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Analysis of trace metal concentrations in raw cow’s milk from three dairy farms in North Gondar, Ethiopia: chemometric approach

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Abstract

Concentrations of essential (Cu, Mn, and Zn) and toxic (Cr, Cd, and Pb) trace metals in 30 raw cow’s milk samples were quantified using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples were collected from the Nara-Awudarda, Tana-Abo, and Kosoye Amba-Rass sites in North Gondar, Ethiopia, preserved in a deep freezer (−20 °C), and then digested by Kjeldahl apparatus with HNO3/H2O2 (5:2; v/v) at 300 °C for 2.5 h. The data were subject to principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least square–discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Overall hazard quotient (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR) values were also estimated to assess metal-related health risks. The mean concentrations of Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb in the milk samples ranged 0.468–0.828, 1.614–2.806, 0.840–1.532, 1.208–5.267, ND–0.330, and ND–0.186 mg/kg, respectively. The lowest values were obtained for Kosoye Amba-Rass milk samples, while the highest were found for those collected from Nara-Awudarda milk samples, probably due to high mineral enrichment and metal leaching (especially Cd and Pb) from coal deposits. PCA revealed clustering of samples with respect to their geographic origin. Validation of PLS-DA model showed 100% classification efficiency using external validation samples and detected Cd and Cu as trace metal markers. The HQ and CR values were within the safe level; however, the former is close to the alert threshold level for Nara-Awudarda milk samples. Thus, further studies on common foodstuffs, constituting a higher proportion in the local diet, are required in this area to provide a complete risk assessment.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mr. Nibret Belay, Mr. Mulat Tiruneh, and Mr. Yabibal Nega for their invaluable laboratory assistance and Mr. Atsbha Berhane and Ms. Laura Pont for their assistance with GIS and PCA, respectively. Special thanks go to Mr. Solomon Abraha, former Administrative Vice President, University of Gondar, Ethiopia, for his support during the field work. This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box 196, Gondar, Ethiopia

    M. L. Akele, D. Z. Abebe, A. K. Alemu, A. G. Assefa & A. Madhusudhan

  2. Department of Chemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, 500007, India

    A. Madhusudhan

  3. Chemometrics Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    R. R. de Oliveira

  4. Bio-analysis Group, Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    M. L. Akele

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  1. M. L. Akele
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Akele, M.L., Abebe, D.Z., Alemu, A.K. et al. Analysis of trace metal concentrations in raw cow’s milk from three dairy farms in North Gondar, Ethiopia: chemometric approach. Environ Monit Assess 189, 499 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-017-6203-0

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