title: Concentration profiles of metals in breast milk, drinking water, and soil: relationship between matrices.
abstract: The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, and Zn were determined in breast milk of women living in Conceição das Alagoas, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The potential relationships between metal levels in samples of breast milk, drinking water, and soils collected in the study area were also established. Metal levels in breast milk, except Cr, were lower in comparison to WHO reference concentrations. Zinc was the predominant element in breast milk and drinking water samples, with a median level of 46.2 and 82.2 μg · L(-1), respectively. Soils presented a different pattern of metal concentrations with respect to those found in breast milk and drinking water, Chromium showed the highest median levels (148 mg · kg(-1)), while a certain predominance of Zn and Cu was also observed (47.0 and 43.0 mg · kg(-1), respectively). Similar profiles were observed when comparing metal concentrations in drinking water and breast milk (chi-square χ(2) = 14.36; p < 0.05). In contrast, breast milk-soil and drinking water-soil metal concentration profiles showed significant differences (χ(2) = 635.05 and χ(2) = 721.78, respectively; p < 0.05). These results indicate that drinking water is an important exposure pathway for metals to newborns through breast milk. Further studies should be aimed at assessing the body burdens of metals in that population and at evaluating the potential relationships in the concentrations in biological and environmental matrices as well as at estimating the contribution of dietary intake of metals. In addition, the presence of other chemical pollutants in breast milk should be also studied in order to assess the combined newborn exposure to other contaminants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Federal University of the Piauí, Teresina, Brazil, Campus Universitário Ministro Petrônio Portela, SG-8, 64049-550, Teresina, Piauí, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osmar O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: Fabiana C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Julião
authors.forename: Renato I S
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Antonio R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Baena
authors.forename: Isabel G
authors.initials: IG
authors.lastname: Díez
authors.forename: Meire N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Beatriz S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Celere
authors.forename: Martí
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadal
authors.forename: José L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Domingo
authors.forename: Susana I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Segura-Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D008903:Minerals; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical