en تخصصي Special پژوهشي Research <p><strong>Background:</strong> This study was performed to evaluate the levels of heavy metals in the livers and kidneys of cattle, sheep and goats from a mining region in the west of Iran.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> In this cross-sectional study, 90 samples were collected from the livers and kidneys of cattle (n=30), sheep (n=30) and goats (n=30) from a slaughterhouse in Hamedan City, western Iran. Lead, cadmium, manganese, zinc, copper, and iron concentrations were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Lead concentration exceeded the permissible limit in all samples. Cadmium level was within the permissible limit in most samples, except for the cattle and sheep kidneys. Iron concentration was normal in all samples, except for sheep livers and kidneys. The rest of the elements (manganese, zinc and copper) were within the safe range. There were no sex and age-related significant differences in metal concentrations of cattle samples. The highest effects of age and sex were observed in sheep samples.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> The soil of these areas contains high level of lead and cadmium, contaminating the plants, water and animals of these regions; therefore, precise care and health inspection of livestock in these areas are recommended.</p> Heavy metal, trace element, liver, kidney, permissible limit Environmental Pollution, Heavy Metals, Liver, Kidney, Ruminants 7 13 http://ijt.arakmu.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-387-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Behnaz Bazargani-Gilani بهناز بازرگانی گیلانی b.bazargani@basu.ac.ir 10031947532846005652 10031947532846005652 Yes Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. گروه بهداشت و کنترل کیفی مواد غذایی، دانشکده دامپزشکی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران Mohamadreza Pajohi-Alamoti محمدرضا پژوهی الموتی 10031947532846005653 10031947532846005653 No Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. گروه بهداشت و کنترل کیفی مواد غذایی، دانشکده دامپزشکی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران Aliasghar Bahari علی اصغر بهاری 10031947532846005654 10031947532846005654 No Department of Clinical Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. گروه علوم درمانگاهی، دانشکده دامپزشکی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران Abas Ali Sari عباسعلی ساری sari_abas@yahoo.com 10031947532846005655 10031947532846005655 No Department of Food Hygiene and Quality Control, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran. گروه بهداشت و کنترل کیفی مواد غذایی، دانشکده دامپزشکی، دانشگاه بوعلی سینا، همدان، ایران