[Research and sanitary significance of the presence of heavy metals in cow's milk produced in the Province of Rome].

The presence of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium and Chromium has been estimated in the cow's milk produced in the Rome County. The results show the presence of the metals in cow's milk in different concentrations (5.6-102 micrograms/kg for Pb; 0.9-38 micrograms/kg for Hg: 2.3-53 micrograms/kg for Cr; only one sample positive at 0.77 microgram/kg for Cd). The sanitary evaluation of the data was based on the amounts of metals theorically assumed with milk, and compared with the "tolerable" values as suggested by International Organizations.