Trace Element Analysis in Whole Blood and Plasma for Reference Levels in a Selected Queensland Population, Australia.

Tatiana Komarova,Anthony V. Perkins,Daniel McKeating,Ujang Tinggi

doi:10.3390/ijerph18052652

Tatiana Komarova, Anthony V. Perkins + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18052652

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Abstract

The levels of trace elements in whole blood and plasma have been widely used for assessing nutritional status and monitoring exposure and can vary widely in populations from different geographical regions. In this study, whole blood samples (n = 120) and plasma samples (n = 120) were obtained from healthy donors attending the Red Cross Blood Bank (Queensland Red Cross Blood Service), which provided information for age and sex. There were 71 males (age range: 19–73 years) and 49 females (age range: 18–72 years) for whole blood samples, and 59 males (age range: 19–81 years) and 61 females (age range: 19–73 years) for plasma samples. The main aim of the study was to provide information on blood reference levels of 21 trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Bi, Br, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, I, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, U, V, Zn) in Queensland. The study also aimed to assess differences in trace element blood levels between males and females and the effect of age. The trace element levels in blood samples were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the standard reference materials of Seronorm (Trace Elements Whole Blood) and UTAK (Trace Elements Serum) were used for quality control and assurance. The study found wide variations of trace element levels in whole blood and plasma, and generally the levels were comparable to other countries. No detectable levels were found for Bi, Cr, U and V in whole blood, but V levels were found in plasma samples. There were significant differences between males and females for whole blood Cu (p < 0.001), I (p = 0.009), Tl (p = 0.016) and Zn (p = 0.016). Significant differences were also found for plasma Cu (p < 0.001) and Se (p = 0.003) between males and females. There were trends of increased levels of blood Pb, Se and Zn with age. The study has provided further information on a wide range of trace elements in blood as reference levels for Queensland and Australia which are currently lacking.

Highlights

Trace elements are naturally occurring in the Earth’s crust
The levels of trace elements in Quality Controls were within the range of the reference values of the Seronorm Trace Elements Whole Blood (Table 3), except for Br and I which were consistently lower for all inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis of blood samples
The levels of trace elements in the UTAK Trace Element Serum Controls were within the range of the reference values

Summary

Introduction

A rapid increase in industrial and agricultural activities over the last few decades has contributed greatly to the distribution of trace elements into the environment. These trace elements will accumulate in the food chain and subsequently a major route of exposure to humans. Increased exposure to trace elements, the toxic metals, has caused concern in human populations. Some trace elements are essential for humans and deficiency diseases such as impaired thyroid metabolism from low iodine, anaemia from low iron, and cardiomyopathy from low selenium are well documented [3,4]. Levels of Arsenic, Cadmium, Copper, Manganese, Nickel, Lead, and Selenium in Blood of the Brazilian Population.

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