In this study, 300 raw buffalo, cow and ewe milk samples from five townships in west Azerbaijan, Iran, were analysed. Lead and cadmium were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Mean concentration of lead and cadmium in buffalo milk samples was 0.018 ± 0.001 and 0.003 ± 0.001 mg/kg, respectively. Mean concentration of lead and cadmium in cow milk samples was 0.007 ± 0.001 and 0.001 ± 0.001 mg/kg, respectively, and in ewe milk, these mean values were 0.010 ± 0.001 and 0.002 ± 0.001 mg/kg, respectively. Statistical analyses showed that lead and cadmium concentrations in buffalo milk were significantly higher than those in cow and ewe milk. Moreover, the concentration of these heavy metals in ewe milk was significantly higher than that in cow milk. It was also found that concentration of these selected toxic metals in milk increased with increasing age of the animals.
Keywords: Iran; buffalo; cadmium; cow; ewe; lead; milk.