This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (19)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Gundacker, C.
Right arrow Articles by Schuster, E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Gundacker, C.
Right arrow Articles by Schuster, E.
Related Collections
Right arrow Therapeutics & Toxicology
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us   Add to Digg   Add to Facebook   Add to Reddit   Add to Technorati   Add to Twitter  
What's this?

PEDIATRICS Vol. 110 No. 5 November 2002, pp. 873-878

Lead and Mercury in Breast Milk

Claudia Gundacker, PhD*, Beate Pietschnig, MD{ddagger}, Karl J. Wittmann, PhD*, Andreas Lischka, MD{ddagger}, Hans Salzer, MD§, Leonhard Hohenauer, MD|| and Ernst Schuster, PhD

* Institut für Medizinische Biologie der Universität Wien, Labor Ökophysiologie und Ökotoxikologie, Vienna, Austria
{ddagger} Wilhelminenspital der Stadt Wien, Kinderklinik Glanzing, Abteilung für Kinder- und Jugendheilkunde mit Neonatologie, Vienna, Austria
§ Landeskrankenhaus Tulln, Kinderabteilung, Tulln, Austria
|| Landeskinderklinik Linz, Säuglings- und Neugeborenenabteilung, Linz, Austria
Institut für Medizinische Computerwissenschaften der Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria

--> Objective. Heavy metals are potentially toxic substances, especially for the susceptible infant. Exposure to mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) may result in neurotoxic and nephrotoxic impairment and in anemia. Previous data on breast milk Pb and Hg contents are sparse or missing for the Austrian population. No evaluations of the influence of mothers’ lifestyles on Pb and Hg levels in breast milk are available.

Methods. Five- to 10-mL individual samples of breast milk were provided from healthy mothers in Vienna (urban; n = 59), Linz (industrial; n = 47), and Tulln (rural; n = 59). A questionnaire about area of residence, maternal nutrition, smoking habits, and dental fillings was filled out by the lactating mothers. Milk samples and infant formulas were lyophilized, wet-ashed with nitric acid (65%), and analyzed with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Spiked skim milk powder was used as reference material. Statistical analysis included the Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple robust regression analysis.

Results. Breast milk showed low Hg and Pb concentrations (Hg: 1.59 ± 1.21 1g/l, n = 116; Pb: 1.63 ± 1.66 6g/l, n = 138). Eight percent of the breast milk samples marginally exceeded the screening level of 3.5 µg/L for Hg. Austrian Pb values declined strongly during the last 20 years. Bivariate comparison revealed that the factors significantly related to metal levels in breast milk were area of residence (Hg, Pb), prematurity (Hg), consumption of fish (Pb) and cereals (Hg), vitamin supplementation (Hg), and smoking (Pb). The Hg and Pb contents of cow milk and infant formulas were far below respective guideline values.

Conclusions. Neither Hg nor Pb concentrations exceeded critical levels. There are no reports on infants harmed by the intake of milk from unexposed mothers. We conclude that even theoretical risks from current Hg or Pb levels for the breastfed infant of a healthy mother can be ruled out.

Key Words: metals • breast milk • cow milk • infant formulas • urban versus rural population

Abbreviations: Pb, lead • Hg, mercury

Received for publication Oct 3, 2001; Accepted Apr 1, 2002.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Facebook Facebook   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to Technorati Technorati   Add to Twitter Twitter    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 PediatricsHome page
P. A. Offit and C. A. Moser
The Problem With Dr Bob's Alternative Vaccine Schedule
Pediatrics, January 1, 2009; 123(1): e164 - e169.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Public HealthHome page
J. H. Wolf
WOLF RESPONDS
Am J Public Health, July 1, 2004; 94(7): 1075 - 1076.
[Full Text] [PDF]