Assessment of reference ranges for blood Cu, Mn, Se and Zn in a selected Italian population.
The reference ranges for blood Cu, Mn, Se and Zn of 215 adult subjects non-occupationally exposed and living in the Nuoro province (Sardinia, insular Italy) were assessed. Metals were determined by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave-assisted acid digestion of blood. The blood reference ranges estimated as P5-P95 percentiles (geometric mean, GM) were 776-1495μg/L (1036μg/L) for Cu; 4.73-17.0μg/L (8.91μg/L) for Mn; 106-185μg/L (140μg/L) for Se and 4686-8585μg/L (6418μg/L) for Zn. These results were then stratified for sex, age, alcohol consumption, smoking habit and living area. The GM value of Cu was significantly higher in females (1127μg/L) than in males (957μg/L). Age, alcohol intake, smoking habit and residential area did not influence blood Cu. The GM of Mn was significantly higher in females (9.98μg/L) respect to males (8.01μg/L) and in drinkers (9.67μg/L) compared to non-drinkers (8.38μg/L). The other variables did not change the Mn data. Selenium concentrations did not differ significantly as a function of individuals factors. With reference to Zn, males had GM of 6804μg/L and females of 6031μg/L, and more blood Zn was found in subjects consuming alcohol (6618μg/L) respect to abstainers (6155μg/L). In addition, blood Zn was not affected by age, smoking habit and place of living.
Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Dipartimento di Ambiente e Connessa Prevenzione Primaria, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
Beatrice
B
Bocca
Roberto
R
Madeddu
Yolande
Y
Asara
Paola
P
Tolu
Juan A
JA
Marchal
Giovanni
G
Forte
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000097:blood*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood*
D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D012643:Selenium; D015032:Zinc