title: Trace elements in free-range hen eggs in the Campania region (Italy) analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
abstract: Eggs from hens raised on rural or domestic farms are a good indicator of environmental contamination, as the hens are in close contact with the ground and the air and can therefore accumulate heavy metals and other toxic contaminants from the environment as well as from the diet. In this paper, we report the results of the determination of 19 trace elements (As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn, Sr, Tl, U, V, Zn) in 39 hen egg samples collected from domestic poultry farms in the territory dubbed the "Land of fires" in the Campania region (Italy). This area is characterized by environmental problems caused by the illegal dumping of industrial or domestic waste in fields or by roadsides. In some cases, these wastes have been burned, thereby spreading persistent contaminants into the atmosphere. The content of trace elements in whole egg samples was determined by mass spectrometer after a microwave-assisted digestion procedure. Because European legislation does not indicate maximum values of these elements in this foodstuff, the results were compared with the content of trace elements reported in literature for eggs, in particular home-produced eggs, in various countries. In some cases (Cd, Cu, Ni, Mn), the content determined in this study was in line with those reported elsewhere, in other cases (Pb, Cr), lower values were found.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, via Salute, 2 -, Portici, Italy. mauro.esposito@cert.izsmportici.it.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, via Salute, 2 -, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cavallo
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, via Manfredonia, 20, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chiaravalle
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Puglia e della Basilicata, via Manfredonia, 20, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Oto
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Miedico
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, via Salute, 2 -, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pellicanò
authors.affiliation: UOD Prevenzione Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Regione Campania - Centro Direzionale is. C3, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rosato
authors.affiliation: UOD Prevenzione Sanità Pubblica Veterinaria, Regione Campania - Centro Direzionale is. C3, Napoli, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sarnelli
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno, via Salute, 2 -, Portici, Italy.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baldi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D057230:Limit of Detection; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008872:Microwaves; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014131:Trace Elements
keywords: Egg; Free range; Hen; ICP-MS; Trace elements