Heavy metal contamination of milk and milk Products produced in Boumerdes(Algeria)

Abstract

Milk and its derivatives are major sources of micronutrients an overdose of these can be harmful. This study aimed to measure heavy metals concentration and its derivatives from the Factory LFB (Boudouaou Cheese Dairy) in Boumerdes, Algeria. The concentration were measured using a graphite furnace spectrophotometer, the all data processing was carried with XL-STAT 2014 software. The mean values (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mg, Cd, Cr and Pb) lie respectively between: (0.019-0.45), (0.29-7.24), (0.21- 0.56), (1.09-120.77), (0.012-0.41), (0.006-0.027), (0.086-0.72mg/L) Higher levels of Cd, Fe, Cr and Pb were observed in pasteurized milk and cheese, and higher levels of Zn and Cu in cheese than in other sampales, all exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) limits. The highest non-carcinogenic risk quotient (NCR) values were attributed to Pb and Cd in raw milk, pasteurized milk and cheese, which were above the values recommended by the Health Protection Agency United States Environment (USEPA) as for the carcinogenic risk factor (CR), desipite the low value found, consumption of milk and cheese over a long period of time does not exclude the risk of developing cancer.