Table 6 Concentrations of elements detected in paired breast milk samples collected during the 2019/20 fire period and outside the fire period (n = 14 paired samples)
Elements (mg/kg) | Outside the fire period (14 samples) | During the fire period (14 samples) | Â | WHO Acceptable Ranges in Breast Milk (mg/kg) | Higher than the WHO ranges, n (%) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | Detected, n (%) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Range | Detected, n (%) | Median (Q1, Q3) | Range | p- value | ||
Calcium | 14 (100) | 295 (250,340) | 220 – 350 | 14 (100) | 265 (240,310) | 190 – 350 | 0.15 ≠  | 220—300 | 10 (35.7) |
Potassium | 14 (100) | 510 (450,600) | 390 – 660 | 14 (100) | 480 (440,540) | 400 – 560 | 0.08†| 410—550 | 6 (21.4) |
Magnesium | 14 (100) | 29 (26,34) | 23 – 40 | 14 (100) | 32 (25,36) | 19 – 40 | 0.62 ≠  | 29—38 | 3 (10.7) |
Sodium | 14 (100) | 93 (64,110) | 51 – 420 | 14 (100) | 77 (65,130) | 41 -170 | 0.53†| 90—130 | 5 (17.8) |
Sulphur | 14 (100) | 125 (110,130) | 77 – 180 | 14 (100) | 105 (99,120) | 90 – 130 | 0.12†| - | - |
Copper | 14 (100) | 0.67(0.36,0.9) | 0.2 – 1.0 | 14 (100) | 0.55 (0.41,0.77) | 0.04 – 1.0 | 0.46†| 0.18—0.31 | 22 (78.6) |
Iron | 12 (85.7) | 0.25 (0.22,0.29) | 0.12 – 0.52 | 11 (78.6) | 0.31 (0.21,0.35) | 0.18 – 0.48 | 0.23†| 0.35 – 0.72 | 0 |
Selenium | 10 (71.4) | 0.02 (0.01,0.02) | 0.01 – 0.02 | 11 (78.6) | 0.01 (0.01,0.02) | 0.01 – 0.02 | 0.05†| 0.01 – 0.02 | 1 (3.6) |