Trace element studies on Karachi populations part V: blood lead levels in normal healthy adults and grammar school children

Blood lead levels of healthy Karachi population were estimated. Mean levels for males, females, soldiers and school children were 34.4, 31.8, 29.9 and 38.2 ug/dl respectively. About 93% cases of either sex had elevated lead levels, of whom 30% males and 10% females had levels above the safety limits [40ug/dl]. Soldiers living in relatively pollution free area though had levels lower than the rest of the population but 91% had levels over 25 ug/dl and only two had acceptable levels. Ninety two percent children showed levels above 25 ug/dl with a large number having levels over 40ug/dl. A very small percentage had normal levels. Pollution by traffic exhaust was assumed to be the principal cause for these high levels

Trace element studies on Karachi population part IV: blood copper, zinc, magnesium and lead levels in psychiatric patients with depression mental retardation and seizure disorders

Blood copper, zinc, magnesium and lead levels were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy for 15 males and 16 females suffering from depression, 6 males and 1 female with mental retardation and 3 males and 4 females with seizure disorders. They were all under no medication and belonged to low income groups. No difference in copper levels was found between the sexes in any of the groups. The levels in all the groups were significantly higher than in the normals. In depressives, males had significantly higher zinc levels than females and only female depressives had significantly different [lower] levels from normals. In both depressives and normals, males had higher magnesium levels than females but no group of patients had significantly different levels from normals. Lead levels were significantly higher in female depressives and for those with seizure disorders than for controls. At least one metal abnormality was found in 21 [67.7%] depressive, 5 [71.4%] of those with mental retardation and 6 [85.7%] with seizure disorders

Trace element studies on Karachi populations; part 1: normal ranges for blood copper, zinc and magnesium for adults

Normal ranges in whole blood were established for copper, zinc and magnesium for a Karachi population. For copper, it is 71 - 116 ug/dl [mean 93.5], there being no significant difference between the sexes; for zinc, males 602.5 - 850 ug/dI [mean 726], females 519 - 853 [686], P < 0.01 for males+ females 5d- 859.5 [711] : and for magnesium, males 2.97 - 4.80 ug/dl [mean 3.78], females 2.65 - 4.66 [3.50], 0.05 > P > 0.01; for males + females 2.75 - 4.80 [3.61]. There were weak correlations only between pairs of blood metal levels for the population

Trace element studies on Karachi population, part II: normal ranges for blood copper, zinc and magnesium for children and adolescents

Normal ranges for copper, zinc and magnesium in whole blood have been established for healthy school going children of Indo-Pak origin. Age groups of 7 to 11 years had slightly elevated levels of these metals when compared with the groups below 7 and above 12 years, except that for females levels increased with age for zinc and decreased for magnesium

Trace element studies in Karachi populations part III: blood copper, zinc, magnesium and lead levels in psychiatric patients with disturbed behaviour

Blood levels of copper, zinc, magnesium and lead were determined in 29 males and 15 females suffering from disturbed behaviour. As far as we could ascertain they were under no medication and belonged to low income groups. Male patients had significantly higher levels than female patients for zinc [0.05 > P> 0.01] but there was no sexual difference for magnesium or copper. In patients copper and lead levels were higher than for normals [P < 0.01], but no difference could be found for Mg and Zn. At least one metal abnormality was observed in 19 [65.5%] of the males and 9 [60.0%] of the female patients