Presence of arsenic in pet food: a real hazard?

In this study, arsenic content in 200 cat- and dog-food samples was estimated by means of electro thermal atomic absorption (Z-ETA-AAS), after using the wet digestion method, that were imported or commercialised in Italy from 2007 to 2012. The maximum value of total arsenic (As) in the samples was 12.5 mg kg-1.

Effect of cooking on total mercury content in Norway lobster and European hake and public health impact.

The risk of Hg poisoning by eating seafood is considered real from the several international agencies that recommended, by fish consumption advisories, to pregnant women and young children to avoid or severely limit the consumption of the fish and shellfish with a high-range mercury levels. The analyses of two common species, European hake and Norway lobster, collected from an area of Central Adriatic Sea, reported high mercury levels in crustaceans. For Norway lobster total mercury exceeded, in six out of ten analysed pools, the recommended 0.

Sex- and age-related variation in metal content of penguin feathers.

The presence of xenobiotics, such as metals, in ecosystems is concerning due to their durability and they pose a threat to the health and life of organisms. Moreover, mercury can biomagnify in many marine food chains and, therefore, organisms at higher trophic levels can be adversely impacted. Although feathers have been used extensively as a bio-monitoring tool, only a few studies have addressed the effect of both age and sex on metal accumulation.