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Cadmium Contamination in Breast Milk of Moroccan Lactating Women and the Associated Factors: CONTAMILK Study

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Abstract

The objectives of this study were to assess levels of contamination of breast milk (BM) by cadmium (Cd) among lactating mothers from Rabat, Morocco, and to investigate its association with several maternal habits, parameters, and factors. In addition, to estimate the daily intake of the newborns. Cd concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 70 human milk samples collected between the 2nd and 5th day postpartum. Accuracy of the analysis was checked by various methods including the use of reference material. A structured questionnaire was filled during the collection of milk reporting data concerning anthropometric, sociodemographic parameters, dietary and cosmetic habits, etc. The median (range) of Cd in human milk was 0.49 μg/L (range 0.013–95.19 μg/L) respectively. In 21 (30%) of 70 samples, Cd levels were higher than the normal reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in BM (< 1 μg/L). Indeed, several factors affect significantly Cd levels in BM of the mothers such as low maternal education level, preterm delivery, cesarean delivery, and area of residence. Also, the frequency of consumption of milk and dairy products as well dried fruits and wheat bread and the frequency of use of cosmetic powders. However, the daily intake of cadmium by the newborns was lower than tolerable daily intake of the WHO for 97% of them. Our results revealed low cadmium concentrations in human milk samples from Moroccan lactating mothers living in Rabat, also the association of some factors with the levels of contamination found in this population.

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Acknowledgments

The authors kindly thank the volunteer mothers for the donation of milk samples and their time to answer questions and all the staff of the maternity hospital of Souissi of Rabat for their collaboration by allowing the collection of human milk samples. The authors are also grateful for the technical assistance of laboratory of quality control of waters of the National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), Rabat, Morocco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Training and Research in Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco

    Abha Cherkani-Hassani & Nezha Mouane

  2. University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco

    Meriem Slaoui

  3. Team Research of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmacoepidemiology, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco

    Imane Ghanname

  4. Faculty of Health Sciences, International University of Casablanca, Bouskoura, Morocco

    Imane Ghanname

  5. Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry and Food Science, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco

    Brahim Mojemmi

  6. Laboratory of Quality Control of Waters, National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE), Rabat, Morocco

    Abdelilah Belhaj, Brahim Kers & Majda Flayou

  7. Department of Pediatric, Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Nutrition PIII, Children’s Hospital, Rabat, Morocco

    Nezha Mouane

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  1. Abha Cherkani-Hassani
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Correspondence to Abha Cherkani-Hassani.

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The study protocol was previously approved by the ethics committee of biomedical research (CERB) of the faculty of medicine and pharmacy of Rabat. All mothers were informed about the purpose of the study and signed an informed consent before the collection of breast milk.

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Cherkani-Hassani, A., Slaoui, M., Ghanname, I. et al. Cadmium Contamination in Breast Milk of Moroccan Lactating Women and the Associated Factors: CONTAMILK Study. Biol Trace Elem Res 196, 47–59 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01912-2

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