CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

High arsenic groundwaters are characteristic of the pampean plains in Argentina where most of the agricultural activities are performed. Cattle production is one of the most important forms of agriculture in the southeast of the province of Córdoba, Argentina. In this area, levels of arsenic as high as 4500 µg/L have been determined in shallow ground water (Pérez-Carrera and Fernández Cirelli, 2004, 2005). Toxic elements may be transferred from water and soil to the food chain being their dietary intake one major aspect of environmental pollution for humans. Arsenic levels in cattle have been measured in various countries but not in Argentina. The aim of this study was to determine arsenic concentrations in liver, kidneys, muscle and udder of cows (6-7 years old) from medium and small sized farms located in Bell Ville, Córdoba, Argentina. Since As concentration in cows? tissues are low, total arsenic was determined, previous digestion of the samples, by hydride generation coupled to ICP-OES (detection limit 0.1 ng/g). Determinations were performed in duplicate with a relative error < 1.0% for all of them. Arsenic concentrations in liver ranged from 27 to 46,5 ng/g, while in kidneys ranged from 24 y 73,2 ng/g. In muscle and udder samples, arsenic concentrations were under the detection limit. The obtained results are in accordance with those previously reported in other regions (Lopez Alonso et al. 2000, 2002). In all of the analyzed samples arsenic concentration was bellow the maximum limit proposed by SENASA (National Service of Animal Health, Argentina): liver (1000 ng/g), kidney (1000 ng/g) and muscle (500 ng/g). In spite of the high arsenic concentrations found in cattle drinking water, levels in bovine tissues are considerably lower. Further studies are in progress to determine the contribution of cattle products to arsenic daily intake.

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