Lead, Cadmium and Copper Levels in Table Eggs

Abstract

A total of 100 fresh hen's egg samples (pooled samples) including farmers' houses and poultry farms' eggs  were collected for estimation of lead, cadmium and copper levels (50 pooled samples for each type, each pooled was represented by 5 eggs). Poultry farms' egg samples were purchased from different shops and supermarkets, while farmers' houses eggs were purchased from farmers' houses in Assiut Governorate, Egypt. The samples were digested then, analyzed for detection and measurement of lead, cadmium and copper by using ZEE nit 700P Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer with Graphite Furnace Unit (AASG) (Perkin –Elmer Atomic Absorption Spectrophometry model 2380, USA). Results indicated that incidence of lead, cadmium and copper in farmers' houses egg samples were 96, 12 and 98% while in poultry farms’ egg samples were 98, 32 and 100%, respectively. Moreover, the samples above MPLs for lead in farmers' houses eggs and poultry farms' eggs were 47 (94%) out of 50 examined samples and fortunately all of examined samples contained cadmium and copper below the MPLs (0%) as stated by EOSQC (1993).