title: Assessing contamination paths of the German adult population with gold and platinum. The German Environmental Survey 1998 (GerES III).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Even though increased environmental platinum levels were found since the introduction of automobile catalytic converters, little is known about the pathways of corporal uptake and the bioavailability of platinum in the general adult population. The aim of this study is to identify and quantify the main exposure pathways of gold and platinum in the general adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  The German Environmental Survey 1998 (GerES III) collected population-based data on the corporal gold and platinum burden from a large sample of 1080 persons, 18-69 years of age. Urinary metal concentration was analysed by SF-ICP-MS. Exposure data were assessed by standardized questionnaires. Data were log transformed and analysed using multiple linear regression analysis with respect to exposure variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The R2 of the linear regression model of urinary gold and platinum (ng/l) burden is 0.349 and 0.235, respectively. In both models, the number of teeth with noble metal dental alloy restorations (NMDAR) is the most important exposure pathway. One versus no tooth with NMDAR is associated with an increase of 23.7% in urinary gold and 35.6% in platinum concentration. Chewing gum intensifies the release of gold and platinum from NMDAR: every additional day per week when gum is chewed is associated with an increased gold (5.6%) and platinum (6.9%) burden. Furthermore, elevated urinary gold and platinum concentrations were found for higher creatinine concentrations, more frequent coffee consumption and for people from the upper social class. Gold burden is also increased in people with arthritis. Platinum burden is also increased in people living in western or northern Germany. Traffic-related variables had no significant effect on platinum burden.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstr. 55, 45122 Essen, Germany. jens.benemann@uni-essen.de
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Benemann
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bromen
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marr
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seiwert
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.forename: Karl-Heinz
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Jöckel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001682:Biological Availability; D001822:Body Burden; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003069:Coffee; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D004032:Diet; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D005858:Germany; D006046:Gold / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010984:Platinum / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D002638:Chewing Gum; D003069:Coffee; D003722:Dental Alloys; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010984:Platinum; D006046:Gold