Analysis of heavy metal concentrations in breast milk by neutrosophic method in the locate of Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

AbstractBreast milk is the essential and primary source of nutrition in the early months of infants. Breastfeeding is the single transmission method through which infants are exposed to hazardous metals. The consumption of mothers’ milk has emerged as a concerning source of heavy metal exposure, specifically among mothers residing in heavily polluted regions. Poor dietary habits intensify the accumulation of these heavy metals in breast milk. In this study, a statistically appropriate approach has been applied to the concentration of toxic heavy metals in breastfeeding mothers in the nearby localities of Lahore, Pakistan. For the purpose of analyzing imprecise data more accurately, the following study has proposed neutrosophic statistics on heavy metal concentrations in breast milk. This statistical method provides sufficient insight when examining data containing uncertainty. Moreover, this approach is implemented on collected data from about 70 samples of breast milk at the end of 3rd lactation month from two age groups and then examined under a Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (FAAS). The variation in the concentration of various heavy metals has been examined more precisely utilizing the neutrosophic approach. This approach clearly elaborates on the elevated levels of Pb and Hg among those areas where a significant proportion of lactating women from industrial zones in Lahore exhibit high levels of these toxins. As a result, it is observed that the proposed method of analysis provides complete information about the variation of the data, which is beneficial for understanding breast cancer causes and mitigating such risks.