title: Simultaneous determination of Zn, Cd, Pb, and Cu in urine of patients with blackfoot disease using anodic stripping voltammetry.
abstract: Blackfoot disease (BFD) is an endemic peripheral vascular disorder resulting in gangrene of the lower extremities, especially the feet, among residents in a limited area on the southwest coast of Taiwan. In the present study, the concentrations of zinc, cadmium, lead, and copper in urine of BFD patients with matched normal controls are investigated by differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) on a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The analytical results indicate that urinary copper, cadmium, and lead of the BFD patients are significantly higher than those of the controls. In addition, the patients showed a significantly lower concentration of zinc in the urine than the normal controls. The possible connection of these elements with the etiology of the disease is discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry, Kaohsiung Medical College, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Horng
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D004563:Electrochemistry; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000652:urine*; D005734:Gangrene / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000652:urine*; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000652:urine*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008670:Metals