Evaluation of essential and trace metals/metalloids distribution and probable human health risk implications from branded liquid and powder milks available in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Md Nur E Alam; A K M Atique Ullah; M Mozammal Hosen; Md Azizul Maksud; Shahidur Rahman Khan; Shamima Akon; Quamrun Nahar; Ferdousi Jolly; Shamshad B Quraishi

doi:10.1007/s10534-023-00574-x

Evaluation of essential and trace metals/metalloids distribution and probable human health risk implications from branded liquid and powder milks available in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Biometals. 2024 Jan 24. doi: 10.1007/s10534-023-00574-x. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Md Nur E Alam¹, A K M Atique Ullah², M Mozammal Hosen², Md Azizul Maksud², Shahidur Rahman Khan², Shamima Akon³, Quamrun Nahar⁴, Ferdousi Jolly³, Shamshad B Quraishi²

Affiliations

¹ Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Center Dhaka, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), 4-Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shahbag, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh. mdnur_e_alam@yahoo.com.
² Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Center Dhaka, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), 4-Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Shahbag, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
³ Department of Food and Nutrition, College of Home Economics, University of Dhaka (DU), Shahbag, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.
⁴ Department of Endocrine and Metabolic Disorder, Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation in Diabetes (BIRDEM), Shahbag, Dhaka, 1000, Bangladesh.

PMID: 38267777
DOI: 10.1007/s10534-023-00574-x

Abstract

The processed forms of milk, branded liquid, and power milk available in Dhaka city, the capital of Bangladesh, were investigated for essential and trace metal/metalloids regarding nutritional and human health risk aspects. For this, the potential nutritional contribution, estimated daily intake (EDI) and non-carcinogenic risk for six different life stages with male and female categories, as well as the carcinogenic risk for children and adults of both genders, were addressed. In total, 46 branded liquid and powder milk samples were considered for this analysis employing atomic absorption spectroscopy. The concentration of essential elements showed the trends of K > Ca > Na > Mg > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu and K > Ca > Na > Mg > Fe > Cu > Mn > Zn for liquid and powder milk samples, respectively, but the potentially hazardous one showed the same trends (Cr > Pb > Hg > As > Cd) for both items. Except for Cr, Hg, and Fe, the elemental compositions of both milk categories differed considerably (< 0.05). Compared to the threshold values for milk samples (liquid and powder), Fe (19% and 27%), Mn (100% and 63%), Cu (0% and 23%), Zn (94% and 0%), Pb (25% and 13%), and Cr (0% and 3%) showed above the permissible limits. The nutrient input was the highest for Ca (27.2% and 18.7%), followed by Mg, K, and Na. The EDI of studied elements was within the daily permissible limit in both the milk category (except age group (≤ 3) and the female category). The non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed that the age groups ≤ 3 for liquid milk and ≤ 3 and 3 < X ≤ 14 with female categories for powder milk exceeded the threshold level (> 1) in the case of Cr, Cd, As, Zn, and Mn. The probable carcinogenic risks indicated an unacceptable risk level (< 1.00E-04) for the ingestion of Cr through powder milk samples for children in male and female categories. Finally, it believes that green cow farming practices and green milk processing technology, as well as continuous monitoring of toxic metals, can limit the ultimate risk worldwide.

Keywords: Age group; Branded milk; Essential elements; Nutritional contribution; Risk assessment; Trace metals/metalloids.