Mg Of Copper Research Articles

Albumin dialysis: effective removal of copper in a patient with fulminant Wilson disease and successful bridging to liver transplantation: a new possibility for the elimination of protein-bound toxins

Background: Acute liver failure may be the first manifestation of Wilson disease. If copper elimination fails, liver transplantation is the only remaining therapeutic option. Albumin dialysis, a new method for the removal of protein-bound toxins, was performed in a patient with fulminant Wilson disease. Methods: An 18-year-old man with Wilson disease presented with hyperacute liver failure, hepatic encephalopathy III°, oligo-anuric renal failure, haemolytic anaemia, rhabdomyolysis, pancreatitis and thrombocytopenia. He was treated with albumin dialysis using a 44 g/l albumin-containing dialysate and a slow dialysate flow rate (1–2 l/h). The other details of the technique used are similar to routine continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration. Results: One hundred and five milligrams of copper were removed by albumin dialysis within the first six treatments, resulting in normalisation of blood-copper levels. Successful treatment of the multiorgan failure was achieved. Hepatic encephalopathy improved within 2 days. The patient initially refused liver transplantation. Therefore 35 additional albumin dialysis treatments were performed. Forty-three grams of bilirubin (an indicator of detoxified substances in the liver) and 196 mg of copper were removed. Multiorgan failure, in particular hepatic encephalopathy, did not recur during 59 days of treatment. Eventually, the patient agreed to liver transplantation and that was successful. Conclusion: Albumin dialysis is a new method for the effective treatment of fulminant Wilson disease, resulting in the removal of protein-bound toxins copper and bilirubin. It may serve as a new treatment option in hyperacute liver failure of other origin, acting as an extracorporeal detoxifier.

Do New Pennies Lose Their Shells? Hypothesis Testing in the Sophomore Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

Post-1982 pennies have a varying copper content that can be investigated in the introductory analytical chemistry lab. Groups of four students analyzed ten pennies sampled from the entire minting period to test the hypothesis that the copper shell wears out with time. The results of the flame atomic absorption spectrometry measurements disproved the hypothesis. Four groups observed an increase of 2 mg of copper per year of circulation, the opposite of the behavior expected if the hypothesis were true. Two groups reported a strong positive correlation between copper content and original penny mass. Only one group observed random variations in copper content. Copper-clad copper pennies have a dynamically changing copper content that could be the result of minting variability or changes accompanying the storage of pennies. Student reactions to these results are noted. Future experiments are suggested.

Ability of Immobilized Cyanobacteria to Remove Metal Ions From Solution and Demonstration of the Presence of Metallothionein Genes in Various Strains

Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 has the ability to grow in mass quantity under ideal conditions; such an ability provides usable biomass at a minimal effort. Using lyophilized biomass grown under normal conditions, Synechococcus was tested for its potential to bind metal ions from solution. Batch experiments have determined the optimum binding pH, time dependency, and metal binding capacities for copper(II), lead(II), nickel(II), cadmium(II), chromium(III), and chromium(VI), along with desorption of the metal bound. The biomass studied showed an affinity for five of the metal ions, with an optimum binding at pH 5. Time dependency studies showed that this cyanobacterium had rapid binding, while capacity experiments showed this cyanobacterial strain to bind 11.3 mg of copper(II) per gram of biomass, 30.4mg of lead(II) per gram of biomass, 3.2 mg of nickel(II) per gram of biomass, 7.2 mg of cadmium (II) per gram of biomass, and 5.4 mg of chromium (III) per gram of biomass. More than 98% of copper(II), lead(II), and nickel(II) metal ions were recovered, while over 50 % of cadmium(II) and chromium(III) were recovered when treated with 0.1M HCl. The biomass was immobilized in a silica polymer and tested for its binding ability under flow conditions. Using 0.1mM concentrations of the previously indicated metals, individual experimental results showed an average of 143 mg/L copper(II), 1456 mg/L lead(II), 142 mg/L nickel(II), and 529 mg/L cadmium(II) bound by the immobilized biomass. Treatment with 0.2M HCl resulted in nearly 100% recovery for both copper(II) and lead(II) from the column, 79% recovery of cadmium(II), while recovery for nickel(II) was 42%. Experiments were conducted to determine if many cycles of metal binding- stripping by the immobilized biomass were possible. Further, attempts were made to demonstrate the presence of metallothioneins in various strains of cyanobacteria which may serve as defense mechanisms against metal ion toxicity. Such proteins may be used to develop engineered strains of cyanobacteria with increased metal ion binding ability. Synechococcus can eventually be used as a source for a novel approach in using biosystems to remediate contaminants from solution and making those contaminants available to industry through an environmentally friendly biofiltration system.

Adsorption-desorption characteristics of high levels of copper in soil clay fractions

Copper adsorption and desorption under acid conditions by soil clay fractions separated from Vertisol, Planosol and Gleyic Acrisol has been studied in 0.01 M Ca(NO3)2. A Freundlich equation was appropriate to describe Cu adsorption. Within the range of 150 to 2600 mg of copper per kg of soil clay fraction the proportions of Cu not displaced during 5 successive 48-hour desorptions with 0.01 M Ca(NO3)2 decreased with increasing adsorption density and at the lower pHs. The proportions ranged from as high as 0.98 in the case of the Vertisol clay (pH 5.3) to as low as 0.12 (88% desorption) in the Planosol clay (pH 4.5). Measurement of separation factors (α Cu/Ca) showed that the preference of the clay surface for Cu over Ca decreased in the order: Gleyic Acrisol > Planosol > Vertisol. A considerable amount of sorbed copper could be solubilized by decreasing pH values to 4 when in the Planosol clay 39% was desorbed and 45% was desorbed in the Gleyic Acrisol clay.

Uptake of heavy metals by plants from airborne deposition and polluted soils

The concentrations of sulphur, zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in spring wheat grain and straw, Italian rye grass, timothy and lettuce were studied in a three-year field experiment conducted in southern Finland near a copper-nickel smelter and at nonpolluted control sites. A pot experiment with copper- and nickel-contaminated soils and with a nonpolluted soil as the control was conducted to determine the copper and nickel concentrations in soils phytotoxic for plants. Forty, 200 or 1000 mg of copper or nickel as cloride was added to 2 litres of soil. The nickel and copper concentrations in the shoots of oats were measured. The zinc, copper, lead, cadmium and nickel concentrations varied between different plant species and also between experimental years. Near the smelter, the uptake of nickel by different plant species was very effective, as was copper uptake by lettuce, timothy and Italian rye grass. The same applied to the zinc and cadmium uptake of plants grown on plots. Nickel, cadmium and copper were easily accumulated by plants from air deposition. In the pot experiment, high nickel concentrations in soil were more phytotoxic for oats than were high copper concentrations. In acidic soil, nickel and copper concentrations lower than 20 and 100 mg/kg of soil, respectively, decreased the dry matter yield of oats shoots. Liming clearly decreased copper and nickel phytotoxity. In the most highly contaminated soil, the addition of Cu 20 mg/kg of soil decreased the yield of oats shoots.

Determination of Trace Lead in Copper by Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry

A simple, rapid and sensitive method based on catholic stripping voltammetry without preliminary separation of the copper matrix is described for the determination of lead at the μg g-1 level in copper. The sample was decomposed with nitric acid (2+1), and sodium hydroxide was added to prepare a 1M sodium nitrate electrolyte at pH 2.0. More than 35% of the lead at the ng level in a 1-cm3 aliquot of the electrolyte containing 2mg of copper was electrodeposited on a platinum anode as lead(IV) oxide at +1.6V vs. SCE in 25min. Reproducible differential pulse catholic stripping curves were obtained by scanning the potential at a rate of 50mV s-1 to +0.60V vs. SCE. The determination of 5 to 50μg g-1 of lead in copper wire was achieved with RSDs of ca. 6% (n=5-10) within 1h.

Copper(II) and nickel(II) adsorption by Rhizopus arrhizus in batch stirred reactors in series

In this research, the adsorption of copper(II) and nickel(II) ions on Rhizopus arrhizus, a filamentous fungus, was investigated in three batch stirred reactors operated in series. The adsorption in multistage reactors can be considered as multistage equilibrium operation, which depends on two constraints: that of equilibrium and that of mass balance. The sorption phenomenon was expressed by the Freundlich adsorption isotherm developed for optimum adsorption conditions. At a given ratio V 0 X 0 of volume of waste water containing heavy metal ions to quantity of fungus, this expression was used to calculate the residual metal ion concentration C eq, r or adsorbed metal ion concentration C eq, xr at equilibrium in the solution leaving each stage. Experimental C eq, r and C eq, xr values were compared with calculated values. High metal ion quantities per unit mass of dried biomass were removed by using low V 0 X 0 ratios. When aqueous solutions containing copper(II) at a concentration of 99.9 mg l −1 and nickel(II) at a concentration of 97.9 mg l −1 were fed to the first reactor, 65.7 mg of copper per gram of dried biomass and 90.2 mg of nickel per gram of dried biomass were removed in the solution, leaving a third reactor, at a chosen V 0 X 0 ratio of 1.00.

Effect of heavy metals on the methanogenic activity of starch-degrading granules

Heavy metals in electroplating effluent inhibited specific methanogenic activity (SMA) of anaerobic starch-degrading granules. The SMA of granules on the degradation of starch were reduced by 50% when each gram of biomass was in contact individually with 105 mg of zinc, 120 mg of nickel, 180 mg of copper, 310 mg of chromium, or >400 mg of cadmium. Granules had higher toxicity-resistance than flocculent sludge, due to their layered structure.

The influence of high dietary protein, energy and mineral intake on deficient young camel ( Camelus dromedarius)—II. Changes in mineral status

1. 1. Mangrove Avicennia marina is poor in some trace elements such as copper, zinc and manganese. In a trial we used 32 young camels divided into four groups. 2. 2. Groups 1 and 3 were supplemented with copper and zinc in drinking water after 1 month of mangrove feeding. 3. 3. Groups 2 and 3 received concentrate rich in protein and energy. The supplementation was stopped after 2 months. 4. 4. All the camels were deficient in trace elements at the beginning of mineral supplementation. 5. 5. The plasma concentration of copper increased significantly up to normal levels (<70 μg/100 ml) in energy protein supplemented groups, but the quantity supplied (100 mg of copper sulphate/day) was not sufficient to maintain this level after the end of supplementation. 6. 6. The original zinc deficiency was too severe to observe a significant effect of the mineral supplementation. 7. 7. Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus levels were improved during the supplementation period in protein-energy supplemented groups. 8. 8. A high interaction between mineral absorption and quality of the diet was observed. A well-balanced diet seems essential to avoid deficient mineral status.

Low temperature micro-calorimetry by differential scanning

We describe the construction, operation and performance of a fully automated low temperature differential micro-calorimeter for heat capacity measurements on small samples (m < 100 mg) in the temperature range from 15 K to 300 K. The instrument is operated using different calorimetric methods, in particular adiabatic differential scanning. Its reliability is demonstrated by measuring the heat capacity of 23 mg of copper and 37 mg of cyclopentane with an error of less than 2%.

Accumulation of Copper and Other Metals by Copper-Resistant Plant-Pathogenic and Saprophytic Pseudomonads

Copper-resistant strains of Pseudomonas syringae carrying the cop operon produce periplasmic copper-binding proteins, and this sequestration outside the cytoplasm has been proposed as a resistance mechanism. In this study, strain PS61 of P. syringae carrying the cloned cop operon accumulated more total cellular copper than without the operon. Several other copper-resistant pseudomonads with homology to cop were isolated from plants, and these bacteria also accumulated copper. Two highly resistant species accumulated up to 115 to 120 mg of copper per g (dry weight) of cells. P. putida 08891 was more resistant to several metals than P. syringae pv. tomato PT23, but this increased resistance was not correlated with an increased accumulation of metals other than copper. Several metals were accumulated by both PT23 and P. putida, but when copper was added to induce the cop operon, there was generally no increase of accumulation of the other metals, suggesting that the cop operon does not contribute to accumulation of these other metals. The exceptions were aluminum for PT23 and iron for P. putida, which accumulated to higher levels when copper was added to the cultures. The results of this study support the role of copper sequestration in the copper resistance mechanism of P. syringae and suggest that this mechanism is common to several copper-resistant Pseudomonas species found on plants to which antimicrobial copper compounds are applied for plant disease control.

Improved separation of palladium from base metals by cation-exchange chromatography

The influence of resin cross-linkage, particle size and column flow-rate on the uptake of traces of palladium together with the base metals during the separation of palladium from base metals by cation-exchange chromatography was investigated. From this an improved method for the separation of palladium from copper, Ni, Fe(III), Zn, Mg, Ca, Al and Mn was developed using a 4% cross-linked resin. Only ca. 0.1% or less of the palladium remained with the base metal when from 1 μg up to 50 mg of palladium were separated from 500 mg of copper. A relevant elution curve, results of quantitative separations and information about the amounts of palladium remaining with the base metal when various resins and experimental conditions are used are presented.

The Therapeutic Use of Zinc in Macular Degeneration-Reply

In Reply. —The comments of Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan and Brewer concerning their clinical experiences with the relative safety of long-term oral zinc administration are illuminating. It is reasonable to recommend the consumption of a zinc preparation with less potential for gastric irritation so that the supplement may be taken at a time when its absorption is promoted. Additional supplementation with 1 mg of copper daily also appears reasonable. Yuzbasiyan-Gurkan and Brewer alluded to the variability of zinc uptake. This would likely be a problem regardless of the type of preparation. It is suspected, but not known with certainty, that the absorption of trace minerals may vary with age, as it does with a variety of disease processes. More needs to be understood concerning this matter. A single trace metal nutrient does not exist in vivo in isolation. It participates in metabolic and functional links involving a variety of other elements. It seems

Spectrophotometric determination of bismuth with semi-xylenol orange and its application in metal analysis

Semi-Xylenol Orange forms a 2 : 1 chelate with bismuth(III), which has a logarithmic value of 3.08 for its conditional formation constant and a molar absorptivity of 4.2 × 10 4 l.mole −1.cm −1. Beer's law is obeyed at 540 nm over the range 10–30 μg of Bi(III), with a standard deviation of 1.1 μg ( n = 18). Lactic acid is used as an auxiliary complexing agent to prevent olation and oxolation. Interference from up to 1.3 mg of copper can be eliminated by the combined use of masking Cu(II) with thiourea, ascorbic acid and thiosemicarbazide and “post-masking” Bi(III) with sodium chloride. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the direct determination of ⩾ 0.002% of Bi in lead metal, with a coefficient of variation varying from 3.7 to 6.9%.

Copper Deficiency during Total Parenteral Nutrition: Clinical Analysis of Three Cases

Three adult cases in which copper deficiency developed during long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN) without copper supplementation have been described, together with a brief review of the literature. All three patients were suffering from malabsorption when TPN was instituted, and overt symptoms of copper deficiency developed an average of 5.8 months after the start of TPN. Clinically, leukopenia with neutropenia and low plasma levels of copper and ceruloplasmin were seen in all cases. The dosage of copper administration in these cases was 0.3 to 7.2 mg of copper/day, or 5.3 to 133 micrograms of copper/kg/day, with total doses of 7 to 176 mg of copper.

Iron and copper absorption in young and elderly men

Six healthy young men were confined to a metabolic unit to study iron and copper absorption from constant diets containing 10 mg of iron and 3 mg of copper daily. Iron status of all the men was normal. The men were confined to a metabolic unit for 78 days. Absorption was determined twice during the study using iron and copper enriched with the stable isotopes 54Fe and 65Cu. Stable isotopes were analyzed by magnetic sector, thermal ionization mass spectrometry. Iron and copper balances were determined for two 21 day periods and blood parameters of iron and copper status were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Data of the young men were combined with data of elderly men studied earlier. Blood indicators reflected adequate iron status in all subjects at the end of the study and serum copper was in the normal range for all subjects. The following indicators of iron status differed significantly among subjects: hemoglobin, hematocrit, TIBC, ferritin, and serum transferrin. Urinary and serum copper also differed significantly among subjects. Neither iron nor copper absorption differed between age groups or study periods. Iron absorption differed significantly among individuals, but copper absorption did not.

Disc — A differential isoperibol scanning calorimeter

The construction and operation of a new fully automated microcalorimeter is described.This instrument allows specific heat measurements to be performed on small samples in the 10 mg-range at low temperatures (10 K <T < 350 K). The new method consists of ombining the non-adiabatic relaxation-time calorimetry with a twin arrangement and simultaneous temperature scanning. Some experimental details of the calorimeter and sample holders are presented. The accuracy of the calorimeter was verified by calibration measurements on 56 mg of copper. An energy resolution of 0.1μJ/K has been reached near 12 K. To demonstrate the reliability of the microcalorimeter the heat capacity of the new highT c superconductor YBa2Cu3O7−y, was determined.

Daily release of copper from dental alloy restorations in a patient with Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease is a rare genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in tissues. Its victims must adhere to a strict dietary regimen yielding less than 2 mg of copper per day. Three major variables have been identified as being of critical importance in the treatment of these patients: the amount of copper naturally occurring in foods, the amount of copper introduced during the preparation of foods, and the amount of copper in the environment. An environmental variable that rarely has been addressed is the amount of copper in dental restorations. A case report is presented to discuss the possible consequences of copper-containing dental restorations for the patient with Wilson's disease.

Management of Wilson's disease with zinc sulphate: Experience in a series of 27 patients

Evaluation of the literature concerning the various approaches for the treatment of Wilson's disease led to the conclusion that zinc sulphate might be a good choice because it is effective and relatively safe. Twenty seven patients were managed with zinc sulphate for a total period of 142 patients-years. The drug was administered in doses varying from 300 to 1200 mg/day. Of the 9 patients who were treated with zinc from the start, 8 improved and one died from severe cirrhosis. All 8 patients who were placed on zinc after intolerance to penicillamine did well on zinc therapy. Ten patients were changed to zinc after they had first been treated with penicillamine without developing signs of intolerance. Of this group 8 patients were kept on long-term zinc therapy, 2 were changed back to penicillamine because of personal preference. Signs of intolerance to zinc were not observed. All patients kept a diet containing about 1.2 mg of copper a day. Our experience supports the idea that zinc sulphate is a good choice for the treatment of Wilson's disease: the drug is effective, safe and cheap.

Gravimetric determination of copper(II) with ammonium 1-pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate.

Ammonium 1-pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (NH4pdtc) was used for a gravimetric determination of Cu(II). Cu(II) ion in the solution was quantitatively precipitated as [Cu(pdtc)2] in the pH range 112, when a small excess of NH4pdtc solution was added. The precipitate was not decomposed at 60°C for 6h in contact with mother liquor, and was stable on heating up to 140°C after filtration. The procedure for the determination of crystalline copper(II) sulfate was following: crystalline copper(II) sulfate (containing 10100mg of copper) was dissolved in 200cm3 water, a 0.1% NH4pdtc solution was added to the solution until precipitation was completed. After the adjustment of pH to 8.09.5, the mixture was allowed to stand at 60°C for 1h. The precipitate was filtrated, washed with hot water, dried at 110°C, and weighed. This method is accurate and precise, e.g., the mean of relative errors and the relative standard deviation obtained for 20mg of copper were 0.1% and 0.1% (n=6), respectively. This method is suitable for standardizing a Cu(II) solution containing no other heavy metal ion.