EN
A survey was conducted in 1990 to determine the background levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, zinc, copper and iron in muscle, liver and kidney of cattle in Poland. Tissue samples were collected from 470 cattle in 98 sampling points, 2 in each district (voivodeship). Mean concentrations of toxic elements (Pb, Cd, Hg, As) were relatively low. In muscle the mean concentrations of those elements were: lead — 0.027, cadmium — 0.018, mercury — 0.003 and arsenic — 0.007 mg/kg. The highest concentrations of toxic elements were found in kidney: lead — 0.211, cadmium — 0.982, mercury — 0.012 and arsenic — 0.020 mg/kg. Zinc, copper and iron levels were within the range of physiological values. The lead and cadmium concentrations in cattle kidneys and livers from industrial southern voivodeships were higher than those in the same organs from the other regions of Poland.