title: Determination of chromium and caesium in human cataractous lenses.
abstract: The concentration of chromium and caesium in totally opaque (mature) cataractous lenses has been determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis and gamma spectrometry. The presence of these trace-elements in the human lens has to our knowledge not been investigated so far. Both elements under study are of known biological importance. Chromium is an essential trace-element necessary for the maintenance of normal glucose metabolism. Moreover it is considered to rank among those elements, the increased level of which contributes to environmental pollution. Caesium is a biologically important trace-element due to its relationship with potassium, as has been demonstrated in a variety of biochemical and physiological processes. The concentration of these elements was determined in cataractous lenses from fifty-one patients with senile cataract and has been correlated with age and sex.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002386:Cataract / Q000378:metabolism*; D002586:Cesium / Q000032:analysis*; D002857:Chromium / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009501:Neutron Activation Analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013051:Spectrometry, Gamma; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D002857:Chromium; D002586:Cesium