Detection of Heavy Metal Levels in Milk of Dairy Cows and Associated Farm Management Practices in Quetta District
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31580/pjmls.v8isp3.3486Keywords:
Dairy farms, Food safety, Heavy metals, Milk contamination, QuettaAbstract
Milk is a crucial source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and energy in human nutrition. The contamination of milk with heavy metals is a big threat to public health, as they are toxic, persistent, and bioaccumulative in nature. The present study was designed to investigate the levels of selected heavy metals in raw cow milk and to determine the practices of farms regarding contamination in District Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. In this study, a cross-sectional analytical design was used. A total of 150 milk samples were collected from nine major dairy-producing areas of District Quetta from dairy farms during August to November 2025. Data on feeding practices, water sources, sanitation and waste management were collected using structured questionnaires and direct observations on farms. The wet acid digestion method was followed for digestion of milk samples, and metal ions lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were quantified by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS). Data were analyzed by SPSS version 26.
The mean concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cu, and Zn were 0.19 ± 0.13, 0.04 ± 0.03, 0.13 ± 0.07, and 2.20 ± 1.31 mg/L, respectively. The levels of lead and cadmium were found to be above WHO/FAO recommended limits, while copper and zinc were found to be within safe limits. For farms using wastewater or mixed water sources, the concentrations of lead and cadmium were comparatively high in comparison with those of the tube-well or municipal water sources used on the farms. The study concluded that raw cow milk in District Quetta contains lead and cadmium which are above the international standards of safety. There is a strong indication that contaminated water sources are a significant source of heavy metal build-up. Properly monitoring milk quality, providing safe water for the livestock and enhancing farm management are the keys to protecting public health and dairy product safety.
References
1. Cimmino F, Catapano A, Petrella L, Villano I, Tudisco R, Cavaliere G. Role of milk micronutrients in human health. Frontiers in Bioscience-Landmark. 2023 Feb 28;28(2):41.
2. Kober AH. Milk and dairy foods: nutrition, processing and healthy aging. CRC press; 2024 Jul 26.
3. Tripathi P, Patani K. The Crucial Role of Dairy in the Transformation of Where Health and Nutrition Are Most Common Worldwide. Revolutionizing Agri-food Systems: Sustainability, Health, and Innovation. 2025 Oct 31:569-81.
4. Aranguiz AA, Spoelstra M. Trends and Outlook of Dairy Production in Pakistan. Wageningen Livestock Research: Wageningen, The Netherlands. 2025.
5. Nadeem M, Ahmad MH. Sustaining the dairy sector in Pakistan: challenges and strategies for growth. Dairy Sciences-Current Technological Trends and Future Perspectives. SciknowPub, USA. 2024 Feb 14:221-34.
6. Boudebbouz A, Boudalia S, Bousbia A, Gueroui Y, Boussadia MI, Chelaghmia ML, Zebsa R, Affoune AM, Symeon GK. Determination of heavy metal levels and health risk assessment of raw cow milk in Guelma Region, Algeria. Biological Trace Element Research. 2023 Apr;201(4):1704-16.
7. Parida L, Patel TN. Systemic impact of heavy metals and their role in cancer development: a review. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2023 Jun;195(6):766.
8. Angon PB, Islam MS, Das A, Anjum N, Poudel A, Suchi SA. Sources, effects and present perspectives of heavy metals contamination: Soil, plants and human food chain. Heliyon. 2024 Apr 15;10(7).
9. Souto MR, Pimenta AM, Catarino RI, Leal MF, Simões ET. Heavy metals in milk and dairy products: Safety and analysis. Pollutants. 2025 Sep 10;5(3):29.
10. Alinezhad, Z., Hashemi, M., & Sany, S. B. T. (2024). Concentration of heavy metals in pasteurized and sterilized milk and health risk assessment across the globe: A systematic review. Plos one, 19(2), e0296649.
11. Kerdoun, M. A., & Djafer, R. (2024). Heavy metal levels in camel milk and health risk assessment: A global systematic review. Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals, 8, 100131.
12. Ovuru, K. F., Izah, S. C., Ogidi, O. I., Imarhiagbe, O., & Ogwu, M. C. (2024). Slaughterhouse facilities in developing nations: Sanitation and hygiene practices, microbial contaminants and sustainable management system. Food Science and Biotechnology, 33(3), 519-537.
13. Yang, Y., Pan, M., Lin, Y., Xu, H., Wei, S., Zhang, C., ... & Niu, B. (2025). Assessing heavy metal risks in liquid milk: Dietary exposure and carcinogenicity in China. Journal of Dairy Science, 108(7), 6838-6851.
14. Sharma A, Gupta S, Shrivas K, Chakradhari S, Pervez S, Deb MK. Heavy metal contamination in cow and buffalo milk from industrial and residential areas of raipur, India: A health risk assessment. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2025 Feb 1; 196:115178.
15. Hernández-Montoya DA, Castañeda-Miranda AG, Martinez-Fierro ML, Talavera-Lopez A, Sandoval-Arechiga R, Gómez-Rodríguez JR, Rodríguez-Abdalá VI, Castañeda-Miranda R, Flores-Chaires LA, Vázquez-Reyes S, Ibarra-Delgado S. Heavy Metal Contamination in Foods: Advances in Detection Technologies, Regulatory Challenges, and Health Risks.
16. Ziarati P, Shirkhan F, Mostafidi M, Zahedi MT. An overview of the heavy metal contamination in milk and dairy products. Acta scientific pharmaceutical sciences. 2018 Jul;2(7):1-4.
17. Prasad M, Mahawer SK, Das MM, Coumar MV, Saha JK, Kumar S, Palsaniya DR. Heavy-metals contamination and associated risks in the water–soil–fodder–livestock continuum after long term sewage water irrigation in peri-urban areas: Evidence from Central India. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2026 Jan 21;198(2):156.
18. Licata PA, Trombetta DO, Cristani M, Giofre F, Martino D, Calò MA, Naccari FR. Levels of “toxic” and “essential” metals in samples of bovine milk from various dairy farms in Calabria, Italy. Environment international. 2004 Mar 1;30(1):1-6.
19. Castro-Bedriñana J, Chirinos-Peinado D, Ríos-Ríos E, Castro-Chirinos G, Chagua-Rodríguez P, De La Cruz-Calderón G. Lead, cadmium, and arsenic in raw cow’s milk in a central Andean area and risks for the Peruvian populations. Toxics. 2023 Sep 25;11(10):809.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Pak-Euro Journal of Medical and Life Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
