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Reference values for cobalt, copper, manganese, and nickel in urine among women of the general population in Japan

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Abstract

Objective: The present study was initiated to establish the reference levels of Co, Cu, Mn, and Ni in urine of women in the general Japanese population. Methods: Stored urine samples were subjected to the analysis. The samples were collected from 1,000 adult women all over Japan, who had no occupational exposure to these elements. Co, Cu, Mn, and Ni in urine were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The concentrations were distributed log-normally, and were presented in terms of geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation, as observed or after correction for creatinine concentration or a specific gravity of urine of 1.016. Results: The GM values of observed levels (i.e., with no correction for urine density) and of the levels after correction for creatinine (cr) concentration (values in parenthesis) were 0.68 g/l (0.60 μg/g cr) for Co, 13.4 g/l (11.8 g/g cr) for Cu, 0.14 μg/l (0.12 g/g cr) for Mn and 2.1 g/l (1.8 g/g cr) for Ni. There was a life-long age-dependent increase in Cu. Mn levels reached the maximum at 60 to 69 years of ages. In contrast, age-dependency was not substantial in Co and Ni. Conclusions: Comparison with values reported in literatures for other areas showed that Co and Ni levels in urine of Japanese women are higher than, Cu level is comparable with, and Mn level is lower than others. The reasons for high Co and Ni levels deserve further study.

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Acknowledgments

A part of this study was supported by research grants from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the Government of Japan for the fiscal years 2005 and 2006. Thanks are due to Professor F. Kayama, Jichi Medical School, Tochigi, Japan, and the administration and the staff of Kyoto Industrial Health Association, Kyoto, Japan, for their interest in and support to this work. The authors are grateful also to Toray Research Center, Ohtsu, Japan, for the analyses of urine for Co, Cu, Mn and Ni.

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  1. Kyoto Industrial Health Association, 67 Nishinokyo-Kitatsuboicho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, 604-8472, Japan

    Fumiko Ohashi, Yoshinari Fukui, Shiro Takada, Takafumi Ezaki & Masayuki Ikeda

  2. Kyoto Industrial Health Association (Uji Office), 1-7 Hironocho-Narita, Uji City, 611-0031, Japan

    Jiro Moriguchi

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  1. Fumiko Ohashi
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  2. Yoshinari Fukui
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Correspondence to Masayuki Ikeda.

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Ohashi, F., Fukui, Y., Takada, S. et al. Reference values for cobalt, copper, manganese, and nickel in urine among women of the general population in Japan. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 80, 117–126 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-006-0109-4

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