fe>Zn>Al>Rb>Mn>Cr>Co and V, Zn>Fe>Al>Rb>Co,Cr,Mn and V, Zn>Al>Rb>Mn>Fe, Co, Cr and V, and Fe>Al>Zn>Mn>Rb>Cr>V>Co respectively. The concentrations of the trace elements except those of Co, Cr and V were high in the vegetable diets, some of which were above the international permissible limits and their accumulation in the liver, meat and bones of rabbits varied with the highest in the liver.
[View Complete Article]