Health Risk of Infants Exposed to Lead and Mercury Through Breastfeeding

Abstract

Donor milk from the human milk bank is important for vulnerable infants without their mothers’ own milk. Longitudinal changes in toxic metals in donor milk has not been reported. This study aimed to assess the effect of donors’ demographic characteristics, life habits and dietary habits on the concentration of metals in breastmilk donated to a human milk bank and to assess the health risk of lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) exposure of donor mothers’ offspring through breastfeeding and the vulnerable recipients. A total of 228 samples, which were longitudinally donated to the human milk bank by 39 donors, were selected specifically to assess the levels of Pb, Hg, and MeHg. Donors’ offspring were also enrolled as mother-infant-dyads to monthly obtain the milk consumption and body weight. The results showed significant differences in the infant risk in exclusive breastfeeding months. The average Pb level of breast milk was 6.49 ± 5.23 µg/L (mean ± standard deviation), and the Hg level was 0.76 ± 0.98 µg/L. The sources of these toxins—residential districts, cleaning products, cosmetics, drinking water, viscera, eggs, seafood, and canned food—have a significant influence on the concentration of toxic metals in human milk. This study showed an unacceptable non-cancerous health risk (95th percentile hazard index, HI = 1.37 > 1) for Pb and Hg. In the future, the breast milk offered by the bank should be strictly monitored, especial for Pb, to ensure high-quality donor milk for vulnerable recipients but also donor mothers’ offspring who depend on it. Graphical Abstract

Nutritional factors and cross-national postpartum depression prevalence: an updated meta-analysis and meta-regression of 412 studies from 46 countries

“…Although our findings were not significant, the effect we found was in the same direction as Hibbeln (31). Additionally, Hibbeln (31) was published over two decades ago, and it is possible that breastfeeding women were not discouraged from consuming certain seafood in the same way they are now due to concerns surrounding mercury poisoning (165). Future directions focusing on PPD and seafood consumption, particularly seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, is warranted.…”

Bioremediation of environments contaminated with mercury. Present and perspectives

“…During this period, an acetic acid factory dumped waste liquids with a high concentration of MeHg into Minamata Bay, where a large population subsisted on fishing for self-consumption. Even today, it has been observed that in populations engaged in subsistence fishing, between 1.5 and 17 out of every thousand children have cognitive disorders (mild mental retardation) due to the consumption of contaminated fish (Malagon-Rojas and Sonia 2018 ; Lin et al 2023 ).…”