US EPA

2298674 

Journal Article 

Maternal-child transfer of essential and toxic elements through breast milk in a mine-waste polluted area 

Castro, F; Harari, F; Llanos, M; Vahter, M; Ronco, AM 

2014 

Yes 

American Journal of Perinatology
ISSN: 0735-1631
EISSN: 1098-8785 

31 

11 

993-1002 

English 

24683069 

10.1055/s-0034-1370343 

WOS:000343344800010 

Objective: To determine the daily intake of essential micronutrients and toxic elements through breast milk in exclusive and nonexclusive breastfed infants living in an area with major mine tailing deposition (n = 24), compared with a control area (n = 11).

Study Design: The milk volume ingested by 2 to 4 and 4 to 6 month infants was measured by a stable isotopic method. Elements in milk, maternal and infant urine, and drinking water were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Results: Similar breast milk volume and essential micronutrients intake in groups of exclusively breastfed infants, but more cadmium, boron, and lithium through breastfeeding in experimental area was found. This exposure was even higher in the nonexclusively breastfed infants, who also ingested more arsenic, boron, and lithium than exclusive breastfed infants.

Conclusion: The use of the deuterium and the ICP-MS methods made it possible to evaluate the exact amount of essential and toxic elements ingested by infants through breast milk demonstrating that lower amount of toxic elements are transferred to exclusive breastfed infants compared with those who additionally received nonmaternal milk. 

essential elements; toxic elements; breastfeeding; infants; boron