Evaluation the Impact of Environmental Conditions in New Valley Governorate on the Concentrations of Major, Trace, and Toxic Heavy Metals in Different Cow's Milk Samples

The El-Kharga City/Oasis has hyper arid climate condition and a limited supply of water. In this area, the fossil groundwater is the primary water source. This study aimed to measure the concentrations of major, trace elements, and toxic heavy metals in 50 samples of fresh cow's milk taken from three regions in El-Kharga city, New Valley Governorate (NVG), Egypt. Slight significant differences in the concentrations of major elements were observed among the different regions. The average contents of Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), and Phosphorus (P) were 477.27, 1416.04, 1115.10, 119.91 and 848.49 mg/L, respectively. Ranges of trace elements were Fe (1.02- 10.30), Zn (1.82- 7.11), and Mn (0.07- 3.98) and the average was 3.09, 4.00 and 0.612 mg/L, respectively. While, toxic heavy metals ranges were Cu (0.01- 0.48), Pb (0.00 - 0.11), and Cd (0.00 - 0.03) as well the average was 0.113, 0.054 and 0.005 mg/L, respectively. The highest average concentration of Fe, Zn, Mn and Cd (4.88, 4.25, 1.29 and 0.007 mg/L, respectively) was in El Mounira villages while those of Cu in Naser El Thowra villages and Pb in Al-Shula area. Furthermore, Zn, Mn and Pb contents were higher while Fe and Cd were lower, and Cu was within the permissible limits recommended by international dairy federation Standard (IDF) and Egyptian standards. As the concentrations of toxic heavy metals did not exceed the safety limits, it could not pose a serious danger to public health.