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The Effect of Age and Gender on 59 Trace-Element Contents in Human Rib Bone Investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

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Abstract

The effect of age and gender on 59 trace-element contents in rib bone of 80 apparently healthy 15–55-year-old women (n = 38) and men (n = 42) was investigated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Mean values (M ± SΕΜ) for the mass fraction (milligrams per kilogram, on dry-weight basis) of Ba, Bi, Cd, Ce, Cu, Dy, Er, Gd, La, Li, Mn, Mo, Nd, Pb, Pr, Rb, Sm, Sr, Tb, Tl, U, Yb, and Zn for both female and male taken together were: Ba 2.5 ± 0.2, Bi 0.015 ± 0.002, Cd 0.044 ± 0.005, Ce 0.029 ± 0.002, Cu 1.05 ± 0.06, Dy 0.0020 ± 0.0003, Er 0.0011 ± 0.0002, Gd 0.0015 ± 0.0001, La 0.020 ± 0.002, Li 0.040 ± 0.002, Mn 0.354 ± 0.004, Mo 0.052 ± 0.006, Nd 0.011 ± 0.001, Pb 2.24 ± 0.14, Pr 0.0032 ± 0.0004, Rb 1.51 ± 0.06, Sm 0.0014 ± 0.0001, Sr 291 ± 20, Tb 0.00041 ± 0.00005, Tl 0.00050 ± 0.00003, U 0.0013 ± 0.0001, Yb 0.00072 ± 0.00007, and Zn 92.8 ± 1.5, respectively. The upper limit of mean contents of Ag, Al, B, Be, Br, Cr, Cs, Hg, Ho, Lu, Ni, Sb, Te, Th, Ti, Tm, and Y were: Ag ≤ 0.011, Al ≤ 7.2, B ≤ 0.65, Be ≤ 0.0032, Br ≤ 3.9, Cr ≤ 0.25, Cs ≤ 0.0077, Hg ≤ 0.018, Ho ≤ 0.00053, Lu ≤ 0.00024, Ni ≤ 1.05, Sb ≤ 0.0096, Te ≤ 0.0057, Th ≤ 0.0030, Ti ≤ 2.8, Tm ≤ 0.00006, and Y ≤ 0.0047, respectively. In all bone samples, the contents of As, Au, Co, Eu, Ga, Hf, Ir, Nb, Pd, Pt, Re, Rh, Sc, Se, Sn, Ta, V, W, and Zr were under detection limits. The Ce, Dy, Er, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Tb, and Yb contents increase with age. Higher Sr mass fraction is typical of female rib as compared to those in male bone.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Sergey Moiseev (Forensic Medicine Department of Obninsk City Hospital) for supplying rib samples. The authors acknowledge the support of the ICP-MS determination in the framewok of the RAS Presidium program for basic research №20 “Creation and improvement of metods of chemical analysis and investigation of substances and materials structure”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Sofia Zaichick

  2. Medical Radiological Research Centre, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Koroleva Str.-4, Obninsk, 249020, Kaluga Region, Russia

    Vladimir Zaichick

  3. Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia

    Vasilii K. Karandashev & Irina R. Moskvina

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  1. Sofia Zaichick
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  2. Vladimir Zaichick
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  3. Vasilii K. Karandashev
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  4. Irina R. Moskvina
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Correspondence to Vladimir Zaichick.

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Zaichick, S., Zaichick, V., Karandashev, V.K. et al. The Effect of Age and Gender on 59 Trace-Element Contents in Human Rib Bone Investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Biol Trace Elem Res 143, 41–57 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-010-8837-4

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