Regional distribution of lead in human milk from Egypt.

Bioaccumulation of lead during chronic exposure and its mobilization and secretion with mother's milk constitute a serious health hazard to the newly born children. Lead levels in human breast milk of 120 Egyptian women representing 20 different governorates throughout Egypt were determined using a graphite furnace Atomic Absorption spectrometer. According to the daily permissible intake (DPI) value established by the WHO of 5.0 micrograms/kg/d in mother's milk, the mean values of lead were around the permissible level in most of the Egyptian governorates. However, lead levels in mother's milk from Alexandria, Assiut and Cairo were significantly higher than the permissible value. Higher lead levels in mother's milk from these governorates may be attributed to heavy automobile traffic using leaded gasoline in addition to the use of lead water pipelines in these areas.