Cadmium bioaccumulation in the liver and muscle tissue of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) as bioindicators of environmental pollution in Serbia

Damjan Gavrilović; Nikola Borjan; Milenko Babić; Ognjen Krnjaja; Slobodan Dojčinović; Aleksandar Bajčić; Zoran Petrović

doi:10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.87

Damjan Gavrilović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0000-3786-496X
Nikola Borjan Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4067-3755
Milenko Babić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6467-6757
Ognjen Krnjaja Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2242-0457
Slobodan Dojčinović Food Safety Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Aleksandar Bajčić Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2923-4137
Zoran Petrović Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology, Belgrade, Serbia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2016-5681

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.87

Keywords: Cadmium, mallard, liver, muscle, biomonitoring

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the level of cadmium (Cd) contamination in the liver and muscle tissue of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) from three different locations in Serbia: Belegiš, Pločica, and the Vršački ritovi. A total of 55 samples were analyzed, collected during 2024. Cadmium concentrations were determined using the ICP-MS method following microwave digestion of the samples. The highest mean concentration in the liver was recorded at the Belegiš site (0.643 mg kg⁻¹), while the highest average value in muscle tissue was measured in Pločica (0.021 mg kg⁻¹). Although no statistically significant differences were found between locations, 40.7% of liver samples exceeded the reference value of 0.5 mg kg⁻¹ established for poultry, indicating a potential risk to human health. This study highlights the importance of wild birds as bioindicators of heavy metal pollution and the need for continued monitoring of cadmium presence in wildlife.