Abstract

Rare-earth elements (REEs) are used in a growing number of applications, and their release to environment has increased over the decades. Knowledge of REEs in human milk and factors that could possibly influence their concentration is scarce. This study evaluated the concentrations of 16 REEs (Ce, Eu, Er, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sc, Sm, Dy, Ho, Lu, Tb, Tm, Y, and Yb) in human colostrum milk collected from Polish women (n = 100) with the ICP-OES technique. The concentrations (mean ± SD) of Pr (41.9 ± 13.2 μg L−1), Nd (11.0 ± 4.0 μg L−1), La (7.1 ± 5.2 μg L−1), and Er (2.2 ± 0.8 μg L−1) were found above detection limits. The total mean ± SD concentration of detected REEs was 60.9 ± 17.8 μg L−1. Current smokers displayed significantly increased Nd concentrations compared to women who had never smoked. No other associations between REEs in colostrum milk and age, diet in pregnancy (food supplement use and frequency of fish, meat, and vegetable consumption) or place of living (urban/rural) were found. This study adds to general understanding of the occurrence and turnover of REEs in women and human fluids.

Highlights

  • Breastfeeding is considered the most desirable source of infant nutrition, currently recommended to be exclusively practiced for the first 6 months of life (World Health Organization 2003)

  • Despite the body of knowledge on the concentration of trace elements in human milk collected from various stages of lactation (Bates and Prentice 1994; Krachler et al 1998; Grzunov Letinić et al 2016), not much is known on the occurrence of rare-earth elements (REEs)

  • A number of significant positive correlations were found between the identified REEs; the strongest were observed between Pr and other identified REEs (Table 3)

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Summary

Introduction

Breastfeeding is considered the most desirable source of infant nutrition, currently recommended to be exclusively practiced for the first 6 months of life (World Health Organization 2003). Despite the body of knowledge on the concentration of trace elements in human milk collected from various stages of lactation (Bates and Prentice 1994; Krachler et al 1998; Grzunov Letinić et al 2016), not much is known on the occurrence of rare-earth elements (REEs). They represent an emerging group of pollutants whose emissions, and exposures, have increased over recent decades due to certain human activities (Pagano et al 2015). It is imperative that their content in different types of biological material be systematically investigated, yet information in this regard is still scarce

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