Metal concentrations in hair of patients with various head and neck cancers as a diagnostic aid

Head and neck cancers are one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. This paper attempts to evaluate disturbances of homeostasis of the necessary elements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese) and changes in the levels of toxic metals (lead, cadmium, cobalt, chromium VI) in hair of patients with head and neck cancers, as well as people without a diagnosed neoplastic disease. In order to quantify the necessary elements and toxic metals, a method using ICP-MS and ICP-OES techniques had been developed and validated. The studies have shown that patients with head and neck cancer used to drink alcohol and smoked much more frequently than healthy individuals, both in the past and presently. Statistically significant differences in concentrations of average metal content in the group of patients with head and neck cancers compared to the control group were confirmed. Significant differences in metal content between the group of patients with head and neck cancers and healthy individuals were found which enabled distinguishing between the study groups. To this end, a more advanced statistical tool, i.e. chemometrics, was used. The conducted research analyses and the use of advanced statistical techniques confirm the benefits of using alternative material to distinguish the patients with head and neck cancers from the healthy individuals

Determination of 13 toxic and physiological elements in herbs originating from China by ICPMS

The aim of the study was to develop an analytical procedure for determining 13 elements in 40 herbs and mixtures of herbs of Chinese origin by the ICPMS method after acidic digestion of samples. The correctness of the analytical procedure was verified by estimating the validation parameters. The traceability of a measurement result was established by the certified reference materials: Mixed Polish Herbs (INCT-MPH-2) Apple Leaves (1515 NIST) and Spinach Leaves (1570a NIST). Appropriate optimization has determined the sensitivity of determinations, precision, detection limits. The limits of detection were in the range 0.015-15 mg kg-1 for Co and Mg respectively, the precision was in the range 1% - 48% for Ba and Se, respectively, and the recoveries were in the range 69% - 101% for Ni and Mn, respectively. The determined content (mg kg-1) of elements in all samples was in the ranges: Mg (288-5755), V (<0.031-2.4), Mn (8.1-2095), Co (0.020-1.36), Ni (<1.1-6.9), Cu (<0.55-24), Zn (3.2-232), As (<0.096-1.4), Se (<0.15-0.85), Sr (1.1-277), Cd (<0.048-1.5), Ba (2.1-117) and Pb (<0.15-2.94). The content of As was higher than 0.25 mg kg-1 in 30% of the samples, the content of Cd was above the 0.2 mg kg-1 in 42.5% of the samples, and the content of Pb was above the value 0.3 mg kg-1 in 72.5% of the herbs. This means that the toxic elements were present in significant amounts able to cause toxic effects in the human body. Principal component analysis allowed us to distinguish 3 groups in which elements are well correlated: (i) V, As and Mg , (ii) Mn, Zn and Pb and (iii) Ni, Co and Cu

Contents of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Fe in rainwater effluents discharged to surface waters in the city of Poznań

Progressing urbanization results in the potential increase of pollution sources such as wastes, industrial or municipal sewage, which may contain hazardous inorganic pollutants such as e.g. metal ions and their compounds. Urbanization has a negative effect also on soil, as a consequence of an increasing share of impermeable surfaces such as pavements, parking lots, housing developments and public buildings. The area of a hardened (impermeable) surface is exposed to intensive surface runoff during rain and as a result pollutants are transported through the storm drainage system directly to surface waters. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of metals contained in rainwater discharged from subcatchments of various land use types on the quality of surface waters (the Cybina River and the Antoninek reservoir) in the city of Poznań, as well as investigate whether metal contents in rainwater effluents depend on the relief and character of the immediate catchment. Investigations were conducted in 2009 along the lower section of the Cybina River. Water samples from the river and reservoir were collected each time when collecting rain water samples. Water and sewage samples were collected 15 times within a year. Analyses were conducted on 5 selected catchments (with different land uses) drained by storm water drainage system discharged to the Cybina River and the Antoninek reservoir. Water was collected from 13 sampling points (5 of which were sewer outfalls and 8 were situated on the river or the reservoir above and below the sewage discharge). Higher concentrations of all tested elements were recorded in rainwater in comparison to the water samples coming from the river or the reservoir. Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) model presenting differences between water concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb and Fe and environmental variables (rainfall intensity measured in a four-point scale, location as divided into industrial areas multi- and single-family housing as well as location of sewage discharge to the river on the reservoir) showed elevated concentrations of these elements especially in water collected directly from the storm water sewer. Elevated metal concentrations in storm system effluents did not have a significant effect on the content of these pollutants in the river or the reservoir. It could have been caused by the intensive immobilization of elemental ions in bottom deposits followed by the metal uptake by aquatic organisms, mainly plants.Postępujący proces urbanizacji powoduje potencjalne zwiększenie źródeł zanieczyszczeń, jak odpady, ścieki przemysłowe czy komunalne, które mogą zawierać groźne zanieczyszczenia nieorganiczne, m.in. jony metali oraz ich związki. Proces ten oddziałuje niekorzystnie także na glebę, powodując zwiększenie udziału powierzchni nieprzepuszczalnych, jak chodniki, parkingi, budynki mieszkalne i użytkowe. Teren o powierzchni utwardzonej (nieprzepuszczalnej) jest narażony na intensywny spływ powierzchniowy podczas deszczu i transport substancji zanieczyszczających kanalizacją deszczową bezpośrednio do wód powierzchniowych. Celem badań było określenie wpływu metali zawartych w wodzie deszczowej odpływającej ze zlewni cząstkowych o różnym użytkowaniu gruntów na jakość wód powierzchniowych (rzeki Cybiny i zbiornika Antoninek) na terenie Poznania, a także zbadanie, czy zawartość metali w ściekach deszczowych zależy od ukształtowania i rodzaju zlewni bezpośredniej. Badania prowadzono w 2009 r. wzdłuż dolnego odcinka rzeki Cybiny. Próbki wody pobierano z rzeki i ze zbiornika Antoninek podczas opadów deszczu, 15 razy w ciągu roku. Do badań wybrano 5 zlewni (o odmiennym sposobie użytkowania) odwadnianych kanalizacją deszczową uchodzącą do rzeki Cybiny i zbiornika Antoninek. Wodę pobierano z 13 stanowisk (5 to wyloty z kanałów, 8 usytuowano na rzece lub zbiorniku powyżej i poniżej ujścia ścieków). W wodzie deszczowej stwierdzono większe stężenie wszystkich badanych pierwiastków w porównaniu z wodą pochodzącą z rzeki lub zbiornika. Analiza CVA (Canonical Variate Analysis), która umożliwia określenie zależności między stężeniami Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb i Fe oraz zmiennymi środowiskowymi (intensywność opadów atmosferycznych mierzona w 4-stopniowej skali, lokalizacja uwzględniająca tereny przemysłowe, zabudowa wielo- i jednorodzinna, lokalizacja punktów poboru wody deszczowej) jednoznacznie wskazała na wyższe stężenie badanych pierwiastków w wodzie pobranej bezpośrednio z kolektorów deszczowych. Podwyższone stężenie metali w ściekach deszczowych nie wpłynęło znacząco na zawartość tych zanieczyszczeń w rzece i zbiorniku. Mogło to być spowodowane intensywną immobilizacją jonów pierwiastków w osady denne, a następnie pobraniem metali przez organizmy wodne, głównie rośliny

Impacts of Pb-Zn mining on Lake Kalimanci and Human Health in Eastern Macedonia

Mining is very important economic activity. However, mining and related industries presents the main threat for environment. Pollution with heavy metals is a significant problem in Eastern Republic of Macedonia. In year 2003 great environmental disaster happened near small town Makedonska Kamenica, when the Sasa tailings dam collapsed and caused an intensive flow of mining waste material through Kamenica River valley and was discharged into Lake Klaimanci. Water from lake is used for irrigation, thus, the pollution assessment of the Lake Kalimanci sediments was made. The major, trace and rare earth element contamination in surficial lake sediments was studied to assess the effects of metalliferous mining activities. The mean concentrations of major elements [wt %] Si 23.5, Al 7.9, Fe 6.6, Mg 1.3, Ca 3.8, Na 1.1, K 2.3, Ti 0.4, P 0.2, Mn 0.6 and trace elements ranged within: Mo 1.0-4.6 mg kg-1, Cu 144.4-1162 mg kg-1, Pb 1874-16300 mg kg-1, Zn 2944-20900 mg kg-1, Ni 21.7-79.3 mg kg-1, Cd 16.5-136 mg kg-1, Sb 0.6-3.6 mg kg-1, Bi 3.0-24,3 mg kg-1 and Ag 1.4-17.3 mg kg-1. Results of rare earth elements (REE) in surficial lake sediments indicated that are tightly related to the catchment geology. The results of the sequential extraction procedure revealed the majority (Cd, Zn, Pb, Ni, Cu and Cd) of investigated toxic metals and all REEs to be strongly bonded to the exchangeable fraction and the rest (As and Mo) to the oxidizable fraction. Regarding to results is evident that heavy metals and REEs are highly bioavailable for living organisms and can seriously affect human health