Palestinian Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal (PMPJ)

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Effects of Daily Supplementation with High Dose Ascorbic Acid on Blood Lead Levels in Broiler Chicken after Intentional Exposure to a Concentrated Source of Lead
(2016) Ahed Zyoud; Hikmat S. Hilal; Mohammad Abd-Aldaym; Omar Abubaker; Ramzi Shawahna; Sawsan Abu-Rwess; Suheir Shehadeh; Tamara Idkeidek
Lead toxicity is an important global public health issue. The present study was conducted to determine the amount of lead deposited in chicken blood after intentional exposure to a concentrated source of lead for 1 week and to determine the effect of 4 week daily supplementation with high dose ascorbic acid (AA) on the blood lead levels in broiler chicken. Clinically normal mixed-breed adult laying chickens were used in this study. Chickens received lead acetate (200 mg/kg/day) for 1 week. A group of chicken received AA (500 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks. Another group did not receive any treatment for another 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for blood lead levels using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The baseline blood lead level was 47.5 ± 38.0 µg/L and increased significantly to 2755 ± 576 µg/L after 1 week of lead acetate treatment (P < 0.001). AA treatment reduced blood lead levels significantly (P < 0.05). Supplementing lead-contaminated feed with daily high doses of AA might protect from lead exposure when chickens are exposed to environmental pollution.