Emission spectrophotometric analysis of titanium, aluminum, and vanadium levels in the blood, urine, and hair of patients with total hip arthroplasties.

Emission spectrophotometry was used to measure the levels of titanium, aluminum, and vanadium in the blood, urine, and hair of 30 patients with total hip arthroplasties. The patients were divided into three groups of ten; one group was studied two years after total hip replacement, one at four years, and one at six years. High levels of titanium and aluminum were found in the hair, especially in the group studied six years after implantation, while the levels of the three ions in the blood and urine were not significant.