Lead and Cadmium Bioaccumulation in Fresh Cow's Milk in an Intermediate Area of the Central Andes of Peru and Risk to Human Health.

The dairy basin of the Mantaro River located in the centre of Peru faces serious anthropogenic disturbances as it receives emissions and discharges from the metallurgical mining activity located in the headwaters of the basin and milk contaminated with lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) endangers the environmental and human health, especially children. To measure the concentrations of Pb and Cd in milk and the dangers of their consumption in the Peruvian population, 40 milk samples were collected and quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentration of Pb in milk was 15 ± 2.