Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Concentrations of cadmium, lead, selenium, and zinc in human blood and seminal plasma

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The concentrations of cadmium, lead, selenium, and zinc in blood and seminal plasma were determined in 76 Singapore males. Except for zinc, the concentrations were generally higher in blood than in seminal plasma (cadmium, 1.31 μg/L vs 0.61 μg/L; lead, 82.6 μg/L vs 12.4 μg/L, and selenium, 163.6 μg/L vs 71.5 μg/L). The mean concentration of zinc in seminal plasma was more than 30 times higher than in blood (202 mg/L vs 6.2 mg/L). Significant positive correlations were found between the concentrations in blood and seminal plasma for the two essential trace elements: selenium (r=0.45,p<0.001) and zinc (r=0.25,p<0.05). However, no relationships were found between the concentrations in blood and seminal plasma for two toxic metals (cadmium and lead). Significant inverse correlations were observed between Cd and Zn (r=−0.40,p<0.01), and Pb and Se (r=−0.32,p<0.05) in blood, whereas significant positive correlations were noted between Cd and Se (r=0.45,p<0.01), Cd and Zn (r=0.35,p<0.05), and Se and Zn (r=0.57,p<0.001) in seminal plasma. The physiological significance of these relationships are also discussed in this paper.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. S. A. Gunn, T. C. Gould, and W. A. D. Anderson,Amer. J. Pathol. 42, 685 (1963).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. G. Assennato, C. Paci, M. E. Baser, R. Molinini, R. G. Candela, B. M. Altamura, and R. Giorgio,Arch. Environ. Health 42, 124 (1987).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. G. Bleau, J. Lemarbre, G. Faucher, K. D. Roberts, and A. Chapdelaine,Fertil. Steril. 42, 890 (1984).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. A. Abassi, A. Prasad, P. Rabbani, and E. DuMouchelle,J. Lab. Clin. Med. 96, 544 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  5. A. E. Favier,Biol. Trace Elem. Res. 32, 363 (1992).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. B. Xu, S. E. Chia, M. Tsakok, and C. N. Ong,Reprod. Tox 7 (1993).

  7. T. Umeyama, H. Ishikawa, H. Takeshima, S. Yoshii, and K. Koiso,Fertil. Steril. 46, 494 (1986).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Saaranen, U. Suistomaa, M. Kantola, S. Saarikoski, and T. Vanha-Perttula,Hum. Reprod. 2, 475 (1987).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. G. F. Nordberg, J. Parizek, G. Pershagen, and L. Gerhardsson, inHandbook on toxicology of metals, vol. 1, L. Friberg, G. F. Nordberg, and V. B. Vouk, eds., Elsevier, New York, 1986, pp. 175–197.

    Google Scholar 

  10. R. Honda and K. Nogawa,Arch. Toxicol. 59, 437 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. T. Watanabe, H. Nakatsuka, N. Tang, and M. Ikeda,Sci. Total Environ. 94, 169 (1990).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. M. Wilhelm, D. Hafner, I. Lombeck, and F. K. Ohnesorge,Sci. Total Environ. 103, 199 (1991).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. K. S. Chia, C. N. Ong, H. Y. Ong, and G. Endo,Br. J. Industr. Med. 46, 165 (1989).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. C. N. Ong, H. Y. Ong, and N. Y. Khoo,Appl. Ind. Hyg. 4, 39 (1989).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. G. Morisi, M. Patriarca, and A. Menotti,Clin. Chem. 34, 127 (1988).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. C. N. Ong, H. Y. Ong, and L. H. Chua,Anal. Biochem. 173, 64 (1988).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. V. Iyengar and J. Woittiez,Chin. Chem. 34, 474 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. M. Sarranen, M. Kantola, S. Saarikoski, and T. Vanha-Perttula,Andrologia 21, 140 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. F. Abou-Shakra, N. I. Ward, and D. M. Everard,Fertil. Steril. 52, 307 (1989).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. F. Jockenhovel, M. Bals-Pratsch, H. P. Bertram, and E. Nieschlag,Andrologia 22, 503 (1990).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. A. C. Roy, R. Karunanthy, and S. S. Ratnam,Arch. Androl. 25, 59 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. B. G. Svensson, A. Bjornham, A. Schutz, U. Lettevall, A. Nilsson, and S. Skerfving,Sci. Total Environ. 67, 101 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. A. Aribarg, inDiagnosis and treatment of infertility, P. J. Rowe and E. M. Vikhlyaeva, eds., Hans Huber, Geneva, 1985, pp. 69–80.

    Google Scholar 

  24. J. L. Marmar, S. Katz, D. E. Praiss, and T. J. DeBenedictis,Fertil. Steril. 26, 1057 (1975).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. U. Kvist, S. Kjellberg, L. Bjorndahl, J. C. Soufir, and S. Arver,Int. J. Andro. 13, 245 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. M. Foresta, A. Vacotto, and A. Caretto,Arch. Andro. 24, 221 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. R. Bartolin, G. Bouvenot, C. Arnaud, J. M. Turzanski, P. Gadroy, and P. A. Rey,Rev. Med. Interne. 6, 280 (1985).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. G. Kraus, K. H. Schaller, and L. Winter,Zentralbl. Bakteriol. Mikrobiol. Hyg. 186, 95 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. A. Gustafson, A. Schutz, P. Andersson, and S. Skerfving,Sci. Total Environ. 66, 39 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. A. Gustafson, P. Hedner, A. Schutz, and S. Skerfving,Int. Arch. Occup. Environ. Health 61, 277 (1989).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. M. Wilhelm and F. K. Ohnesorge,Sci. Total Environ. 92, 199 (1990).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. S. J. S. Flora, F. Singh, and S. K. Tandon,Acta Pharmacol. Toxicol. 53, 28 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. S. C. Rastogi, J. Clausen, and K. C. Srivastava,Toxicology 6, 377 (1976).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. D. Behne, H. Gessner, G. Wolters, and J. Brotherton,Int. J. Androl. 11, 415 (1988).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. R. L. Singhal, R. Vijayvargiya, and G. S. Shukla,Toxic effects of cadmium and lead on reproductive functions. Endocrine Toxicology, J. A. Thomas, ed., Raven, New York, 1985.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Occupational Epidemiology, Jiangsu Institute of Occupational Medicine, Nanjing, China

    Bo Xu

  2. Department of Community, Occupational & Family Medicine, National University of Singapore, Lower Kent Ridge Road, 0511, Singapore

    Sin-Eng Chia & Choon-Nam Ong

Authors
  1. Bo Xu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sin-Eng Chia
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Choon-Nam Ong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xu, B., Chia, SE. & Ong, CN. Concentrations of cadmium, lead, selenium, and zinc in human blood and seminal plasma. Biol Trace Elem Res 40, 49–57 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916820

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02916820

Index Entries

Search

Navigation