Reducción de metales pesados (Cd, Cr, Hg y Pb) en productos lácteos de zonas aledañas a la contaminación minera, para proteger la seguridad alimentaria

• Rubén Amaru Cayo Barrionuevo ^[1] ; Roenfi Guerra Lima ^[1] ; José Alberto Llanos Condori ^[1] ; Kely Lelia Cotacallapa Ochoa ^[1] ; Edward Torres-Cruz ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad Nacional del Altiplano de Puno
• Localización: Nutrición clínica y dietética hospitalaria, ISSN 0211-6057, Vol. 46, Nº. 1, 2026, págs. 469-477
• Idioma: español
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Reduction of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Hg and Pb) in dairy products from areas near mining pollution, to protect food safety
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    Introducción: La contaminación por metales pesados representa un riesgo para la seguridad alimentaria en regiones con influencia minera, donde la leche y sus derivados pueden actuar como vehículos de exposición humana a cadmio (Cd), cromo (Cr), mercurio (Hg) y plomo (Pb).

    Objetivo: Evaluar la presencia y reducción de metales pesados en leche, queso fresco, suero y crema provenientes de zonas con influencia minera y la deficiencia en cierre de minas de la cuenca LLallimayo (Perú), mediante descremado y adsorción con carbón activado, desde un enfoque que promueve la seguridad alimentaria.

    Metodología: Se realizó un estudio experimental en productos lácteos recolectados en la región de Puno. Se aplicó un pretratamiento de descremado mecánico y un proceso de adsorción en columnas de lecho fijo con carbón activado, evaluando dos alturas de lecho (10 y 20 cm). Las concentraciones de Cd, Cr, Hg y Pb se determinaron por fluorescencia de rayos X (XRF).

    Resultados: El aumento de la altura del lecho mejoró la eficiencia de remoción en todas las matrices. El suero presentó la mayor reducción de metales, alcanzando la eliminación total de Pb, mientras que la leche mostró alta remoción de Cr y el queso fresco mayor reducción de Cd. La crema concentró las mayores cargas metálicas, lo que confirma la afinidad de los metales por la fase lipídica.

    Conclusión: La combinación de descremado y adsorción con carbón activado es una alternativa viable y de bajo costo para reducir metales pesados en productos lácteos, contribuyendo a la seguridad alimentaria y la protección de la salud pública en zonas afectadas por contaminación minera.

  • English

    Introduction: Heavy metal contamination represents a risk to food safety in regions influenced by mining activities, where milk and its derivatives may act as vehicles of human exposure to cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb).

    Objective: To evaluate the presence and reduction of he avy metals in milk, fresh cheese, whey, and cream from areas affected by mining activities and inadequate mine closure in the LLallimayo basin (Peru), using skimming and adsorption with activated carbon, from a food safety perspective.

    Methodology: An experimental study was conducted on dairy products collected in the Puno region. A mechanical skimming pretreatment and an adsorption process in fixed bed columns with activated carbon were applied, evaluating two bed heights (10 and 20 cm). Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb were determined using X-ray fluorescence (XRF).

    Results: Increasing the bed height improved removal effi ciency across all matrices. Whey showed the highest reduc tion of metals, achieving complete removal of Pb, while milk showed high removal of Cr and fresh cheese showed the gre atest reduction of Cd. Cream concentrated the highest metal loads, confirming the affinity of metals for the lipid phase.

    Conclusion: The combination of skimming and adsorption with activated carbon is a viable and low-cost alternative for reducing heavy metals in dairy products, contributing to food safety and the protection of public health in areas affected by mining contamination.

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