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Cadmium, zinc, copper, and metallothionein levels in the kidney and liver of inhabitants of Upper Silesia (Poland)

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Summary

The levels of Cd, Zn, Cu and metallothionein (MT) were determined in renal cortex and liver of 75 subjects deceased in the period 1986–1989 in the area of Upper Silesia (Katowice). The mean age of the population studied was 53.6 ± 14.6 years. The determined levels (mean ± SD) were: 43.1 ± 23.5 μg Cd/g; 52.5 ± 17.4 μg Zn/g; 2.2 ± 0.7 μg Cu/g; 0.80 ± 0.36 μmol Hg/g in renal cortex and 3.5 ±2.5 pg Cd/g; 82.8 ± 34.3 μg Zn/g; 4.5 ± 2.6 μg Cu/g; 0.69 ± 0.44 pmol Hg/g in the liver. The level of Cd in renal cortex was 40% higher in smokers compared to nonsmokers and was independent of the gender. Whole-body retention of Cd was 34.1 ± 18.5 mg; smoking elevated the value from 27.1 to 38.2 mg. Compared with a similar study made in central Poland (Łódź), a significant difference was found only regarding the level of Zn and MT in the liver, pointing to the possibility that exposure to this element in the region of Upper Silesia may be higher.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicological Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Research and Bioanalysis, Medical University, 90-151 Lodz, Muszyńskiego 1, Poland

    Ewa M. Bem, Czeslaw Orlowski & Jerzy K. Piotrowski

  2. Department of Pathology, Silesian Medical University, 40-752 Katowice-Ligota, Medyków 14, Poland

    K. Januszewski & J. Pajak

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  1. Ewa M. Bem
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  2. Czeslaw Orlowski
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  3. Jerzy K. Piotrowski
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  4. K. Januszewski
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  5. J. Pajak
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This work has been supported by the grant CPBR 11.12(C-56/86) from the Institute of Rural Medicine, Lublin, Poland

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Bem, E.M., Orlowski, C., Piotrowski, J.K. et al. Cadmium, zinc, copper, and metallothionein levels in the kidney and liver of inhabitants of Upper Silesia (Poland). Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 65, 57–63 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00586060

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