ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINANTS IN ROE DEER, RED DEER, FALLOW DEER, MOUFFLON AND WILD BOAR

Results are given for the content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Hg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), organochlorine pesticides (PSM) and radiocaesium in samples of game from the Schorfheide-Chorin biosphere reserve between December 1991/January 1992 and November/December 1992. The muscle, liver, kidney and fatty tissue were examined in a total of 127 samples of roedeer, red deer, fallow deer, moufflon and wild boar. The benzo-(a)-pyrene contents of all fat samples from the game examined were definitely below the maximum value of 1 mug/kg laid down in sectional sign 1 sec. 2 of the meat regulations for smoked meat products. When examining liners, kidneys and muscles for their content of heavy metals the serious contamination of the kidneys was particularly noticeable. Almost all the kidney samples from roedeer, red deer, fallow deer and wild boar exceeded the ZEBS guide value for cadmium (0.50 mg/kg). The kidneys of the roedeer were particularly heavily contaminated. The Cd content of the livers exceeded the ZEBS value of 0.30 mg/kg fresh matter in the case of 5 samples each of roedeer and wild boar. Examination of muscle samples showed that their contents of Cd, Pb and Hg almost all lay below the limits of determination (Cd: 0.025, Pb: 0.05, Hg: 0.013 mg/kg fresh matter) for the relevant heavy metal. Except in the case of DDT and its metabolites the maximum quantities regulations (PHmV, 1989; SHmV, 1988) were not exceeded as regards the PSM or PCB content of any of the fat samples examined. 2 values in the 9 wild boar samples exceed the PHmV limit and it was found generally that the DDT contents of wild boar samples are higher than those for other kinds of game. Apart from 2 wild boar samples the caesium-137 contents of muscle samples from all the game examined lie below 600 bq/kg fresh matter, the EC limit for imports from non-EC countries. The cases where the limit was exceeded come from the period December 1991/January 1992. The radiocaesium contents of samples from the period November/December 1992 are clearly below the values for this period and below the limit (maximum: 158 bq/kg muscle). It can be deduced from the results that the kidneys of the types of game examined are unfit for consumption and particularly so on account of the Cd contamination. It is recommended that the livers of roedeer and wild boar from the district in question should not be eaten. The muscle meat (game meat) of the wild species examined makes only a small contribution to environmental contaminants and can therefore be regarded as quite harmless to the consumer.