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Aluminum Concentrations in Breast Milk Samples Obtained from Breastfeeding Women from a Resource-Limited Country: A Study of the Predicting Factors

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Abstract

This study assessed aluminum concentrations in breast milk samples obtained from breastfeeding women in resource-limited countries, estimated daily intake of aluminum by breastfed infants, and identified predictors of higher breast milk aluminum concentrations. A descriptive analytical approach was used in this multicenter study. Breastfeeding women were recruited from different maternity health clinics in Palestine. Aluminum concentrations in 246 breast milk samples were determined using an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometric method. The mean breast milk aluminum concentration was 2.1 ± 1.5 mg/L. The mean estimated daily intake of aluminum by infants was 0.37 ± 0.26 mg/kg body weight/day. Multiple linear regression showed that breast milk aluminum concentrations were predicted by living in urban areas, closer to industrial areas, waste disposals, frequent use of deodorants, and less frequent use of vitamins. Breast milk aluminum levels among Palestinian breastfeeding women were comparable to those previously determined in occupationally unexposed women.

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Data Availability

All data relevant to this study were included in the results or provided as supplementary materials with this manuscript.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the patients who participated in the study. An-Najah National University is acknowledged for making this study possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

    Ramzi Shawahna

  2. Clinical Research Center, An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine

    Ramzi Shawahna

  3. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

    Mohammad Jaber, Iyad Maqboul, Hatim Hijaz, Ala’a Alawneh & Hanen Imwas

  4. An-Najah National University Hospital, Nablus, Palestine

    Mohammad Jaber, Iyad Maqboul & Hatim Hijaz

Authors
  1. Ramzi Shawahna
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  2. Mohammad Jaber
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  3. Iyad Maqboul
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  4. Hatim Hijaz
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  5. Ala’a Alawneh
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  6. Hanen Imwas
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Contributions

RS, MJ, IM, and HH were involved in the conception and design of the work, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting, and final approval of the manuscript. AA and HI were involved in the data acquisition, analysis, drafting of the work, and final approval of the version to be published. The authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Ramzi Shawahna or Iyad Maqboul.

Ethics declarations

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

This study was conducted in compliance with the international ethical standards in the Declaration of Helsinki. The study received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of An-Najah National University. Approval was also obtained from the Office of Health Education of the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Written informed consent was obtained from each patient. The data collected were treated as confidential and were coded before analysis.

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Not applicable.

Competing Interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

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Shawahna, R., Jaber, M., Maqboul, I. et al. Aluminum Concentrations in Breast Milk Samples Obtained from Breastfeeding Women from a Resource-Limited Country: A Study of the Predicting Factors. Biol Trace Elem Res 202, 1–8 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03714-z

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