Some toxic and trace metals in big game hunted in the northern part of Poland in 1987-1991.

Game animal meats (muscle, liver and kidneys) collected from different regions in northern part of Poland in 1987-1991 were analysed for mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, manganese, zinc and iron. Toxic mercury, cadmium and lead occurred in relatively low concentrations in muscle and organ meats, with the exception of lead in muscle and cadmium in kidneys, which were relatively more contaminated. The concentrations of essential trace metals in samples examined seemed to be natural. Roe-deer contained relatively higher concentrations of copper, both in liver and kidneys, than stag and wild boar, while stag had higher levels of manganese in muscle meat and organs. The weighted mean concentration ranges obtained related to wet-weight for muscle, liver and kidneys of wild boar, roe-deer and stage were 1.2-3.4, 7.3-15, and 24-54 micrograms/kg for mercury; 10-10, 110-210, and 1500-2100 micrograms/kg for cadmium; 86-160, 190-210, and 210-290 micrograms/kg for lead; 1.6 and 1.8, 4.5-28, and 5.4-12 mg/kg for copper; 0.24-0.83, 1.7-5.2, and 1.3-4.1 mg/kg for manganese; 32-37, 37-47, and 30-48 mg/kg for zinc; and 24-31, 40-54, and 67-83 mg/kg for iron, respectively. Single specimens of elk and aurochs were examined also. From the point of view of health, contamination of muscle with lead, as a result of shot pellet fragmentation, and of kidneys with cadmium from the contaminated environment, seemed to be of greatest concern. The values obtained were compared with the available literature data.