Nickel Content in Human Internal Organs.

With the growing interest in new applications of metals in modern technologies, an increase in their concentration in the environment can be observed, which, in consequence, may constitute a hazard to human health. That is why it is of a great importance to establish "reference" levels of particular elements (essential or toxic) in human biological samples.The aim of this paper was to determine nickel in autopsy tissues of non-occupationally exposed subjects in Southern Poland (n = 60). Measurements were performed by means of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave-assisted acid digestion according to previously optimized and validated procedure. The results obtained indicate that data cover the wide range of concentrations and generally are consistent with other published findings. Nickel levels in the brain, stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs and heart (wet weight) were between 2.15-79.4 ng/g, 0.5-44.2 ng/g,7.85-519 ng/g, 12.8-725 ng/g, 8.47-333 ng/g and 2.3-97.7 ng/g, respectively. Females had generally lower levels of nickel in tissues than males (statistically significant relationships were found for the liver, kidneys and lungs), and median nickel concentrations in all studied material within all age groups had very similar values, with the exception of stomach.

Application of TDA AAS to Direct Mercury Determination in Postmortem Material in Forensic Toxicology Examinations.

Mercury is a heavy metal with high toxicity, the level of which depends on the form of the metal. One of the newer techniques for determining trace amounts of total mercury in various materials, including biological samples, is thermal decomposition, amalgamation and atomic absorption spectrometry (TDA AAS). The TDA AAS method was optimized and validated using a mercury analyzer (DMA-80). The limits of detection for mercury were 0.10 and 0.20 µg/L (nickel and quartz boats, respectively). The working range of the calibration curve was at least from 0.6 to 200 ng Hg/mL; the intra-day precision in samples (RSD)-in the range of: 1.66-6.86% (blood), 0.82-1.47% (urine) and 2.01-3.44% (hair); the inter-day precision (over 8 days): 2.51%, and 2.5% (blood spiked with 2.5 and 10 ng Hg, respectively), 5.10% and 3.16% (urine spiked with 2.0 and 6.0 ng Hg, respectively). The accuracy (as relative error, mean value) determined on the basis of the study of reference materials of blood (Seronorm Trace Elements Whole Blood L-1, L-2, L-3), urine (Seronorm Trace Elements Urine, Urine L-2), and hair (Human Hair NIES CRM No. 13) was: 2.00% (blood), 0.50% (urine) and 0.86% (hair); recovery of 2.5 ng Hg (blood): 93-97%. The method was used for the determination of mercury in 76 samples of various biological matrices, including samples of whole blood, urine, hair, bile and vitreous humor. Mercury concentrations in postmortem blood (n = 24) were in the range: 0.61-12.4 µg/L (median 3.02 µg/L); urine (n = 12): 0.16-2.19 µg/L (median 0.81 µg/L); hair (n = 14): 0.08-0.53 µg/g (median 0.22 µg/g); bile (n = 12): 1.15-7.11 µg/L (median 2.41 µg/L and vitreous humor (n = 13): 0.22-1.01 µg/L (median 0.47 µg/L). The method is suitable for the purposes of forensic toxicology analysis.

Chromium in Postmortem Material.

Recently, considerable attention has been paid to the negative effects caused by the presence and constant increase in concentration of heavy metals in the environment, as well as to the determination of their content in human biological samples. In this paper, the concentration of chromium in samples of blood and internal organs collected at autopsy from 21 female and 39 male non-occupationally exposed subjects is presented. Elemental analysis was carried out by an electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion. Reference ranges of chromium in the blood, brain, stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart (wet weight) in the population of Southern Poland were found to be 0.11-16.4 ng/mL, 4.7-136 ng/g, 6.1-76.4 ng/g, 11-506 ng/g, 2.9-298 ng/g, 13-798 ng/g, and 3.6-320 ng/g, respectively.

Cadmium Concentration in Human Autopsy Tissues.

The concentration of cadmium in human tissues obtained on the basis of autopsies of non-poisoned Polish people (n = 150), aged from 1 to 80 years, examined between 1990 and 2010, is presented. The following values were found in wet digested samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) (mean ± SD, median, and range, µg/g of wet weight): brain 0.020 ± 0.031, 0.084, 0-0.120 (n = 41); stomach 0.148 ± 0.195, 0.084, 0-1.25 (n = 89); small intestine 0.227 ± 0.231, 0.130, 0-0.830 (n = 39); liver 1.54 ± 1.55, 1.01, 0.015-9.65 (n = 99); kidney 16.0 ± 13.2, 14.0, 0.62-61.3 (n = 91); lung 0.304 ± 0.414, 0.130, 0-1.90 (n = 25); and heart 0.137 ± 0.107, 0.140, 0.017-0.250 (n = 4). Additionally, results (n = 13 people, aged from 2 to 83 years, 63 samples) obtained by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) between 2010 and 2015 are given. The obtained data on Cd concentration in the human body can be used to estimate the amounts occurring in "healthy" people and those occurring in cases of chronic or acute poisonings with Cd compounds, which are examined for forensic purposes or to assess environmental exposure levels.

Detection of Mercury in Human Organs and Hair in a Case of a Homicidal Poisoning of a Woman Autopsied 6 Years After Death.

In the described case of the death of a 53-year-old woman, no toxicological examination was performed directly after death (only an anatomopathological autopsy), although symptoms of serious gastrointestinal disturbances had been present (the woman had been hospitalized twice in the course of several months). It was assumed that the cause of death was myocardial infarction. Five years later, some new circumstances came to light which suggested that somebody could have administered some poison (metals, cyanides) to the woman. Toxicological analysis of postmortem samples from the corpse, exhumed 6 years after death by order of the public prosecutor's office, revealed high tissue mercury contents in biological material (cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry): small intestine, 1516 ng/g; large intestine, 487 ng/g; liver, 1201 ng/g; heart muscle, 1023 ng/g; and scalp hair, 227 ng/g. In samples of soil from places near the coffin, negligible traces of mercury were found (0.5-1.5 ng/g); contamination by mercury from the environment was ruled out. The presented case is a rare example of recognition of mercury poisoning on the basis of the results of analysis of biological material from an exhumed cadaver.

Optimization and Validation of an ETAAS Method for the Determination of Nickel in Postmortem Material.

In this article, optimization and validation of a procedure for the determination of total nickel in wet digested samples of human body tissues (internal organs) for forensic toxicological purposes are presented. Four experimental setups of the electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) using a Solaar MQZe (Thermo Electron Co.) were compared, using the following (i) no modifier, (ii) magnesium nitrate, (iii) palladium nitrate and (iv) magnesium nitrate and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate mixture as chemical modifiers. It was ascertained that the ETAAS without any modifier with 1,300/2,400°C as the pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, respectively, can be used to determine total nickel at reference levels in biological materials as well as its levels found in chronic or acute poisonings. The method developed was validated, obtaining a linear range of calibration from 0.76 to 15.0 µg/L, limit of detection at 0.23 µg/L, limit of quantification at 0.76 µg/L, precision (as relative standard deviation) up to 10% and accuracy of 97.1% for the analysis of certified material (SRM 1577c Bovine Liver) and within a range from 99.2 to 109.9% for the recovery of fortified liver samples.

ICP OES and CV AAS in determination of mercury in an unusual fatal case of long-term exposure to elemental mercury in a teenager.

In this work, a case of deliberate self-poisoning is presented. A 14-year-old girl suddenly died during one of the several hospitalizations. Abdominal computer tomography showed a large number of metallic particles in the large intestine. Analysis of blood and internal organs for mercury and other toxic metals carried out by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) revealed high concentrations of mercury in kidneys and liver (64,200 and 2470ng/g, respectively), less in stomach (90ng/g), and none in blood. Using cold vapor-atomic absorption spectrometry (CV AAS), high levels of mercury were confirmed in all examined materials, including blood (87ng/g), and additionally in hair. The results of analysis obtained by two techniques revealed that the exposure to mercury was considerable (some time later, it was stated that the mercury originated from thermometers that had been broken over the course of about 1 year, because of Münchausen syndrome). CV AAS is a more sensitive technique, particularly for blood samples (negative results using ICP OES), and tissue samples - with LOQ: 0.63ng/g of Hg (CV AAS) vis-à-vis 70ng/g of Hg (ICP OES). However, ICP OES may be used as a screening technique for autopsy material in acute poisoning by a heavy metal, even one as volatile as mercury.

Application of ICP-OES to the determination of barium in blood and urine in clinical and forensic analysis.

Exposure to barium (Ba) mostly occurs in the workplace or from drinking water, but it may sometimes be due to accidental or intentional intoxication. This paper presents a reliable, sensitive method for the determination of Ba in blood and urine: inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) after microwave digestion of samples. The overall procedure was checked using Seronorm Whole Blood L-2, Trace Elements Urine and spiked blood and urine samples (0.5-10 µg/mL of Ba). The accuracy of the whole procedure (relative error) was 4% (blood) and 7% (urine); the recovery was 76-104% (blood) and 85-101% (urine). The limits of detection and quantification (Ba λ = 455.403 nm) were 0.11 and 0.4 µg/L of Ba, respectively; precision (relative standard deviation) was below 6% at the level of 15 µg/L of Ba for blood. This method was applied to a case of the poisoning of a man who had been exposed at the workplace for over two years to powdered BaCO3, and who suffered from paralysis and heart disorders. The concentrations of Ba, in µg/L, were 160 (blood), 460 (serum) and 1,458 (urine) upon his admission to the hospital, and 6.1 (blood) and 4.9 (urine) after 11 months (reference values: 3.34 ± 2.20 µg/L of Ba for blood and 4.43 ± 4.60 µg/L of Ba for urine).

Optimization and validation of a procedure for the determination of total chromium in postmortem material by ETAAS.

A study was conducted to optimize and validate a procedure for the determination of total chromium in wet digested samples of human blood and body tissues for forensic toxicological purposes. Five experimental setups of electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) using a Solaar MQZe (Thermo Electron Co.) were compared, using the following: (i) no modifier, (ii) magnesium nitrate, (iii) palladium nitrate, (iv) magnesium and palladium nitrate mixture and (v) palladium nitrate and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate mixture as chemical modifiers. Furthermore, for the mineralization process in the Ethos 1 microwave system (Milestone), it was found that the temperature program suggested by the producer should be improved, thus, four experimental setups are presented. Finally, the whole procedure was validated, obtaining a linear range of calibration from 0.22 to 12.0 µg/L, limit of detection at 0.07 µg/L, limit of quantification at 0.22 µg/L, precision (as relative standard deviation) up to 6%, and accuracy of 98.4-104.4% for the analysis of certified material (ClinChek Whole Blood Control Level III, SRM Whole Blood Level II and III and SRM 1577c Bovine Liver) and within a range from 84.5 to 103.2% for the recovery of spiked samples. It was ascertained that modified wet digestion, followed by ETAAS with magnesium nitrate as a modifier (5 µg) with 1,400/2,500°C as the pyrolysis and atomization temperatures, respectively, can be used to determine chromium at reference levels in biological materials (blood and internal organs) and levels found in chronic or acute poisonings with chromium compounds.

[Long-term follow-up after intravenous injection of mercury--two cases report]. / Wieloletnia obserwacja po dozylnym wstrzyknieciu rteci metalicznej--opis dwóch przypadków.

In this paper we present the long-term follow-up of two patients, after injection of metallic mercury. Case 1. In 1997, 29-years-old man injected himself to left elbow about 20 ml of metallic mercury by mistake (he was heroin abuser for short time). Mercury concentration in the blood was 400 microg/L. X-ray of the chest, abdomen and affected elbow area showed radiopaque foreign material (depots of mercury). Depots of mercury were also visible on the tricuspid valve in echocardiography. Mercury from the soft tissue left elbow pit was partially surgically removed. During 15 years follow-up two times chelating therapy was performed with d-penicyllamine and DMPS. In 2012, he was admitted to hospital next time. The blood and urine mercury concentration was still elevated (55.2 microg/L and 197 microg/L), mercury depots in the lung and abdomen were present. The signs and symptoms of CNS damage, like peripheral polyneuropathy and ataxia, were diagnosed. CT of brain did not revealed any changes, despite head trauma before 6 years. However neurological findings are typical for chronic mercury poisoning, it is not possible to determine whether these changes are directly related to mercury, because head trauma history, Case 2. In 2003, 16-years-old woman injected herself one month before, in suicidal attempts to both elbows several millilitres of metallic mercury. Mercury concentration in the blood was 56.2 microg/L, in urine 906 microg/L and in the hair 1.12 microg/g. Chest Xray showed depots of mercury in the lung. Mercury from the soft tissue was two times surgically removed. During 9 years two times chelating therapy was performed with d-penicyllamine and DMPS. After 9 years there is no symptoms of mercury poisoning. Mercury depots in the lung are still present. The blood and urine mercury concentration is low (13.7 microg/L and 2.53 microg/L). In mean time she gave birth two healthy children. Further patients evaluation is necessary.

Application of three spectrometric methods to total selenium determination in postmortem material in a case of acute selenium compound poisoning.

Three spectrometric methods, that is, spectrofluorimetry (SF), atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomization (ET-AAS), and atomic fluorescence spectrometry with hydride generation (HG-AFS) were used for the determination of total selenium in biological samples taken from postmortem material in a case of acute selenium compound poisoning. The precision of the SF, ET-AAS, and HG-AFS methods (RSD, n=10) was found to be in the ranges of 10.0-15.0, 3.0-6.0 and 1.0-1.5%, respectively, and the detection limit was 10.0, 4.0, and 0.1 µg/L of Se, respectively. In the case of HG-AFS, the analytical procedure takes less time and is less laborious than the other methods considered. The obtained results show the usefulness of the HG-AFS method as a supplementary analytical tool to the SF and ET-AAS methods with respect to the determination of selenium as well as the possibility of using this method as a primary one in forensic toxicology practice.

Zinc in postmortem body tissues and fluids.

Data on zinc concentration in the human body may be used to interpret the results obtained in cases of chronic and acute poisonings with zinc compounds, i.e., in clinical and forensic toxicology. In this paper, the concentrations of zinc in human tissues and body fluids obtained from autopsy cases concerning non-poisoned people (n = 203), aged from 14 to 80 years, between 1995 and 2008, are presented. The following values were found by the flame atomic absorption method (mean ± SD, median, range, in microgram per gram or microgram per milliliter): brain 10.3 ± 1.36, 10.2, 7.99-13.8 (n = 48); stomach 14.2 ± 3.63, 13.6, 8.00-22.5 (n = 71); intestines 15.7 ± 5.22, 15.8, 8.36-28.1 (n = 35); liver 39.6 ± 16.1, 36.6, 16.0-78.8 (n = 109); kidney 33.8 ± 10.1, 31.8, 16.4-60.9 (n = 93); lung 12.0 ± 3.88, 11.0, 6.13-18.7 (n = 26); spleen 14.7 ± 2.53, 14.6, 11.4-18.3 (n = 5); heart 26.5 ± 3.63, 26.7, 22.5-31.8 (n = 5); blood 6.81 ± 1.21, 7.00, 4.02-8.68 (n = 50); urine 0.69 ± 1.70, 0.60, 0.39-1.00 (n = 5), and bile 4.92 ± 1.64, 3.75, 3.20-7.09 (n = 9). The accuracy of the method was checked through the use of SRM Bovine Liver 1577b (certified: 127 ± 16 µg Zn/g, found: 117 ± 0.7 µg Zn/g (n = 6)).

Fatal cases of acute suicidal sodium and accidental zinc fluorosilicate poisoning. Review of acute intoxications due to fluoride compounds.

Fluoride, of all inorganic substances, is among the least likely to be identified by a routine toxicological analysis. Acute poisonings with salts of hydrofluoric or fluorosilicic acid, however, although relatively uncommon, may occur. Some fluorosilicates, salts of fluorosilicic acid (e.g. Al, Zn, Pb, Mg) are used as stone consolidants, others (e.g. sodium fluorosilicate)--in the production of enamel and milk glass, or as insecticide. In this paper, two fatal cases of poisonings are presented: a suicide involving sodium fluorosilicate of a 39-year-old male who died in his flat, without hospitalization, and an accidental ingestion of zinc fluorosilicate solution (probably due to mistaking it for mineral water) by a 38-year-old male at his workplace (building), who died about 3h after ingestion of the liquid, in spite of intensive care at hospitals. Post-mortem samples were examined by the use of the spectrophotometric method with lanthanum nitrate and alizarin complexone for fluorine (after isolation of fluoride compounds by the microdiffusion method) and using a flame atomic absorption spectrometry method for zinc (after mineralization of biological material by sulfuric and nitric acids). In the first case, the results were: blood--130 µg F/ml, stomach--1150 µg F/g, small intestine content --19.6 µg F/g, kidney--56.0 µg F/g, and urine--1940 µg F/ml. In the second case, the contents of fluorine and zinc in blood and internal organs were the following: blood--6.03 µg F/ml, 23.8 µg Zn/ml; brain--1.39 µg F/g, 7.54 µg Zn/g; stomach--152 µg Zn/g; stomach content--293 µg F/g, 84.4 µg Zn/g; small intestine--37.5 µg Zn/g; small intestine content--63.4 µg F/g, 19.6 µg Zn/g; liver--9.49 µg F/g, 81.0 µg Zn/g; kidney--29.6 µg F/g, 39.2 µg Zn/g; and exceeded the normal levels of these elements in biological material many times. In addition, in stomach and liver large amounts of silica were detected. In the paper, a review of acute intoxications with various fluoride compounds (17 cases) is also presented.

Significance of copper determination in late onset of Wilson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Wilson's disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism resulting from the dysfunction of a copper transporting P-type ATPase encoded on chromosome 13. When capacity for hepatic storage is exceeded, the excess copper manifests itself in toxic action. In this article, the case of a sudden unexpected death of a 22-year-old woman, as a result of a subclinical course of Wilson's disease, is reported. METHODS/RESULTS: A woman with no past medical history of underlying liver disease was hospitalized for nine days before death because of strong hemolytic anemia of unknown origin. Intoxication by lead, mercury, cadmium, thallium, zinc, chromium, manganese, and arsenic compounds was excluded. High levels of copper in blood and urine (AAS method) were found (blood: 3.90 microg/ml, urine: 8.10 microg/ml, 12,140 microg/24 h; normal - blood: 0.88 microg/ml, urine: 0.051 microg/ml, < 51 microg/24 h). Symptomatic treatment, aimed at multi-organ failure, was applied immediately. In spite of intensive care, the patient died. Post-mortem findings indicated the presence of anasacra and ascites, hydropericardium, brain edema, orange-like coloration of internal organs, and cirrhotic liver. Histopathological examination of liver slices revealed complete micro- and medionodular cirrhotic changes, focal central necrosis of the hepatocytes and cholestasis. The copper content in liver was 89.8 mug/g (normal: 3.58 +/- 1.71 microg/g). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of tissue copper content is essential for the diagnosis of Wilson's disease in the living or after death (in living it can be helpful in proper diagnosis, and after death it enables one to ascertain the cause of a sudden death). The copper level in the liver in Wilson's disease is about 25 times higher than in the healthy liver.

Poisoning from aspiration of elemental mercury.

BACKGROUND: Mercury and mercury compounds (inorganic and organic) can cause acute or chronic poisoning. Acute poisonings, especially with inorganic salts, are widely described, but only sparse data are available on intoxication from oral elemental mercury. We report a case of elemental mercury ingestion followed by pulmonary aspiration of the elemental mercury. CASE REPORT: A 49-year-old woman intentionally ingested about 200 mL (2709 g) of elemental mercury and aspirated during gastric lavage. A chest radiograph demonstrated small radiodense droplets in the peripheral parts of both lung fields. Whole blood mercury concentrations were 330 microg/L on day 3, 457 microg/L on day 8, and 174 microg/L on day 17. The mercury concentration in a random urine sample was 231 microg/L on day 17. The patient was treated with oral d-penicillamine on the 25th-32nd day after ingestion. A hair sample taken from near the scalp on day 31 had a mercury concentration of 1.38 microg/g. The patient demonstrated impaired memory and disturbances in verbal-logical thinking. At 6 months, she had improved clinically; her whole blood mercury concentration was 16.4 microg/L and the mercury concentration in a random urine sample was 141 microg/L. CONCLUSIONS: In this case, systemic absorption of elemental mercury, occured after the ingestion of a massive dose of elemental mercury complicated by pulmonary aspiration.

Exhumation examination to confirm suspicion of fatal lead poisoning.

Acute poisonings with inorganic lead compounds are exceptionally rare. In all cases of diagnosis, there are two possible sources of error: failing to recognise lead poisoning when it is present, and mistaking other diseases for lead poisoning. If exposure history is carefully taken and proper laboratory techniques are employed, the diagnosis of lead poisoning should not be difficult. In the described case of the death of a 41-year-old-man, no enzymatic disturbances characteristic of congenital erythropoietic porphyria were ascertained, and furthermore, a considerable concentration of lead was found in antemortem material, 5 months before death (blood: 1584 microg/l, urine: 531 microg/24 h). Postmortem tissue lead content in the biological material, exhumed 6 months after death, were as follows: liver, 47.6 microg/g; kidney, 4.75 microg/g; bone, 103 microg/g of sacral vertebra, 20.4 microg/g of femoral bone, 112 microg/g of pelvis; hair, 30.2 microg/g of scalp hair, 33.7 microg/g of pubic hair; nails, 13.6 microg/g. The results indicated a case of acute lead poisoning (with lead(II) oxide, as it later turned out), which manifested as acute intermittent porphyria.

Massive acute arsenic poisonings.

Arsenic poisonings are still important in the field of toxicology, though they are not as frequent as about 20-30 years ago. In this paper, the arsenic concentrations in ante- and post-mortem materials, and also forensic and anatomo-pathological aspects in three cases of massive acute poisoning with arsenic(III) oxide (two of them with unexplained criminalistic background, in which arsenic was taken for amphetamine and one suicide), are presented. Ante-mortem blood and urine arsenic concentrations ranged from 2.3 to 6.7 microg/ml, respectively. Post-mortem tissue total arsenic concentrations were also detected in large concentrations. In case 3, the contents of the duodenum contained as much as 30.1% arsenic(III) oxide. The high concentrations of arsenic detected in blood and tissues in all presented cases are particularly noteworthy in that they are very rarely detected at these concentrations in fatal arsenic poisonings.

Total mercury levels in human autopsy materials from a nonexposed Polish population.

Mercury is considered to be one of the most harmful metals. Studies of the so-called normal mercury content in human internal organs, blood, and urine can be useful for assessment of the level of environmental exposure and also for legal and medical expert opinions. The examination encompassed 75 autopsies of inhabitants of southern Poland (50 male and 25 female) investigated at the Institute of Forensic Research in Kraków, Poland, between the end of 1998 and the beginning of 2001. Samples of internal organs were homogenized and digested with nitric and sulfuric acids. Determination of total mercury was performed by the use of cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. The following results (range and mean, in ng/g wet weight) were obtained: brain (n = 49) 0-14.2, 2.3 +/- 1.9; liver (n = 69) 2.6-55.0, 15.5 +/- 9.5; kidney (n = 63) 3.2-170, 35.9 +/- 31.7; heart (n = 4) 1.2-2.8, 2.2 +/- 0.75; spleen (n = 17) 2.4-9.6, 4.0 +/- 1.8; lung (n = 22) 1.8-9.1, 3.3 +/- 1.8; stomach (n = 48) 0-4.5, 2.0 +/- 1.0; small intestine (n = 32) 0-14.2, 2.8 +/- 2.7; large intestine (n = 13) 0 - 23.9, 5.2 +/- 7.2; blood (n = 35) 0 6.5, 1.6 +/- 1.2; urine (n = 14) 0 2.6, below detection limit. The above mentioned levels of mercury are similar to those reported by other Polish authors, but are lower than those determined in normal Korean and Japanese organs.

Suicide by sodium tetraoxoselenate(VI) poisoning.

Selenium is one of the most toxic elements necessary for the life of mammals. Only a narrow range separates therapeutic (connected with a protective effect) and toxic doses. Selenium incorporated into animal or human tissues in larger amounts can exceed normal human levels and may be toxic (only elemental selenium and selenium sulphide are poorly absorbed). Acute poisonings with selenium or its compounds, especially fatal ones, occur extremely rarely in humans. Levels of selenium in four fatal cases are reviewed, and the levels in a fatal poisoning with sodium tetraoxoselenate(VI) are evaluated. Postmortem tissue selenium contents in the latter case were the following: brain, 1.45 and 1.60 microg/g; stomach, 6.12 and 6.37 microg/g; small intestine, 4.37 and 4.13 microg/g; large intestine, 4.53 and 4.43 microg/g; liver, 4.20 and 4.35 microg/g; kidney, 3.35 and 3.60 microg/g; lung, 1.80 and 1.60 microg/g; blood, 1.43 and 1.41 microg/ml measured by the use of ETA-AAS and fluorimetric methods, respectively.

Lead, copper, zinc, and magnesium levels in hair of children and young people with some disorders of the osteomuscular articular system.

The lead, copper, zinc, and magnesium contents of scalp hair taken from 173 children aged 1-15 yr and young people (16-18 yr) with certain disorders of the osteomuscular articular system (osteomuscular pains of unknown origin, once described as "growing pains") were measured, using the flame atomic absorption spectrometry method, and then compared with those of 108 normal, healthy children. The research showed increased average levels of lead (a statistically significant p<0.05 in both the overall group of children, and in those over 11 yr old), and zinc (increased in the total group, in a statistically significant way at p<0.10 only in adolescents over 15 yr old) and decreased levels of copper (although not significantly) in the hair of children suffering from "rheumatic" diseases, as compared with controls. The magnesium levels for the total group of ill children were admittedly enhanced, but in the youngest children, the levels were reduced. The values of the Mg/Pb and Mg/Zn ratios were lower (in the youngest children, 70% decrease of the Mg/Pb ratio) and Zn/Cu were higher in the group of children suffering from rheumatic diseases than in the healthy children. The difference of Mg/Pb ratio between the total controls and rheumatic subjects was statistically significant at p<0.05 and the Zn/Cu at p<0.10. The Mg/Zn ratio was not statistically significant.