Trace element levels in raw milk from northern and southern regions of Croatia

A total of 157 raw milk samples were collected from tankers arriving at processing facilities from rural areas in northern and southern regions of Croatia during 2009 and 2010. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb in the samples were analysed by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectroscopy. Mean Pb concentrations in northern and southern regions were 58.7 and 36.2 μg l−1, respectively, and both exceeded the maximum recommended level. Arsenic concentrations ranged from 1 to 283 μg l−1 in the southern and to 1019 μg l−1 in the northern regions. Mean Cd and Hg levels were: 1.76 and 1.59 in the northern and 3.4 and 7.1 μg l−1 in the southern region. Significantly higher Cd and Hg levels were observed in the southern than in the northern region (p < 0.001, both). Similar mean Cu levels were found in both regions: 931.9 in the north and 848.4 μg l−1 in the south. The results indicate that particular attention should be paid to Pb residues. In future studies, a greater number of milk samples and grass samples from pastures from different regions of Croatia should be controlled to confirm the absence of possible toxicological risks.