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Multivariate statistical evaluation of heavy metals in the urine of opium individuals in comparison with healthy people in Western Iran

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Abstract

The current study aimed to evaluate the levels of some toxic and essential elements (Pb, Cd, Cu, Ti, Ni, Cr, Co, Fe, Ca, Hg, Mn, Se, and Zn) in the urine of opium-addicted compared to non-addicted cases. In this study, 126 participants were recruited and their fasting urine samples were collected (63 opium-addicted and 63 non-addicted subjects served as the reference group). ICP-MS was utilized to detect the concentration of trace elements. Results exhibited that the concentration of all elements than Ni, Cu, and Zn was markedly different between the addicted and non-addicted groups. Compared to controls, the Cd, Cr, Co, Hg, Mn, Pb, Se, and Ti levels were higher among opium-addicted cases (p < 0.05) whereas the Fe and Ca concentrations were higher among controls (p < 0.05). Robust regression analysis showed no statistically significant effect of gender on element levels. It revealed that age was associated with the levels of Ni and Cu only and also the route of administration was related to the urinary levels of Co, Cr, Hg, and Mn. In conclusion, results confirmed that it is opium consumption that affects the concentration levels of most elements.

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Data availability

The datasets used and analyzed during the current research are available from the corresponding author on request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the Imam Khomeini Hospital in Kermanshah city for their assistance. We thank Mr. Nemati for his help in collecting samples and completing the checklist of patients. We are also very grateful to all of the patients who participated in this project.

Funding

This project was generously supported financially by the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (grant number: 1398/3008728).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biostatistics Department, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nammamali Azadi

  2. Medical Toxicology and Drug Abuse Research Center (MTDRC), Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran

    Samaneh Nakhaee

  3. Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Vahid Farnia, Borhan Mansouri, Toraj Ahmadi-Jouybari & Maryam Khanegi

  4. Research Center for Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran

    Meghdad Pirsaheb

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  1. Nammamali Azadi
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Contributions

N. A., S. N., V. F., M. P., T. J., B. M., and M. K. contributed to the design of the study, the interpretation of the results, and the drafting of the manuscript. B. M. and M. K. conducted the collection of the data. N. A. and B. M. conducted the statistical analyses. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Borhan Mansouri.

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This study was conducted by the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. This study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (IR.KUMS.REC.1398.960).

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Azadi, ., Nakhaee, S., Farnia, V. et al. Multivariate statistical evaluation of heavy metals in the urine of opium individuals in comparison with healthy people in Western Iran. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 8232–8241 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16271-6

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