Biliary and urinary excretion of metals in humans

Fifteen metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, inorganic mercury, organic mercury, iron, manganese, magnesium, chromium, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, tin, and aluminum) were determined in the hepatic bile and urine collected simultaneously from three Japanese individuals (2 males, 1 female). The presence of these metals was classified as follows: hepatic biliary concentrations were higher than urinary concentrations (lead, arsenic, and iron); urinary concentrations were higher than hepatic biliary concentrations (cadmium, inorganic mercury, tin, cobalt, magnesium, chromium, copper, zinc, and nickel); hepatic biliary concentrations were almost equal to urinary concentrations (manganese and organic mercury); and relationship between hepatic biliary and urinary concentrations changed occasionally (aluminum). Eight essential metals (iron, manganese, magnesium, zinc, chromium, copper, nickel, and cobalt) were detected at considerable concentrations in hepatic bile. Accounting for the daily flow volume of hepatic bile and the reabsorption of these metals, the supplementation of these metals should occur during treatment of diseases accompanied by loss of hepatic bile.     

Gender differences for associations between circulating levels of metals and coronary risk in the elderly

Several studies have pointed out associations between various metals and cardiovascular disease. Since cardiovascular disease prevalence is different between males and females, we investigated whether circulating levels of metals related differently to coronary risk in men and women. In the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study, coronary risk was assessed by the Framingham Risk Score together with circulating blood levels of 11 different trace and heavy metals in 1016 subjects aged 70 years. Circulating levels of cadmium, copper and manganese were significantly higher in women than in men, while mercury, zinc and lead were significantly lower following adjustment for kidney function (measured by glomerular filtration rate, GFR). No significant differences between women and men were seen regarding levels of aluminium, molybdenum, cobalt, chromium and nickel. When all 11 metals were entered as independent variables together with GFR in multiple models in the Framingham Risk Score as the dependent variable, cadmium was the major determinant of the Framingham Risk Score in women (p<0.0001, followed by zinc p=0.03), while copper was the major determinant of the Framingham Risk Score in men (p<0.0001, followed by inverse relations vs. aluminium p=0.01 and nickel p=0.01). There are gender differences in levels of metals and also regarding the association between metals and coronary risk, with cadmium levels being most important for women and copper levels for men in this elderly population.     

An examination of the association of selected toxic metals with total and central obesity indices: NHANES 99-02

It is conceivable that toxic metals contribute to obesity by influencing various aspects of metabolism, such as by substituting for essential micronutrients and vital metals, or by inducing oxidative stress. Deficiency of the essential metal zinc decreases adiposity in humans and rodent models, whereas deficiencies of chromium, copper, iron, and magnesium increases adiposity. This study utilized the NHANES 99-02 data to explore the association between waist circumference and body mass index with the body burdens of selected toxic metals (barium, cadmium, cobalt, cesium, molybdenum, lead, antimony, thallium, and tungsten). Some of the associations were significant direct relationships (barium and thallium), and some of the associations were significant inverse relationships (cadmium, cobalt, cesium, and lead). Molybdenum, antimony, and tungsten had mostly insignificant associations with waist circumference and body mass index. This is novel result for most of the toxic metals studied, and a surprising result for lead because high stored lead levels have been shown to correlate with higher rates of diabetes, and obesity may be a key risk factor for developing diabetes. These associations suggest the possibility that environmental exposure to metals may contribute to variations in human weight gain/loss. Future research, such as prospective studies rather than the cross-sectional studies presented here, is warranted to confirm these findings.     

Metals in the Surface Sediments of Selected Water Reservoirs, Slovakia

Ruzin and Velke Kozmalovce water reservoirs (Slovakia) receive potentially toxic elements through rivers draining catchment areas polluted with the former extensive mining of ore-bearing deposits. In this study, the concentrations and fractionation of metals (antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, mercury, molybdenum, nickel, vanadium and zinc) have been studied in the surface sediments of the two water reservoirs. Comparison of metal concentrations found in the sediments with the mean shale values revealed a significant anthropogenic enrichment mostly with antimony (22.7), copper (8.5), zinc (5.5), cadmium (4.7), mercury (4.7), arsenic (4.5) and lead (3.9), and antimony (9.8), cadmium (8.8), zinc (4.9), lead (3.3) and arsenic (3.1) in the Ruzin and Velke Kozmalovce reservoirs, respectively. The results of fractionation study showed that the major proportion of cadmium (44.9–52.6%), cobalt (35.7–58.3%) and zinc (27.8–48.7%) was found in labile fractions, i.e., water- and acid-soluble fractions, although copper and nickel exhibited also significant labile fractions. When the risk assessment code was applied to the fractionation study, cadmium and cobalt came under high and very high risk category for the environment, and therefore might cause adverse effect to aquatic life.     

交通警察尿金属谱与血脂水平的关联性分析

目的 在交通警察中探讨23种尿金属与血脂水平的关联性。方法 采用横断面研究设计,在185名交通警察中（56名内勤人员,129名外勤人员）分析尿金属对血脂水平的影响。对研究对象进行职业健康检查。尿金属浓度采用电感耦合等离子体质谱联用仪检测。结果 外勤组甘油三酯（TG）、高密度和低密度脂蛋白均高于内勤组（P＜0.001,P＜0.001和P = 0.036）。外勤组铝、钛、钒、铬、锰、铁、钴、镍、铜、锌、砷、硒、铷、锶、钼、镉、锡、锑、钨、铊、铅和铀浓度均高于内勤组,差异有统计学意义（所有P＜0.05）。校正年龄、性别、吸烟、吸烟包年、饮酒、锻炼、工龄、工种、BMI和尿肌酐后,尿铜与TG、尿钴与总胆固醇（TC）的关联性有统计学意义（β = 0.16, 95%CI 0.05～0.28, P = 0.007和β = 0.05, 95%CI 0.01～0.10, P = 0.009）,且在校正了其他金属后,此关联仍有统计学意义。此外,校正辅助变量后,尿铜与血脂异常正相关。结论 尿铜和尿钴分别与TG和TC水平升高有关,表明金属对交通警察血脂代谢具有调节作用。     

Metals in albatross feathers from midway atoll: influence of species, age, and nest location

Female birds sequester some heavy metals in their eggs, which are then transferred to the developing embryo. Semiprecocial birds such as albatrosses are fully covered with down at hatching, but are dependent on their parents for food for many weeks. At hatching, levels of metals in the chick's down represent exposure from the female via egg, while levels in fully formed feathers at fledgling, several months later, represent mainly exposure from food provided by their parents. In this paper we examine the concentrations of "metals" (heavy metals, mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, manganese, tin; and metalloids, arsenic and selenium), in the down and contour (body) feathers of half-grown young albatrosses, and contour feathers of one of their parents. We collected feathers from Laysan Diomedea immutabilis and black-footed Diomedea nigripes albatrosses from Midway Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean. We test the null hypotheses that there is no difference in metal levels as a function of species, age, feather type, and location on the island. Using linear regression we found significant models accounting for the variation in the concentrations of mercury, lead, cadmium, selenium, chromium, and manganese (but not arsenic or tin) as a function of feather type (all metals), collection location (all metals but lead), species (selenium only), and interactions between these factors. Most metals (except mercury, arsenic, and tin) were significantly higher in down than in the contour feathers of either chicks or adults. Comparing the two species, black-footed albatross chicks had higher levels of most elements (except arsenic) in their feathers and/or down. Black-footed adults had significantly higher levels of mercury and selenium. We also collected down and feathers from Laysan albatross chicks whose nests were close to buildings, including buildings with flaking lead paint and those that had been lead-abated. Lead levels in the down and feathers of chicks close to nonabated buildings were 10 times higher than for chicks from other locations. Conversely, levels of cadmium and tin were lower near the buildings. Near lead-abated buildings, lead levels decreased as a function of distance, indicating residual contamination on the soil. Our results indicate that black-footed albatross adults and chicks generally have higher levels of heavy metals in their feathers than Laysans. Chicks of both species have higher levels in their down than in their contour feathers, indicating potentially higher exposure during the early chick phase.     

2018年呼和浩特市饮用水中重金属污染物的健康风险评价

目的 评价呼和浩特市地区饮用水中重金属对健康的潜在危害。方法 对呼和浩特市2018年饮用水中的10种重金属进行检测,并应用美国国家环境保护署推荐的健康风险评价模型,对重金属通过饮水途径所引起的健康风险做出评价。结果 440个样品中,砷合格率93.86 %,铁合格率99.55 %,锰合格率99.09 %,其他金属全部合格。重金属的非致癌总风险为5.8942×10-9,致癌总风险为4.4988×10-5,总的健康风险为4.4994 ×10-5,金属致癌的风险排序为:铬(六价）>镉>砷,非致癌风险最高的金属为:砷>铜>铬（六价）。呼和浩特市农村水的致癌总风险和非致癌总风险均高于城市水（Z=-3.323,P=0.001;Z=-4.811,P<0.0001）,出厂水、二次供水和末梢水致癌总风险间存在显著差异（Z=12.82,P=0.002）;丰水期的健康总风险高于枯水期（Z=-3.122,P=0.002）;丰水期的致癌总风险高于枯水期（Z=-3.939,P<0.0001）。结论 呼和浩特市2018年致癌健康风险超过EPA评价标准,有一定风险,非致癌健康风险远低于评价标准。     

Exposure to lead, cadmium and chromium among spray painters in automobile body repair shops

Environmental and biological monitoring of lead, cadmium and chromium levels in spray painters is reported. All of the study subjects worked in automobile body repair shops that had no standard spraying room. They were divided into 2 groups, those who wore an aerosol-removing respirator while spraying (n=20) and those who did not wear the respirator (n=50). Air in the breathing zone of each subject was sampled and analyzed for lead, cadmium and chromium levels. The subjects' blood lead levels and urinary cadmium and chromium levels were also measured along with those of a control group. The mean environmental and biological levels of these metals between the two groups of the painters were not significantly different (p>0.05). However, the biological levels of the metals were significantly higher in the study groups than in the control group (p<0.01). On-site observations revealed that improper use of an aerosol-removing respirator, lack of an isolated spraying room and poor personal hygiene habits caused the failure to prevent heavy metal exposure among the automobile spray painters.     

Evaluation of Metal Pollution in Fish and Water Collected from Gorgan Coast of the Caspian Sea,Iran

In this study, concentrations of zinc, chromium, cadmium and lead were determined in water and three species of fish sampled from 10 selected stations along Gorgan coast using atomic absorption spectrophotometery, summer 2009. Mean lead levels in water and fish samples (119.50 ± 22.24 μg/L and 113.80 ± 33.11 μg/kg) were significantly higher than that of cadmium and chromium (p < 0.05). Cyprinus carpio had highest metals content than Mugila auratus and Rutilus frisikutum. The evaluated metals values in water collected from Gomishan wetland (Pb, Cd, Cr and Zn values are 145.31 ± 35.32, 120.46 ± 11.44, 96.47 ± 6.05 and 82.02 ± 34.37 μg/L, respectively) were higher than the other sampling sites. The result is consistent with the findings accessed by evaluation of the metals in fish specimens. The metals concentrations in the fish and water samples were below the recommended limits. But, elevating levels of metals in water and fish made a serious concern about ecosystem and food chain contamination.     

Trace metal content and estimated daily human intake from chicken eggs in Ibadan, Nigeria

A total of 151 chicken eggs and 4 local chicken feeds purchased directly from the poultry farms, at the local markets, and along the roadsides of Ibadan, Nigeria, were analyzed for lead, cadmium, copper, iron, nickel, zinc, and cobalt by carbon graphite atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The authors found strong, positive correlations between the levels of metals in the feeds and the corresponding levels of metals in the eggs. The overall average concentrations (mg/kg) of each metal in eggs were as follows: lead, 0.59; cadmium, 0.07; copper, 0.78; iron, 23.20; nickel, 0.03; zinc, 13.75; and cobalt, 0.01. The average estimated daily intake of lead, cadmium, copper, and iron per person was 19.5 microg, 2.4 microg, 25.6 microg, and 762.3 microg, respectively, whereas daily intakes of nickel, zinc, and cobalt were 0.9 microg, 452.1 microg, and 0.2 microg per person. The concentrations of some metals in eggs from this study did not differ appreciably from levels determined in eggs from other countries; concentrations of lead and cadmium in the current study, however, were comparatively greater than levels found in other countries. Therefore, the estimated daily intakes of lead and cadmium in this region slightly exceeded the normal reported daily intakes of lead and cadmium from eggs in some other countries.     

Metal levels in flathead sole (Hippoglossoides elassodon) and great sculpin (Myoxocephalus polyacanthocephalus) from Adak Island, Alaska: potential risk to predators and fishermen

Increasingly there is a need to assess the contaminant levels in fish as indicators of the health and well-being of both the fish and their consumers, including humans. This paper examines the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium in the kidney, liver, and muscle of great sculpin and flathead sole from Adak Island in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Both species are consumed by the local Aleuts and others. There were significant differences in the levels of heavy metals as a function of tissue for both fish species; the liver of sculpin and sole generally had the highest levels of most metals, except for arsenic, lead, and selenium. Sole had significantly higher mean levels of arsenic in kidney (32,384 vs. 531 ppb, wet weight), liver (18,954 vs. 2532 ppb), and muscle (19,452 vs. 1343 ppb) than did sculpin. Sole also had higher mean levels of cadmium (230 vs. 63 ppb), lead (1236 vs. 48 ppb), mercury (150 vs. 107 ppb), and selenium (5215 vs. 1861 ppb) in kidney than did sculpin. There were significant correlations among weight and length measurements for both species. However, except for mercury, there were few significant correlations among tissue types for most metals. Only mercury and manganese levels were significantly correlated with size for sculpin (but not for sole). Levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury may pose a risk to predators that consume them, and arsenic and mercury may pose a risk to human consumers.     

Distribution of Arsenic and Trace Metals in the Floodplain Agricultural Soil of Bangladesh

Arsenic contaminated groundwater of Bangladesh is one of the largest natural calamities of the world. Soil samples were collected from floodplain agricultural land of Faridpur and Dhamrai regions to estimate the concentration of arsenic and other trace metals (copper, nickel, zinc, chromium, cadmium, lead, selenium, cobalt, mercury, and manganese). Average arsenic in Faridpur soil was recorded more than three times higher than the world limit and nearly five times higher than that of Dhamrai. The average copper, chromium and cobalt both in Faridpur and Dhamrai agricultural soil were also higher than the Dutch and the world standards. Both Fardipur and Dhamrai soil contain low amount of selenium in comparison to world limit (0.7 mg kg⁻¹). A poor correlation between manganese and arsenic was noticed in Faridpur. This may be played a subordinate role in the fixation of arsenic in soil. This study also reveals that the area which has arsenic and trace metal contaminated groundwater may also contain high level of arsenic and trace metals in the agricultural soil due to irrigation with contaminated groundwater.     

高血压患者血清锌、铜、钙、钴、镉、镁、镍、铬、钛的测定

本文应用直流等离子体原子发射光电直读光谱仪测定了60例正常人,45例高血压患者血清锌、铜、钙、钴、镉、镁、镍、铬、钛含量。结果表明,正常人血清锌19.70±3.75μmol/L(1.2876±0.2457μg/ml),铜17.23±3.48μmol/L(1.0945±0.2213μg/ml),钙2211.09±430.72μmol/L(104.6523±17.2634μg/ml),钴2.87±1.05μmol/L(0.3694±0.0616μg/ml),锅0.44±0.27μmol/L(0.0491±0.0300μg/ml),镁783.71±294.29μmol/L(19.0520±7.1543μg/ml),镍0.42±0.27μmol/L(0.0252±0.0156μg/ml),铬0.28±0.24μmol/L(0.0148±0.0123μg/ml),钛0.82±0.50μmol/L(0.0391±0.0243μg/ml),与文献报道值类似。高血压患者血清锌16.45±2.85μmol/L(1.0754±0.1863μg/ml),钙2308.32±276.29μmol/L(92.5175±11.0738μg/ml),钴2.23±0.62μmol/L(0.1316±0.0368μg/ml)和钛0.61±0.31μmol/L(0.0292±0.0147μg/ml),均低于正常对照组(分别为p<0.001,p<0.05)。镉0.85±0.40μmol/L(0.0951±0.0452μg/ml),镁1022.20±399.91μmol/L (24.8497±9.721 8μg/ml)和镉/锌比值高于正常对照组(P<0.001)。而铜17.58±3.11μmol/L(1.1169±0.1973μg/ml),镍0.39±0.01μmol/L(0.0231±0.0045μg/ml),铬0.31±0.12μmol/L(0.0163±0.0     

河北省农田土壤重金属污染及健康风险评价

目的 分析河北省农田土壤重金属污染现状及健康风险。方法 应用分层随机抽样法,于2014年在全省范围采集2 700份农田土壤样本,检测其中铅、镉、铬含量,运用美国环保局（USEPA）推荐的模型进行健康风险评价。结果 铅、镉、铬平均含量依次为18.52、0.4、39.63 mg/kg;13.74%的样本镉含量超出国家二级标准,铅、铬含量均未超标;重金属通过皮肤接触产生的非致癌风险为1.7×10^-6~8.25×10^-4,大小依次为铬>铅>镉,均低于非致癌风险阈值1;镉、铬致癌风险为4.40×10^-9~4.34×10^-5,在可接受水平内（10^-6~10^-4）;镉造成的成人预期寿命损失为0.03~1.17 min,铬为29.22~269.77 min。结论 河北省部分农田土壤已受到镉污染,重金属经皮肤接触产生的非致癌风险和致癌风险均不会对人体造成健康危害。     

Effects of waste water sediments on the levels of heavy metals ion the soil and plants

Field small-plot experiments studied the effects of sediments of waste water from Saransk disposal systems. The content of toxic heavy metals (lead, arsenic, and cadmium) in the waste-water sediments, was shown to be not greater than their maximum permissible concentrations (32, 2, and 10 mg per kg of dried soil, respectively). With the use of waste-water sediments, the content of manganese, copper, tin, nickel, vanadium, beryllium, cobalt, iron, and chromium was found to correspond to their baseline level in the soil and plants.     

Protective effect of selenium on lung cancer in smelter workers.

A possible protective effect of selenium against lung cancer has been indicated in recent studies. Workers in copper smelters are exposed to a combination of airborne selenium and carcinogens. In this study lung tissue concentrations of selenium, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lanthanum, and lead from 76 dead copper smelter workers were compared with those of 15 controls from a rural area and 10 controls from an urban area. The mean exposure time for the dead workers was 31.2 years, and the mean retirement time after the end of exposure 7.2 years. Lung cancer appeared in the workers with the lowest selenium lung tissue levels (selenium median value 71 micrograms/kg wet weight), as compared with both the controls (rural group, median value 110; urban group, median value 136) and other causes of death among the workers (median value 158). The quotient between the metals and selenium was used for comparison: a high quotient indicating a low protective effect of selenium and vice versa. The median values of the quotients between antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lanthanum, lead, chromium, and cobalt versus selenium were all numerically higher among the cases of lung cancer, the first five significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in 28 of the 35 comparisons between the lung cancer group and all other groups of smelter workers and controls. The different lung metal concentrations for each person were weighted according to their carcinogenic potency (Crx4 + Asx3 + Cdx2 + Sbx1 + Cox1 + Lax1 + Pbx1) against their corresponding selenium concentrations. From these calculations the protective effect of selenium was even more pronounced.     

Protective effect of selenium on lung cancer in smelter workers

A possible protective effect of selenium against lung cancer has been indicated in recent studies. Workers in copper smelters are exposed to a combination of airborne selenium and carcinogens. In this study lung tissue concentrations of selenium, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, lanthanum, and lead from 76 dead copper smelter workers were compared with those of 15 controls from a rural area and 10 controls from an urban area. The mean exposure time for the dead workers was 31.2 years, and the mean retirement time after the end of exposure 7.2 years. Lung cancer appeared in the workers with the lowest selenium lung tissue levels (selenium median value 71 micrograms/kg wet weight), as compared with both the controls (rural group, median value 110; urban group, median value 136) and other causes of death among the workers (median value 158). The quotient between the metals and selenium was used for comparison: a high quotient indicating a low protective effect of selenium and vice versa. The median values of the quotients between antimony, arsenic, cadmium, lanthanum, lead, chromium, and cobalt versus selenium were all numerically higher among the cases of lung cancer, the first five significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in 28 of the 35 comparisons between the lung cancer group and all other groups of smelter workers and controls. The different lung metal concentrations for each person were weighted according to their carcinogenic potency (Crx4 + Asx3 + Cdx2 + Sbx1 + Cox1 + Lax1 + Pbx1) against their corresponding selenium concentrations. From these calculations the protective effect of selenium was even more pronounced.     

Heavy Metals and Selenium in Grebe Feathers from Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge in Northern Minnesota

Metal levels in feathers can often be used as an indicator of exposure and of potential effects in birds. In previous work at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, northwestern Minnesota, pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) eggs had significantly higher levels of manganese and mercury and significantly lower levels of selenium than eared (Podiceps nigricollis) or red-necked grebes (Podiceps grisegena), but in 1999, pied-billed grebes had significantly higher levels of mercury, but lower levels of selenium and tin than the other grebes. This led us to examine whether these patterns held up in feathers of grebes as a function of age. The feathers of young birds represent local exposure. We collected feathers of flightless young and adult grebes from 1997 to 1999 in the marshes at Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge. Regression models indicated that year, age, or species were significant factors accounting for variations in the levels of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, manganese, mercury, and selenium, depending on the metal. Overall, there were significant intraspecific differences for all metals. Pied-billed grebes had the highest levels of arsenic, chromium, and selenium, and eared grebes had the highest levels of cadmium, manganese, and mercury. Pied-billed and western grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) had the highest levels of lead. There were significant age-related differences in cadmium, chromium, and mercury for both eared and red-necked grebes, for arsenic in eared grebes, and for lead and manganese in red-necked grebes. Adults had higher levels of all metals, except young had higher levels of chromium. Mercury in the feathers of eared grebes were higher than found from other studies with a wide range of aquatic and marine birds and were above those known to cause adverse effects in laboratory studies, suggesting some cause for concern.     

Heavy metals in the hair of opossum from Palo Verde,Costa Rica

Levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and manganese were measured in the hair of opossum (Didelphis virginiana) from Palo Verde, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. This area has some agriculture, but is slated for extensive water development that will increase ecosystem exposure to a variety of agricultural chemicals. Metal levels were generally not inter-correlated except for chromium and lead, chromium and cadmium, and cadmium and lead. There were significant gender differences only for lead and chromium, with the significantly smaller females having higher levels. It is suggested that hair from mammals, particularly abundant ominivores may be useful, bioindicators of environmental quality over a long time period.