Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Concentrations of toxic metals and essential elements in raw cow milk from areas with potentially undisturbed and highly disturbed environment in Slovakia

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dietary composition and husbandry practices largely determine the essential trace element status and the toxic metal exposure of livestock and consequently their concentrations in animal products. The main objective of this study was to determine the real contamination of selected areas of Slovakia compared with existing Environmental regionalization of the Slovak Republic (SR) created by the Ministry of the Environment SR. Another aim of this study was to determine the content of essential and toxic metals in feed and milk of dairy cows on selected farms in Slovakia referred to the suitability of the use of milk from these areas to other food processing. This article deals with the analysis of the content of selected elements in feed and milk of dairy cows in the area of Novoť (Northern Slovakia; area with undisturbed environment) and Čečejovce (Eastern Slovakia; highly disturbed environment). Eleven elements have been analyzed (essential elements: calcium, zinc, magnesium, selenium, iron, copper; toxic elements: arsenic, cadmium, mercury, lead, nickel). Samples of feed and milk were collected five times during the spring season and five times during the autumn season in 2016. Analysis of samples was performed in Eurofins Bel/Novamann (Nové Zámky, Slovak Republic). Analyses were performed by atomic absorption spectroscopy and atomic emission spectrometry. The obtained values of the individual elements in the feed and milk were evaluated by Student’s t test. Significantly higher contents of essential elements Ca, Zn, Fe, Mg, and Cu were found in the feed of dairy cows in Čečejovce (P < 0.001). Significantly higher (P < 0.001) As and Ni content in feed in Čečejovce in autumn season was also recorded. However, the content of these elements in feed did not affect their milk content. The content of Ca, Zn, and Mg in milk was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in Novoť in both investigated seasons. Some essential elements and toxic elements in feed and milk were below the LOQ (limit of quantification). Reduced content of Ca and Zn in milk in both farms compared with optimal limits, decreased Ca and Mg content in feed in Novoť, and a significant increase of Ca and Mg in feed in Čečejovce in autumn season were found. It can be concluded, due to the low content of toxic elements on these farms, that the use of milk of dairy cows from these areas for direct use or for dairy product processing is appropriate and poses no health risk to the consumers.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Wabel NM (2008) Mineral contents of milk of cattle, camels, goats and sheep in the central region of Saudi Arabia. Asian J Biochem 3:373–375. https://doi.org/10.3923/ajb.2008.373.375

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ataro A, McCrindle RI, Both BM, McCrindle CME, Ndibewu PP (2008) Quantification of trace elements in raw cow’s milk by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Food Chem 111:243–248

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ayar A, Sert D, Akin N (2009) The trace metal levels in milk and dairy products consumed in middle Anatolia – Turkey. Environ Monit Assess 152:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-008-0291-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bilandzic N, Dokic M, Sedak M, Solomun B, Varenina I, Knezevic Z, Benic M (2011) Trace element levels in raw milk from northern and southern regions of Croatia. Food Chem 127:63–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.12.084

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bohuš P, Klinda J (2008) Envrionmental regionalization of Slovak Republic, MŽPSR and SAŽP. http://www.minzp.sk/files/environmentalna-regionalizacia-sr.pdf

  • Bushra I, Saatea A, Samina S, Riaz K (2014) Assessment of toxic metals in dairy milk and animal feed in Peshawar, Pakistan. Brit Biotech J 4:883–893

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadar O, Miclean M, Cadar S, Tanaselia C, Senila L, Senila M (2015) Assessment of heavy metals in cow milk in Rodnei Mountains Area, Romania. Environ Eng Manag J 14:2523–2528 http://omicron.ch.tuiasi.ro/EEMJ/

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cai O, Long ML, Zhu M, Zhou QZ, Zhang L, Liu J (2012) Food chain transfer of cadmium and lead to cattle in a lead–zinc smelter in Guizhou, China. Environ Pollut 157:3078–3082

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caroli A, Poli A, Ricotta D, Banfi G, Cocchi D (2011) Invited review: Dairy intake and bone health: a viewpoint from the stat of the art. J Dairy Sci 94:5249–5262. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2011-4578

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cashman KD (2011) Trace elements, nutritional significance. Encyclopedia of dairy science, 2nd edn. Academic press, P.F.Fox, pp 933–940

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chao HH, Guo CH, Huang CB, Chen PC, Li HC, Hsiung DY, Chou YK (2014) Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and aluminium concentrations in human milk at early stages of lactation. Pediatr Neonatol 55:127–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedneo.2013.08.005

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Codex Alimentarius Commission (2011) Working document for information and use in discussions related to contaminants and toxins in the GSCTFF. Joint FAO-WHO, Food Standards Programme Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods; 50th Session, The Hague, Netherlands, 90 pp. Available from ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/meetings/CCCF/cccf5/cf05_INF.pdf. Accessed 4 July 2015

  • Dhanalakshmi B, Gawdaman G (2013) Determination of heavy metals in goat milk through ICP-OES. Asian J Dairy Food Res 32:186–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobrzański Z, Kolacz R, Górecka H, Chojnacka K, Bartkowiak A (2005) The content of microelements and trace elements in raw milk from cows in the Silesian region. Pol J Environ Stud 14:685–689

    Google Scholar 

  • González-Montaña JR, Senís E, Gutiérrez A, Prieto F (2012) Cadmium and lead in bovine milk in the mining area of the Caudal River (Spain). Environ Monit Assess 184:4029–4034. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-2241-1

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Havemose MS, Weisbjerg MR, Bredie WLP, Poulsen HD, Nielsen JH (2006) Oxidative stability of milk influenced by fatty acids, antioxidants, and Cu derived from feed. J Dairy Sci 89:1970–1980

  • Herwing N, Stephen K, Panne U, Pritzkow W, Vogl J (2011) Multielement screening in milk and feed by SF-ICP-MS. Food Chem 124:1223–1230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.07.050

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Issa SY, Genema DM, Mazrouna MKA, Rahman SMA, Fawzi MM (2016) Determination of some metals in the commonly consumed dairy products randomly collected from the market in Alexandria-Egypt, with an emphasis on toxicity, permissible limits and risk assessment. Int J Phramacol Toxicol 4:133-137. DOI: 10.14419/ijpt.v4i2.6288

  • Issac CP, Sivakumar A, Kumar CR (2012) Lead levels in breast milk, blood plasma and intelligence quotient: a health hazard for woman and infants. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88:145–149. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-011-0475-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kazi TG, Jalbani N, Baig JA (2009) Assessment of toxic metals in raw and processed milk samples using electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Food Chem Toxicol 47:2163–2169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khan N, Jeong IS, Hwang IM, Kim JS, Choi SH, Nho CY, Park KS, Kim KS (2014) Analysis of minor and trace elements in milk and yogurts by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Food Chem 147:220–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.147

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khattak RA, Haq MU, Puno HK, Saif MS (2004) Forages induced dairy metal contamination. J Chem Soc Pak 26:279–284

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Komperej A, Drobnič M, Kompan D (1999) Milk yield and milk traits in Slovenian sheep breeds. Acta Agr Kapos 3:97–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Lane EA, Canty MJ, More SJ (2015) Cadmium exposure and consequence for the health and productivity of farmed ruminants. Res Vet Sci 101:132–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.06.004

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li A, Du R, Zheng B, Meng J, Zhang J, Xiang A, Zhang X, Qi B, Wu Y, Zhou X, Zhang Y, Dong LX, Pang XL (2016) Determination of heavy metals in raw milk produced in Tangshan City, China. MATEC Web of Conferences, 39, 03006/1-03006-3. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20163903006

  • Licata P, Trombetta D, Cristani M, Giofrè F, Martino D, Calò M (2004) Levels of “toxic” and “essential” metals in samples of bovine milk from various dairy farms in Calabria, Italy. Environ Int 30:1–6. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0160-4120(03)00139-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • López Alonso M, Prieto Montaña F, Miranda M, Castillo C, Hernández J, Luis Benedito J (2004) Interactions between toxic (As, Cd, Hg and Pb) and nutritional essential (Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Se, Zn) elements in the tissues of cattle from NW Spain. Biometals 17:389–397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malhat F, Hagag M, Saber A, Fayz AE (2012) Contamination of cow’s milk by heavy metal in Egypt. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 88:611–613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-012-0550-x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Massanyi P, Trandzik J, Nad P, Koreneková B, Skalická M, Toman R, Lukac N, Halo M, Strapak P (2003) Concentration of copper, iron, zinc, cadmium, lead, and nickel in bull and ram semen and relation to the occurrence of pathological spermatozoa. J Environ Sci Health A 39:3005–3014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muñoz O, Bastias JM, Araya M, Morales A, Orellana C, Rebolledo R, Velez D (2005) Estimation of the dietary intake of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic by the population of Santiago (Chile) using a Total Diet Study. Food Chem Toxicol 43:1647–1655. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2005.05.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ohno K, Yanase T, Matsuo Y, Kimura T, Hamidur Rahman M, Magara Y, Matsui Y (2007) Arsenic intake via water and food by a population living in an arsenic-affected area of Bangladesh. Sci Total Environ 381:68–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Owen FG, Larson LL (1991) Corn distillers dried grains versus soybean meal in lactation diets. J Diary Sci 74:972–979. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78246-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozmen O, Mor F (2004) Acute lead intoxication in cattle housed in an old battery factor. Vet Hum Toxicol 46:255–256

    Google Scholar 

  • Patra RC, Swarup D, Dwivedi SK, Sahoo A (2005) Cadmium level in blood and milk from animals reared around different polluting sources in India. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 74:1092–1097. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-005-0693-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patra R, Swarup D, Kumar P, Nandi D, Naresh R, Ali SL (2008) Milk trace elements in lactating cows environmentally exposed to higher level of lead and cadmium around different industrial units. Sci Total Environ 404:36–43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.06.010

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlovic I, Sikrić M, Havranek JL, Plavljanic N, Brajenovic N (2004) Lead and cadmium levels in raw cow’s milk from an industrialised Croatian region determined by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Czech J Anim Sci 49:146–168

    Google Scholar 

  • Phillips C, Gyori Z, Kovacs V (2003) The effect of adding cadmium and lead alone or in combination to the diet of pigs on their growth, carcass composition and reproduction. J Sci Food Agric 83:1357–1365. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.1548

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Potorti AG, Bella GD, Turco VL, Rondo R, Dugo G (2009) Non-toxic and potentially toxic elements in Italian donkey milk by ICP-MS and multivariate analysis. J Food Compos Anal 31:161–172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2013.05.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Radostits OM, Gay CC, Hinchclff KQ, Constable PD (2007) Veterinary medicine, 10th edn. W.B. Saunders Company Ltd, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahimi E (2013) Lead and cadmium concentrations in goat, cow, sheep, and buffalo milks from different regions of Iran. Food Chem 136:389–391. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1023638012736

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Raj BG, Patnaik MC, Babu SP, Kalakumar B, Singh MV, Shylaja J (2006) Heavy metal contaminants in water-soil-plant-animal continuum due to pollution of Musi river around Hyderabad in India. Ind J Anim Sci 76:131–133

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rey-Crespo F, Miranda M, López-Alonso M (2013) Essential trace and toxic element concentrations in organic and toxic element concentrations in organic and conventional milk in NW Spain. J Food Chem Toxicol 53:513–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2013.01.040

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodriguez Rodríguez EM, Sanz Alaejos M, Díaz Romero C (1999) Chemometric studies of several minerals in milks. J Agric Food Chem 47:1520–1524

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosas I, Belmont R, Armienta A, Baez A (1999) Arsenic concentrations in water, soil, milk and forage in Comarca Lagunera, Mexico. Water Air Soil Pollut 112:133–149. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005095900193

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salehipour M, Ghorbani H, Kheirabadi H, Afyuni M (2015) Health risks from heavy metals via consumption of cereals and vegetables in Isfahan Province, Iran. Hum Ecol Risk Assess 21:1920–1935. https://doi.org/10.1080/10807039.2014.1002292

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sigrist M, Beldoménico H, Repetti R (2010) Evaluation of the influence of arsenical livestock drinking waters on total arsenic levels in cow’s raw milk from Argentinean dairy farms. Food Chem 121:487–491

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sikrić M, Brajenović N, Pavlović I, Havranek JL, Plavljanić N (2003) Determination of metals in cow’s milk by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Czech J Anim Sci 48:481–486

    Google Scholar 

  • Simsek O, Gultekin R, Oksuz O, Kurultay S (2000) The effect of environmental pollution on the heavy metal content of raw milk. Nahrung-Food 44:360–363. https://doi.org/10.1002/1521-3803(20001001)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Špánik J, Foltys V, Kirchnerová K (2006) Microbiological quality of sheep’s milk from the point of view of processors. Sheep breeding and sheep milk production in Slovakia. National Agricultural and Food Cetre. http://www.cvzv.sk/ziv/Spanik2.pdf

  • Stawarz R, Formicki G, Massányi P (2007) Daily fluctuations and distribution of xenobiotics, nutritional and biogenic elements in human milk in Southern Poland, J Environ Sci Health, Part A: Toxic/Hazard. Subst. Environ Eng 42:1169–1175

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swarup D, Patra RC, Naresh R, Kumar P, Shekhar P (2005) Blood lead levels in lactating cows reared around polluted localities; transfer of lead into milk. Sci Total Environ 347:106–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2004.12.055

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tahir M, Iqbal M, Abbs M, Tahir MA, Nazir A, Iqbal DN, Kanwal O, Hassan F, Younas U (2017) Comparative study of heavy metals distribution in soil, forage, blood and milk. Acta Ecol Sin 37:207–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chnaes.2016.10.007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tajkarimi M, Ahmadi FM, Poursoltani H, Nejad AS, Motallebi AA, Mohdavi H (2008) Lead residue levels in raw milk from different regions of Iran. Food Control 19:495–498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2007.05.015

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toman R, Adamkovičová M, Hluchý S, Cabaj M, Golian J (2011) Quatitative analysis of the rat testes after an acute cadmium and diazinon administration. Sci Pap J Anim Sci Biotech 44:188–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Tomza-Marciniak A, Pilarczyk B, Bakowska M, Pilarczyk R, Wójcik J, Marciniak A (2011) Relationship between selenium and selected heavy metals concentration in serum of cattle form a non-polluted area. Biol Trace Elem Res 144:517–524. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-9075-0

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tripathi RM, Raghunath R, Sastry VN, Krishnamoorthy TM (1999) Daily intake of heavy metals by infants through milk and milk products. Sci Total Environ 227:229–235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tunegová M, Toman R, Tančin V (2016a) Heavy metals - Environmental contaminants and their occurrence in different types of milk- Review. Slovak J Anim Sci 49:122–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Tunegová M, Toman R, Tančin V (2016b) Monitoring of selected essential elements and contaminants at sheep and cow farms in Eastern Slovakia. J Cent Eur Agric 17:1221–1232. https://doi.org/10.5513/JCEA01/17.4.1834

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood EJ, Suttle NF (2002) Los minerales en la nutrición del ganado, 3rd edn. Acribia, Zaragoza

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under Contract no. APVV-18-0227.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Disciplines, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Tr. A. Hlinku 2, 94976, Nitra, Slovakia

    Martina Pšenková, Róbert Toman & Vladimír Tančin

  2. NPPC- Research Institute for Animal Production, Hlohovecká 2, 951 41, Lužianky, Slovakia

    Vladimír Tančin

Authors
  1. Martina Pšenková
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Róbert Toman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Vladimír Tančin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

Pšenková and Toman designed the study; Pšenková, Toman, and Tančin carried out the samplings and analyses; Pšenková carried out the data analysis and wrote the draft; Toman and Tančin contributed to the preparation of the manuscript and revised it critically. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martina Pšenková.

Ethics declarations

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pšenková, M., Toman, R. & Tančin, V. Concentrations of toxic metals and essential elements in raw cow milk from areas with potentially undisturbed and highly disturbed environment in Slovakia. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 26763–26772 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09093-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09093-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation