Zinc concentrations in human tissues. Liver zinc in carcinoma and severe liver disease.

In 58 unselected necropsies, zinc (Zn) in specimens of liver (mean +/- s = 280 +/- 178 micrograms/g d.w./4.28 +/- 2.72 mumol/g d.w.), kidney (170 +/- 57 micrograms/g d.w./2.60 +/- 0.87 mumol/g d.w.), spleen (69 +/- 13 micrograms/g d.w./1.05 +/- 0.20 mumol/g d.w.), and lung (64 +/- 16 micrograms/g d.w./0.98 +/- 0.24 mumol/g d.w.) were analysed by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. In the examined range from 25 to 92 years of age, the Zn concentrations in all tissues measured did not show age or sex-dependency. There was a high correlation between the tissue concentration of Zn and Mg in lung, liver, and spleen, between Zn, Mg, and Pb in liver as well as between Zn and Pb and Zn and Cd in kidney. All hepatic cirrhosis cases had very low Zn conc. in liver tissue, the tumor cases generally increasing Zn conc. in liver tissue with progressive stage of regional invasion and distant metastasis.

Age, sex, and region adjusted concentrations of chromium and nickel in lung tissue.

Chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) concentrations were measured in lung tissue from 110 random necropsies by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. The subjects originated from the Ruhr district (Bochum (71 cases) and Dortmund (16 cases) areas), which has been defined as a particular pollution area with locally high Cr and Ni emissions, and from Münster and vicinity (23 cases). The Cr and Ni concentrations in lung tissue of the subjects from the Ruhr district (3.09 (SD 2.99) micrograms Cr/g, 0.65 (SD 0.94) micrograms Ni/g dry weight of lung) were 4.8 and 2.8 times higher than those from Münster (0.66 (SD 0.49) micrograms Cr/g, 0.17 (SD 0.11) micrograms Ni/g dry weight of lung). Concentrations of Cr and Ni in men were twice those in women. All data showed an age dependent increase of Cr and Ni in the lung (about 2.4% a year for Cr and 3% a year for Ni) and Cr and Ni values showed a high correlation (r greater than or equal to 0.9). Thus it was possible to calculate age, sex, and region adjusted expected values of pulmonary Cr and Ni concentrations, and to identify the difference between expected and observed values. This might be helpful to interpret measurements in individual cases and in epidemiological studies. With this procedure the six cases of bronchial carcinoma in the series were shown to have pulmonary Cr and Ni concentrations that were mostly well above the predicted values, and it was possible to give a rough estimate of the degree of deviation.

Trace metal analysis of chromium and nickel in lung tissue fixed and stored in formalin.

In an attempt to answer the question whether the determination of chromium and nickel concentration in lung tissue, fixed and stored in formalin is still tolerable despite the related sources of error, the entire system (tissue, tissue abrasion, formalin, plastic container) was analysed by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. It appears that such a procedure can be justified for practical purposes. In order to reduce possible errors, well defined rules are to be observed during specimen collection and processing and specialities have to be taken into account.

Cadmium in human lung tissue.

In 101 unselected autopsies, cadmium (Cd) in lung tissue was analyzed by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The subjects originated from Bochum (BO), Dortmund (DO), and neighbouring cities in the Ruhr District (BO/DO) as well as from Muenster (MS) and vicinity. The sample included eight persons who had died from bronchial carcinoma. The Cd concentration in lung tissue (CdL) did not show a significant age-dependency. There was only a slight increase of CdL in the age around 50. For males, the median CdL value was found to be 1.32 micrograms/g dry wt in the age group from 20-45, 1.48 micrograms/g dry wt from 45-65, and 0.64 micrograms/g dry wt greater than 65 (the corresponding means and standard deviations were 1.48 +/- 1.22, 1.73 +/- 1.42, and 1.18 +/- 1.27 micrograms/g dry wt). CdL in men was twice that in women. There were no differences between the two regions (BO/DO:MS) examined. CdL of the bronchial carcinoma cases were mostly clearly above the expected level, often similar to the Cr and Ni concentration of the same specimens. Besides the amount of inhaled metal aerosols, insufficient lung clearance may play a leading role for their retention in lung parenchyma. However, with regard to the determination of causality between uptake and disease the data are difficult to interpret, in our study due to a lack of enough consistent and reliable data on occupation, environment, and smoking habits, and in general due to a lot of variables which, until now, cannot be sufficiently quantified.

Increased chromium and nickel content in lung tissue and bronchial carcinoma.

In 25 random autopsies, chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) in lung tissue and regional lymph nodes were analysed by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The subjects originate from Bochum in the Ruhr District, which is defined as a particular pollution area with locally high Cr and Ni emissions. The subjects examined from Bochum (BO) and vicinity have Cr and Ni concentrations about 5 and 6 times higher than those in a previous series form Münster (MS) and vicinity (outside the particular pollution area), which is used for comparison purposes. BO and MS data showed an age-dependent increase of chromium and nickel in the lung, and in both data sets as well as in the combined, the Cr and Ni values showed extremely high correlations (r greater than 0.9). The Cr and Ni concentrations (BO) in lung (3.47 +/- 2.53 micrograms Cr/g, 1.09 +/- 1.43 micrograms Ni/g dry weight) and lymph node tissue (6.30 +/- 3.72 micrograms Cr/g, 1.00 +/- 0.58 micrograms Ni/g dry weight) do not show any correlation. The BO data contained four cases of bronchial carcinoma (all male), three of which showed pulmonary Cr and Ni concentrations that lie clearly above the predicted level. One case of bronchial carcinoma had extremely high Cr and Ni values; an occupational exposure as dental laboratory technician is taken into consideration.

Increased chromium and nickel content in lung tissue.

In random autopsies chromium (n = 23) and nickel (n = 16) together with various other metals, were determined in lung tissue by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. With increasing age a significant increase in concentration of both chromium and nickel was found. This is evaluated as an indicator for a corresponding exposure, which is marked by a local (workplace) and regional (environment) share of a clear increase in the total chromium/nickel load and by a life-long duration. The question arises, whether the selective concentration (long half-life) of the inhaled chromium and nickel particles/compounds in the lung are to be regarded as a stochastic lung cancer risk.

[Age-dependent accumulation of lead in teeth]. / Altersabhängige Kumulation von Blei in den Zähnen.

Teeth from people aged 5-73 years old, who differ in their occupational type of exposure to lead and who live in different areas of Dortmund, were collected in 1980/81 and were investigated by means of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. The major result obtained from the 163 permanent and 22 deciduous teeth studied was a statistically significant dependence of the lead content of the permanent teeth on the donor's age. This was superior to all other influences, showing an increase of 3.4% per year of life. There were no sex specific differences, and no correlations with height and body weight were found. To find different lead concentrations within samples of teeth of various living areas and various occupational types of exposure would have required more variation in these variables than was available in the population of our study. It must be emphasized that the reliability of the measured values of dental-lead concentration greatly depends upon the methodical and analytical procedures used, especially because of the overall lead contamination. The analytical method we finally used is described. The factors which influence the dental lead concentration are discussed. The investigation of whole teeth is tolerable. The age-dependent values of the lead content of teeth could be a useful indicator of the overall lead uptake especially in continuous low level lead exposure. Under the conditions described, at least 150 permanent teeth are needed to compare samples of different regions or periods.

[Data cross-cut and the field of rehabilitation medicine at a vocational re-training centre (author's transl)]. / Datenquerschnitt und rehabilitationsmedizinischer Bereich eines Berufsförderungswerkes

Identified and evaluated were a number of medical and sociological data, e.g. diagnosis, age, population of the place of residence, financially responsible agencies, on 1399 rehabilitees who were admitted to the Dortmund vocational re-training centre during the first five years of its operation (1971-1975). The primary diagnoses (highly identical with those indicative of vocational rehabilitation) and the overall diagnoses (primary and secondary diagnoses) were classified into disease groups according to the ICD and compared with the frequency distribution in the 1970 microcensus. Significance computations determined yearly deviations of the different data, i.e., a significantly steady increase in emotional disturbances. The classification of diseases and disabilities clearly shows the problem complex of adequate comprehensive therapy and medical care, and marks the role of medicine at a vocational re-training centre.