Abstract
Human milk is widely recognised as the optimal and irreplaceable source of nutrition for newborns and infants during the first six months of life due to its unique composition and immunological benefits. However, environmental contamination—particularly from heavy metals—represents a potential risk to infant health, as these elements can be transferred through lactation. Given the concerning levels of environmental pollution in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara, this study employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to quantify the presence of toxic and essential metals in breast milk samples (15–50 mL) donated by 30 women residing in the region. The analysis revealed that lead, cadmium, and arsenic were present at concentrations below 0.01 µg/mL. Variations were observed in the levels of essential elements such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium, with a consistently elevated sodium-to-potassium (Na:K) ratio across all samples. The absence of internationally standardised reference values for metals in human milk limits comparability across studies and hinders global risk assessments. Nevertheless, the findings of this study suggest that, with respect to metal content, the breast milk analysed is considered safe for infant consumption.
Presenters
Ariana Rodríguez ArreolaResearcher, Pharmacobiology, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Human milk, Heavy metals, ICP-MS, Infant exposure
