Table 5 Concentrations of elements detected in breast milk samples collected during, versus outside, the 2019/20 fire period (n = 77)
Elements (mg/kg) | Outside the fire period (n = 48) | During the fire period (n = 29) |  | WHO Acceptable Ranges in Breast Milk (mg/kg) | Higher than WHO limit, n (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Detected n (%) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Range | Detected n (%) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Range | p-value | ||
Calcium | 48 (100) | 270 (250,305) | 210 – 380 | 29 (100) | 280 (260,310) | 190—350 | 0.81# | 220—300 | 21 (27.3) |
Potassium | 48 (100) | 500 (450,530) | 370 – 780 | 29 (100) | 490 (460,530) | 400—630 | 0.98* | 410—550 | 10 (13.0) |
Magnesium | 48 (100) | 32 (27.5,36.0) | 16—46 | 29 (100) | 30 (26,34) | 18 – 43 | 0.21# | 29—38 | 10 (13.0) |
Sodium | 48 (100) | 100 (79.5,130) | 33 – 220 | 29 (100) | 93 (69,130) | 41—400 | 0.49* | 90—130 | 17 (22.1) |
Sulphur | 48 (100) | 120 (100,130) | 87 – 200 | 29 (100) | 120 (100,130) | 90 -160 | 0.45* | - | - |
Copper | 48(100) | 0.35 (0.24,0.61) | 0.07 – 12.0 | 29 (100) | 0.56 (0.35, 0.74) | 0.04—1.3 | 0.07* | 0.18—0.31 | 52 (67.5) |
Iron | 41 (85.4) | 0.24 (0.18,0.31) | 0.12 – 0.57 | 23 (79.3) | 0.30 (0.21, 0.39) | 0.11 – 0.63 | 0.13* | 0.35 – 0.72 | 0 |
Selenium | 44 (91.7) | 0.01 (0.01, 0.02) | 0.01 – 0.03 | 23 (79.3) | 0.01 (0.01, 0.02) | 0.01 – 0.03 | 0.64* | 0.01 – 0.02 | 4 (6.0) |
Manganese | 4 (8.3) | 0.01 (0.01 – 0.02) | 0.01 – 0.02 | 1 (3.4) | - | 0.01 – 0.01 | NA | 0.003—0.004 | 5 (100) |