Industrialization of the modern world has been found to generate compounds which are deleterious to life. This study assessed some heavy metal levels of the factory chickens in Nnewi, Anambra State, Nigeria. A total of twenty-nine (29) chicks aged between four (4) and five (5) months were grown to adult birds (chickens) for the study. They were allowed to feed from the surrounding homeland until they were due for the experiment. The chickens were sacrificed to obtain the blood for analyses. Approximately, 10ml of blood was collected from the heart into EDTA and Lithium heparin containers respectively for the estimation of lead (Pb) and other heavy metals (Nickel, Copper, Zinc, Arsenic and Selenium (Se). The plasma lead (Pb), Nickel (Ni), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Arsenic (As) and Selenium (Se) were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS).The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis by Students t-test using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) (Version 16) software. A P<0.05 was considered as significant. The result showed a significant decrease in the mean plasma level of Nickel (Ni) in the factory chickens (Urban chicken) when compared with the control chickens (rural chickens),(2.45±0.33 Vs 2.81±0.35; p=0.009), whereas, the mean plasma level of copper (Cu) was significantly increased in the factory chickens in comparison with those of the control chickens (9.11±0.92 Vs 8.37±0.10; p=0.049).Interestingly, there were no statistical significant differences observed in the mean plasma levels of Zn, As, Se, and Pb respectively (p>0.05).Therefore, the implication of this finding is that the consumption of chickens reared in urban areas may predispose the consumers to copper toxicity which may cause harmful effects on the kidneys and liver. Hence, caution may be necessary in its consumption inorder to avoid the bio-accumulative effects.
