Determination of nickel concentration in the breast milk of lactating mothers living In Hilla City, Babylon, Iraq

Abstract EN

"Background Human milk is the only source of food for infants during the first four to five months of their life.

Some chemicals compood can be transferred from the body stores and from blood into the breast milk of a lactating mother.

Objectives To determining and measurements of Nickel leval the human milk and to identify the associations of certain potential variables with the concentrations of these heavy metals.

Subjects and Methods This is a cross sectional study carried included a milk test by a randomly selected (68) women apparently healthy lactating women, who attended Babylon Maternity & children hospital in Al – Hilla city during the period mid of February through the end of April, 2012.

Breast milk was collected and analyzed to detect and measure Nickel using atomic absorption.

A questionnaire paper was preparedto recored the demographic variables.

Weights and heights were measured to calculate the Body Mass Index.

Results This study revealed that the mean concentrations of Nickel in the human milk was (23.83±15.57 ppb) which was remarkably high as compared with the concentrations reported by other studies done in other countries.

The study shows that there was a statistically significant association (p<0.0s) between the high concentrations of Nickel and the followings associates ; living in urban regions ,living near highways , living near industrial regions and drinking river or tap water, being younger (<3oyears of age) or heaver increase weight and being cigarettes smokers.

The prevalence rates of lactating mothers with abnormal concentrations of was 99%and 93% respectively indicating the serious environmental pollution in Hilla city.

Conclusion Breast milk of lactating mothers in Hilla city is abnormally contaminated with; Nickel this public health problem need to be addressed.