Abstract
The rapid economic development and industrialization have made heavy metal contamination a great public concern, especially in China. However, the levels of heavy metals in human body, especially those susceptible to the effect of industrial progression, are rarely explored. In this study, eight elements in 2643 urinary samples of individuals living in rural areas along the Yangtze River were determined through inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and TAS-990 atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Cd). Two-level regression model was applied to explore the potential factors associated with the level of the eight trace elements. After adjusting for urinary creatinine, the geometric means were 77.5, 10.98, 14.39, 13.00, 0.59, 1.51, 489.62, and 1.80 μg/g for As, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, and Cd, respectively. The level of eight elements varied among individual and familial characteristics. Compared with domestic and international results, the rural residents living in riverside areas had higher level of As, Cd, Cr, Fe, and Zn. Therefore, industrial progression followed by economic development has resulted in high body burden of heavy metals. Targeted public health policies should be made to improve the local environment and the recognition of potential risk factors.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abuduwaili J, Zhang Z, Jiang F (2015) Assessment of the distribution, sources and potential ecological risk of heavy metals in the dry surface sediment of Aibi Lake in Northwest China. PLoS One 10(3):e0120001. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0120001
Aguilera I, Daponte A, Gil F, Hernandez AF, Godoy P, Pla A, Ramos JL, group D (2008) Biomonitoring of urinary metals in a population living in the vicinity of industrial sources: a comparison with the general population of Andalusia, Spain. Sci Total Environ 407(1):669–678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.08.041
Ahn B, Kim SH, Park MJ (2017) Blood cadmium concentrations in Korean adolescents: from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2010-2013. Int J Hyg Environ Health 220(1):37–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.10.003
Allinson M, Zhang P, Bui A, Myers JH, Pettigrove V, Rose G, Salzman SA, Walters R, Allinson G (2017) Herbicides and trace metals in urban waters in Melbourne, Australia (2011-12): concentrations and potential impact. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 24(8):7274–7284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8395-9
Almeida Lopes ACB, Silbergeld EK, Navas-Acien A, Zamoiski R, Martins ADC Jr, Camargo AEI, Urbano MR, Mesas AE, Paoliello MMB (2017) Association between blood lead and blood pressure: a population-based study in Brazilian adults. Environ Health 16(1):27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12940-017-0233-5
Aoki Y, Yee J, Mortensen ME (2017) Blood cadmium by race/Hispanic origin: the role of smoking. Environ Res 155:193–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.016
Arnaud J (1993) Copper. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 63(4):308–311
Castano A, Sanchez-Rodriguez JE, Canas A, Esteban M, Navarro C, Rodriguez-Garcia AC, Arribas M, Diaz G, Jimenez-Guerrero JA (2012) Mercury, lead and cadmium levels in the urine of 170 Spanish adults: a pilot human biomonitoring study. Int J Hyg Environ Health 215(2):191–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2011.09.001
Chanpiwat P, Himeno S, Sthiannopkao S (2015) Arsenic and other metals’ presence in biomarkers of Cambodians in arsenic contaminated areas. Int J Environ Res Public Health 12(11):14285–14300. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph121114285
Chen H, Teng Y, Lu S, Wang Y, Wang J (2015) Contamination features and health risk of soil heavy metals in China. Sci Total Environ 512-513:143–153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.01.025
Chen H, Yuan X, Li T, Hu S, Ji J, Wang C (2016) Characteristics of heavy metal transfer and their influencing factors in different soil-crop systems of the industrialization region, China. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 126:193–201. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2015.12.042
Choi W, Kim S, Baek YW, Choi K, Lee K, Kim S, Yu SD, Choi K (2017) Exposure to environmental chemicals among Korean adults—updates from the second Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2012-2014). Int J Hyg Environ Health 220(2 Pt A): 29-35. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2016.10.002
Clark NA, Teschke K, Rideout K, Copes R (2007) Trace element levels in adults from the west coast of Canada and associations with age, gender, diet, activities, and levels of other trace elements. Chemosphere 70(1):155–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.06.038
Diyabalanage S, Fonseka S, Dasanayake DM, Chandrajith R (2017) Environmental exposures of trace elements assessed using keratinized matrices from patients with chronic kidney diseases of uncertain etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka. J Trace Elem Med Biol 39:62–70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2016.08.003
Dolezalova M, Benesova L, Zavodska A (2013) The changing character of household waste in the Czech Republic between 1999 and 2009 as a function of home heating methods. Waste Manag 33(9):1950–1957. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2013.04.017
Fang B, Guo J, Li F, Giesy JP, Wang L, Shi W (2017) Bioassay directed identification of toxicants in sludge and related reused materials from industrial wastewater treatment plants in the Yangtze River Delta. Chemosphere 168:191–198. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.10.046
Feng W, Cui X, Liu B, Liu C, Xiao Y, Lu W, Guo H, He M, Zhang X, Yuan J, Chen W, Wu T (2015) Association of urinary metal profiles with altered glucose levels and diabetes risk: a population-based study in China. PLoS One 10(4):e0123742. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123742
Fukui Y, Miki M, Ukai H, Okamoto S, Takada S, Higashikawa K, Ikeda M (1999) Urinary lead as a possible surrogate of blood lead among workers occupationally exposed to lead. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 72(8):516–520
Gao C, Liu X, Xie G (2000) A study on the tendency and strategies of agricultural development of the Yangtze Basin. Resour Environ Yangtze Basin 9(2):229–236
Gao Y, Xia J (2011) Chromium contamination accident in China: viewing environment policy of China. Environ Sci Technol 45(20):8605–8606. https://doi.org/10.1021/es203101f
Guo Y, Yang S (2016) Heavy metal enrichments in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) catchment and on the inner shelf of the East China Sea over the last 150 years. Sci Total Environ 543(Pt A):105–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.11.012
Hata A, Endo Y, Nakajima Y, Ikebe M, Ogawa M, Fujitani N, Endo G (2007) HPLC-ICP-MS speciation analysis of arsenic in urine of Japanese subjects without occupational exposure. J Occup Health 49(3):217–223
Heitland P, Koster HD (2006) Biomonitoring of 30 trace elements in urine of children and adults by ICP-MS. Clin Chim Acta 365(1–2):310–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2005.09.013
Humans IWGotEoCRt (2006) Inorganic and organic lead compounds. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 87:1–471
Humans IWGotEoCRt (2012) Arsenic, metals, fibres, and dusts. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Hum 100(Pt C): 11–465
Inoue Y, Umezaki M, Jiang H, Li D, Du J, Jin Y, Yang B, Li B, Li Y, Watanabe C (2014) Urinary concentrations of toxic and essential trace elements among rural residents in Hainan Island, China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 11(12):13047–13064. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph111213047
Jain RB, Choi YS (2015) Normal reference ranges for and variability in the levels of blood manganese and selenium by gender, age, and race/ethnicity for general U.S. population. J Trace Elem Med Biol 30:142–152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2014.12.004
Jomova K, Jenisova Z, Feszterova M, Baros S, Liska J, Hudecova D, Rhodes CJ, Valko M (2011) Arsenic: toxicity, oxidative stress and human disease. J Appl Toxicol: JAT 31(2):95–107. https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.1649
Kazi TG, Afridi HI, Kazi N, Jamali MK, Arain MB, Jalbani N, Kandhro GA (2008) Copper, chromium, manganese, iron, nickel, and zinc levels in biological samples of diabetes mellitus patients. Biol Trace Elem Res 122(1):1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-007-8062-y
Khan A, Khan S, Khan MA, Qamar Z, Waqas M (2015) The uptake and bioaccumulation of heavy metals by food plants, their effects on plants nutrients, and associated health risk: a review. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 22(18):13772–13799. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4881-0
Komaromy-Hiller G, Ash KO, Costa R, Howerton K (2000) Comparison of representative ranges based on U.S. patient population and literature reference intervals for urinary trace elements. Clin Chim Acta 296(1–2):71–90
Liu Z, Zhang Q, Han T, Ding Y, Sun J, Wang F, Zhu C (2015) Heavy metal pollution in a soil-rice system in the Yangtze river region of China. Int J Environ Res Public Health 13(1):ijerph13010063. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph13010063
Maret W, Sandstead HH (2006) Zinc requirements and the risks and benefits of zinc supplementation. J Trace Elem Med Biol 20(1):3–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2006.01.006
Mendy A, Gasana J, Vieira ER (2012) Urinary heavy metals and associated medical conditions in the US adult population. Int J Environ Health Res 22(2):105–118. https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2011.605877
World Health Organization (WHO) (1998) Guidelines for controlling and monitoring the tobacco epidemic. WHO, Geneva
Pang Y, Peng RD, Jones MR, Francesconi KA, Goessler W, Howard BV, Umans JG, Best LG, Guallar E, Post WS, Kaufman JD, Vaidya D, Navas-Acien A (2016) Metal mixtures in urban and rural populations in the US: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and the Strong Heart Study. Environ Res 147:356–364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.02.032
Pino A, Amato A, Alimonti A, Mattei D, Bocca B (2012) Human biomonitoring for metals in Italian urban adolescents: data from Latium Region. Int J Hyg Environ Health 215(2):185–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2011.07.015
Qu CS, Ma ZW, Yang J, Liu Y, Bi J, Huang L (2012) Human exposure pathways of heavy metals in a lead-zinc mining area, Jiangsu Province, China. PLoS One 7(11):e46793. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0046793
Racette BA, Aschner M, Guilarte TR, Dydak U, Criswell SR, Zheng W (2012) Pathophysiology of manganese-associated neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 33(4):881–886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuro.2011.12.010
Satarug S, Garrett SH, Sens MA, Sens DA (2010) Cadmium, environmental exposure, and health outcomes. Environ Health Perspect 118(2):182–190. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.0901234
Shao D, Zhan Y, Zhou W, Zhu L (2016) Current status and temporal trend of heavy metals in farmland soil of the Yangtze River delta region: field survey and meta-analysis. Environ Pollut 219:329–336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.023
Shih RA, Hu H, Weisskopf MG, Schwartz BS (2007) Cumulative lead dose and cognitive function in adults: a review of studies that measured both blood lead and bone lead. Environ Health Perspect 115(3):483–492. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.9786
Tang W, Zhang C, Zhao Y, Shan B, Song Z (2017) Pollution, toxicity, and ecological risk of heavy metals in surface river sediments of a large basin undergoing rapid economic development. Environ Toxicol Chem 36(5):1149–1155. https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.3650
Tavakkoli L, Khanjani N (2016) Environmental and occupational exposure to cadmium in Iran: a systematic review. Rev Environ Health 31(4):457–463. https://doi.org/10.1515/reveh-2016-0042
Vahter M, Berglund M, Akesson A, Liden C (2002) Metals and women’s health. Environ Res 88(3):145–155. https://doi.org/10.1006/enrs.2002.4338
Yang A, Liu S, Cheng N, Pu H, Dai M, Ding J, Li J, Li H, Hu X, Ren X, He J, Zheng T, Bai Y (2017) Multiple metals exposure, elevated blood glucose and dysglycemia among Chinese occupational workers. J Diabetes Complicat 31(1):101–107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2016.07.022
Yang G, Zhang G, Wang H (2015) Current state of sludge production, management, treatment and disposal in China. Water Res 78:60–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2015.04.002
Yi YJ, Sun J, Tang CH, Zhang SH (2016) Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in sediment in the upper reach of the Yangtze River. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 23(11):11002–11013. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6296-y
Yousaf B, Amina LG, Wang R, Imtiaz M, Rizwan MS, Zia-Ur-Rehman M, Qadir A, Si Y (2016a) The importance of evaluating metal exposure and predicting human health risks in urban-periurban environments influenced by emerging industry. Chemosphere 150:79–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.02.007
Yousaf B, Liu G, Wang R, Imtiaz M, Zia-Ur-Rehman M, Munir MA, Niu Z (2016b) Bioavailability evaluation, uptake of heavy metals and potential health risks via dietary exposure in urban-industrial areas. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 23(22):22443–22453. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-7449-8
Zhou J, Feng K, Li Y, Zhou Y (2016) Factorial kriging analysis and sources of heavy metals in soils of different land-use types in the Yangtze River Delta of Eastern China. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 23(15):14957–14967. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-016-6619-z
Funding
This work was funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81373071).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
The present study obtained ethics approval from the ethics committee of Anhui Medical University. All participants had written informed consent for the current study.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cui, Y., Zhong, Q., Hu, M. et al. Human biomonitoring of eight trace elements in urine of residents living in rural areas along the Yangtze River, China. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 27963–27973 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0414-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0414-3