Elemental composition of blood and hair of mentally–ill patients using ICPOES techniques

Elemental concentrations of blood and hair of 40 mentally-ill patients and 40 controls (healthy subjects) were determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-OES) in order to find out the metal burden of the patients with their level of significance and possible relationship of such elements with mental illness. Generally, higher concentrations of trace elements were obtained in the hair than in the blood. A concentration range of 90 - 400 ìg/g was obtained for Mg, K and Fe in hair of patients and controls, 80-7400 ìg/g was obtained in their blood; other elements range 0.001-30 ìg/g in both blood and hair of patients and controls. Comparative study of statistical significance of median values between different groups was determined by applying a non parametric test (Mann-Whitney) showed that concentrations of Ba, Be, Cr, Li, Mg, Fe and K were significantly higher in patients’ blood, while Al, Ba, Be, Na, Cd, Cr, Li, K, Mn,Mg and Sr were significantly higher in patient’s hair. Concentrations of most elements are higher in the hair and blood of the mentally ill patients than in the healthy controls. Deficiency of Cu and Zn might be causally related to the illness

Physico-chemical properties and heavy metal content of water sources in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, Nigeria

The water quality examination in Ife–North Local Government of Osun State Nigeria was conducted by determining the physico–chemical parameters of 40 samples. Surface water, bore holes, wells and pipe borne water samples were collected from major towns in the Local Government Area and analyzed. Results showed temperature range of 26.5 to 33.0°C, pH (6.53 to 8.90), conductivity (63.0 to 1039.0 μS/cm), resistivity (0.00 to 0.02mΩ.cm), salinity (300.00 to 700.00 mg/L), total solids (90.00 to 1175.00 mg/L), total dissolved solids (37.80–622.50mg/l), suspended solids (34.50 to 794.00 mg/L),dissolved oxygen (4.48 to 9.48 mg/L), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5) (0.69 to 6.74 mg/L), chloride (3.64 to 184.04mg/L), Nitrate (1.08 to 53.03 mg/L), phosphate (4.99 to 23.07 mg/L) and sulphate (6.02 to 28.95 mg/L). Results of Atomic Absorption spectrophotometric analysis (AAS) of samples for dissolved trace metals; (Cd, Pb, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cr and Fe), showed mean metal concentration to vary widely depending on the source of the water sample as follows: Pb (0.29 ± 0.05 to 6.69 ± 0.53 mg/L), Cd (0.77 ± 0.06 to 2.24 ± 0.08 mg/L), Zn (0.03 ± 2.15 to 0.22 ± 4.64 mg/L), Cu ( 0.18 ± 16.34 to 0.41 ± 5.00 mg/L), Fe (6.00 ± 0.21 to 31.75 ± 0.80mg/L) and Mn (0.14 ± 6.12 to 0.23 ± 99.11 mg/L). The results obtained for the physical parameters agreed with the limits set by both national and international bodies for drinking and domestic water with few exceptions.Key words: Quality, physico-chemical, atomic-absorption-spectrophotometer, domestic, recreational, Ife-North-Local-Government

Effect of metal poisoning and the implications of gender and age on the elemental composition in patients with mental behavioural disorders

The objective of this work was to investigate the possible correlation between the exposure to selected toxic metals and the behavioural disorder of mentally ill patients. The study also sought to establish if gender and age of the patient had an effect on the pattern of the elemental distribution in their head hair and blood samples. To achieve this, the concentrations of a number of selected toxic metal elements were determined in 60 mentally ill patients and 43 healthy individuals (control) in Ile-Ife area, in Nigeria, using inductively coupled plasma spectrophotometer-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The behavioural disorder cases investigated were 8 bipolar, 2 post partum psychosis, 43 schizophrenia and 7 non-specific cases. The concentration ranges of Cu, Zn, Ca, Li, V, Be (for both males and females), Cd and Sr (for females only) as analyzed from the patients’ head hair with behavioural disorders, were found to be similar with those of the controls. However, the concentration ranges of Al, Ba, Mg, Cr and Cd, Sr (for males only) were higher in patients than in the controls, while those for K and Fe were found to be higher in the controls than in the patients for both males and females. Blood samples analysis showed that, nearly all the elements were higher in the female (patients and control) than in the males; a possible indication that women may be at greater risk than men. It was also shown that, age may have an influence on the accumulation of some specific elements. The accuracy of the analytical results was experimentally demonstrated by NCS DC 73347 certified reference material that was analyzed along the standards while the significance of the data obtained was tested statistically at both p = 0.01 and 0.05.Key words: Toxic metals, behavioural disorder, gender, age, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer

Efficacy of vitamin C and ethanolic extract of Sesamum indicum in promoting fertility in male Wistar rats

Aims: This study investigates the efficacy of ethanolic extract of Sesamum indicum (EES), vitamin C (VC), and EES + VC in promoting fertility and finding a possible link between their profertility effects and their antioxidant activities. Materials and Methods: Forty adult male Wistar rats [Body weight (BW) 186.56 ± 0.465 g] were randomly analyzed into four groups of ten rats each: Control, EES G (EES only), VC G (vitamin C only), and EES + VC G (EES in conjunction with vitamin C). Control was given 5 ml/kg BW/day of normal saline orally; EES G was administered 0.3 g/kg BW/day of EES; VC G was administered 15 mg/kg BW/ day of VC; while EES + VC G was administered both 0.3 g/kg BW/day of EES and 15 mg/kg BW/day of VC. All treatments were for 10 weeks. Statistical Analysis Used: Independent-sample T test was used to analyze the obtained results. Results: The results obtained showed that EES, VC, and more importantly EES + VC are capable of significantly increasing BW gain, seminal parameters, testosterone level, and body antioxidant activities. Conclusions: These findings lead to the conclusion that EES + VC as well as ESS and VC promote fertility due to both their testosterone-increasing effects and their antioxidant effects

Pioneer Mediterranean Shrub Species Revegetating Soils Developed on Mining Soils/Spoils

Spontaneous and autochthonous species of plants growing on degraded and contaminated soils/spoils that survive in such environments show, in general, no symptoms of toxicity. This study compares concentrations of chemical elements in different leaves maturation and in different seasons of several native species in a massive sulphide in an abandoned mine area. The objective is to evaluate if these species can play an important role on the stabilization of degraded soils and mine spoils. Total concentrations of chemical elements were great in soils. However, in general, only <1% of the total concentration was extracted by DTPA or ammonium acetate solutions. Total and available fraction of the chemical elements has similar behaviour between soil sites. Mature leaves have higher concentrations of As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn than younger ones. An opposite behaviour occurs with S. Winter and spring variations in most chemical elements concentrations in the plant leaves are not significantly different, except for As. Elemental concentrations of plant leaves are independent of the same elements concentrations (total and available fraction) in soils where plants have grown. The concentrations of As, Cu and Pb in plant leaves were below the level of risk to be ingested by grazing animals, although soils are above the reported thresholds. Therefore, all studied plant species can be considered for phytostabilization programmes, but the use of the land for pasture may not be a solution considering that animals ingest soil along with herbage. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.The authors would like to thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for financial research support for UIQA—Unidade de Investigação Química Ambiental (Projecto Estratégico/528).Peer Reviewe