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. 2023 Apr 24;13(1):6656.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-33919-0.

Human health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in the breast milk consumed by infants in Western Iran

Kiomars Sharafi #  1 , Samaneh Nakhaee #  2 , Nammam Ali Azadi  3 , Borhan Mansouri  4 , Saba Miri Kermanshahi  5 , Maedeh Paknahad  6 , Yazdan Habibi  6
Affiliations

Human health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in the breast milk consumed by infants in Western Iran

Kiomars Sharafi et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the human health risk of some toxic metals/metalloids [lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As)] on infants via consumption of the breast milk of women living in urban areas of Kermanshah city, west of Iran. After collecting milk samples, the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessment as well as uncertainty analysis of toxic metal levels were carried out. The order of concentration of heavy metals/metalloids in the breast milk samples was Cr (41.07 ± 23.19) > Ni (19.25 ± 11.81) > Pb (11.5 ± 4.48) > As (1.96 ± 2.04) > Cd (.72 ± 0.42) > Hg (0.31 ± 0.26). The results revealed that the levels of Cr and Pb in the breast milk samples were exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) tolerable daily intake. In the breast milk samples a high levels of one of the trace elements As, Cd, Cr, Pb, and Ni were observed (over 73%) and in 40% of them the levels of Cr, Pb, Cd, As, and Ni were all above WHO tolerable daily intake. Moreover, the As-related point assessment of target risk factor (THQ) was higher than the allowable limit only for 1-month-old male neonates and 2-month-old female neonates (THQ > 1). In addition, Cr-related THQ scores were higher at all age and gender groups (THQ > 1). In conclusion, our findings suggest a potential risk of some metals for infants via the consumption of mothers' breast milk.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box-plot of heavy metal concentration levels in breast milk of participants. The bold point in orange shows WHO TDI.
Figure 2
Figure 2
the uncertainty analysis for TTHQ and TCR related to toxic metals of breast milk for boy infants with different age.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The uncertainty analysis of TTHQ and TCR related to toxic metals of breast milk for girl infants with different age.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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