Heavy metal contamination in duck eggs from a mercury mining area, southwestern China

• Main Authors: Xiaoling Guo (Author), Zhuhong Wang (Author), Xue Li (Author), Jing Liao (Author), Xue Zhang (Author), Yulin Ran (Author), Qixin Wu (Author), Ting Zhang (Author), Zhongwei Wang (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A., 2024-02-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 2296-2565; 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1352043
• Keywords: heavy metal; health risk; mercury mine area; free-range duck eggs; caged duck eggs; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270
• Source: Frontiers in Public Health, Vol 12 (2024)

ObjectiveMercury (Hg) contamination in the environment around mercury mines is often accompanied by heavy metal contamination.MethodsHere, we determined concentrations of chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) in duck eggs from a Hg mining area in Southwest China to assess the contamination and health risk.ResultsDuck eggs obtained from the mining area exhibit higher concentrations of Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb compared to those from the background area, with egg yolks containing higher metal levels than egg whites. Specifically, the mean Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb concentrations of duck eggs from the Hg mining area are 0.38, 63.06, 4.86, 10.08, and 0.05 μg/g, respectively, while those from the background area are only 0.21, 24.65, 1.43, 1.05, and 0.01 μg/g. Based on the single-factor contamination index and health risk assessment, heavy metal contamination in duck eggs poses an ecological risk and health risk.ConclusionThis study provides important insight into heavy metal contamination in duck eggs from Hg mining areas.