Multivariate statistical analysis of metal concentrations in teeth of residents of Silesian region, southern Poland.

Concentrations of 11 metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Na, K, Ca, and Mg) were assayed in the teeth of two populations of the Silesian region. The first group (n = 83) comprised the residents of Katowice-Szopienice, a town located in the center of the Upper Silesian industrial region, in close proximity to a Pb plant, whereas the other was a group of residents of the agricultural community Strumien (n = 44). The concentrations of all the trace metals were found to be higher in the teeth of Katowice-Szopienice residents. The methods of cluster analysis distinguished two clusters of metals in the teeth: essential (Ca, Na, Mg, Zn, and K) and trace (Cd, Mn, Cr, Cu, Fe, and Pb) elements. Euclidean distances reflected the differences in concentrations between the two groups. The results obtained were analyzed using principal component analysis. Four principal factors accounted for 68.1% of the total variance for Katowice-Szopienice residents and for 80.1% for Strumien residents. The first factor showed high contributions of Cu and Cr, elements present in humans as a result of diet, and also Mn for Katowice-Szopienice residents because of environmental contamination. The second factor was characterized by large Zn and Cd fractions and, for Katowice-Szopienice residents, Pb and K as well. The diversified exposure of both populations was reflected by the differences in Euclidean distances and contribution of particular elements with respect of principal components.

Evaluation of intra- and interindividual variation of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene, a biomarker of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The study was performed on 30, 8-year-old children living in an industrial town of the Upper Silesia region. Morning urine samples were collected on 6 consecutive days. Intraindividual variation of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations, calculated as a coefficient of variance (CV), ranged from 14 to 109% whereas inter-individual variation ranged from 69 to 109%. Three-way analysis of variance disclosed a significant effect of sex, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and day of examination on 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations not corrected for creatinine. The appropriate sample size for population studies and the minimum number of observations for the individual assessment of environmental exposure to PAHs calculated on the basis of inter- and intraindividual variability of 1-hydroxypyrene concentrations in urine amounted to 164 and 99, respectively. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene may be considered a good indicator of environmental exposure to PAHs at the group level.

The femur capitulum as a biomarker of contamination due to indicating lead content in the air by participation of the other metals.

The occurrence of nine elements in the coxarthrosis human femoral capitula is described. The atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) method was used to determine Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Ni and Co concentrations in the three kinds of tissues: spongious and cortical bone and joint surface cartilage. Based on the Pb bone concentrations, an ecotoxicological Pb contamination risk for the industrial region can be predicted.

[Selected biomarkers for evaluating occupational exposure to lead among workers from the "Miasteczko Slaskie" zincworks in Tarnowskie Gory]. / Wybrane biomarkery oceny ekspozycji zawodowej na olów pracowników Huty Cynku "Miasteczko Slaskie" w Tarnowskich Górach.

A dose-response relationship between exposure to lead and delta-aminolaevulinic acid concentration in urine (ALA-U), and between blood lead (Pb-B) and zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZPP-B) concentrations in blood were examined in 90 male workers exposed to lead. Concentrations of ZPP-B correlated closely with blood lead levels. Concentrations of ALA-U ranged from 1.6 to 19.4 mg/l. These data suggest that ALA-U is a useful indicator of early effects of exposure to lead on heam biosynthesis. Lead concentrations in air at different work posts were analysed. The results obtained were compared with the levels of standard values of lead concentrations in air and with blood lead levels at those work posts.

Uptake of 226radium and 228radium by the lichen genus Umbilicaria.

The 226Ra and 228Ra content of the lichens Umbilicaria cylindrica, U. deusta, U. murina and U. hirsuta has been determined as a function of the growth altitude above sea level, based on data derived from material collected from localities in southwest Poland. These data are interpreted as graphs and formulae to show the influence of environmental factors, particularly altitude, on the concentration of 226Ra and 228Ra, and the coefficients of accumulation calculated.