Heavy Metal Nanoparticle Detection in Human and Formula Milk
Antonietta Morena Gatti,
Ebe D’Adamo,
Valentina Botondi,
Stefano Montanari,
Erika Colletti,
Luigi Gagliardi,
Sabina Ciotti,
Ali Saber Abdelhameed,
Francesca Gazzolo,
Antonio Maconi,
Rocco Mangifesta,
Simonetta Picone,
Federico Lauriola,
Diego Gazzolo
Affiliations
Antonietta Morena Gatti
Nanodiagnostics Foundation, 41100 Modena, Italy
Ebe D’Adamo
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, G. d’Annunzio University, 65100 Chieti, Italy
Valentina Botondi
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, G. d’Annunzio University, 65100 Chieti, Italy
Stefano Montanari
Nanodiagnostics Foundation, 41100 Modena, Italy
Erika Colletti
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, G. d’Annunzio University, 65100 Chieti, Italy
Luigi Gagliardi
Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Versilia Hospital, 55049 Versilia, Italy
Sabina Ciotti
Department of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Versilia Hospital, 55049 Versilia, Italy
Ali Saber Abdelhameed
Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Francesca Gazzolo
Department of Pediatrics, Magna Graecia University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Antonio Maconi
Social Security Administration Development and Promotion of Scientific Research Unit, SS Antonio, Biagio and C. Arrigo Hospital, 15121 Alessandria, Italy
Rocco Mangifesta
Health and Safety Manager Unit, ASL02 Abruzzo, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Simonetta Picone
Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Policlinico Casilino General Hospital, 00169 Rome, Italy
Federico Lauriola
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, G. d’Annunzio University, 65100 Chieti, Italy
Diego Gazzolo
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, G. d’Annunzio University, 65100 Chieti, Italy
Breast milk is the natural source of nutrition for infants, but while it supports their health, it can also be a potential source of toxic inorganic particulate matter, and this applies to both breast milk and industrially produced milk. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence of nanoparticles in both breast milk and formula milk samples. We collected and analyzed, via a new electron scanning microscopic procedure, 19 samples of breast milk from Italian women and 19 formula milk samples produced by different companies. Organic–inorganic agglomerates were detected in 58% of formula and in 63% of breast milk samples, respectively. In addition, a significantly (p < 0.05) greater size of nanoparticles was observed in formula milk samples. The results, showing the presence of inorganic nanosized particles in breast and artificial milk, may lead to future studies aimed at investigating possible nanosized contamination of milk and identifying early prevention strategies for women and animals involved in the food chain.
