[Distribution of rubidium, cesium, beryllium, strontium, and barium in blood and urine in general Chinese population].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the distribution of rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba) in blood and urine in general Chinese population.


METHODS
A total of 18 120 subjects aged 6~60 years were enrolled from 24 regions in 8 provinces in Eastern, Central, and Western China from 2009 to 2010 based on the method of cluster random sampling. Questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the data on living environment and health status. Blood and urine samples were collected from these subjects, and the levels of Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, and Ba in these samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The distribution of these elements in blood and urine in male or female subjects living in different regions was analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
In the general Chinese population, the concentration of Be in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.06 μg/L); the geometric mean (GM) of Ba in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.45 μg/L), with the 95th percentile (P95)of 1.37 μg/L; the GMs (95% CI)of Rb, Cs, and Sr in the whole blood were 2 374(2 357~2 392) μg/L, 2.01 (1.98~2.05) μg/L, and 23.5 (23.3~23.7) μg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of blood Rb, Cs, and Sr were 2 506 (2 478~2 533) μg/L and 2 248 (2 227~2 270) μg/L, 1.88 (1.83~1.94) μg/L and 2.16 (2.11~2.20) μg/L, and 23.4 (23.1~23.7) μg/L and 23.6 (23.3~23.9) μg/L, respectively(P<0.01, P>0.05, and P>0.05). In the general Chinese population, the GM of urine Be was below the detection limit (0.06 μg/L), while the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 854 (836~873) μg/L, 3.65 (3.56~3.74) μg/L, 39.5 (38.4~40.6) μg/L, and 1.10 (1.07~1.12) μg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 876 (849~904) μg/L and 832 (807~858) μg/L, 3.83 (3.70~3.96) μg/L and 3.47 (3.35~3.60) μg/L, 42.5 (40.9~44.2) μg/L and 36.6 (35.1~38.0) μg/L, and 1.15 (1.12~1.19) μg/L and 1.04 (1.01~1.07) μg/L, respectively (all P< 0.01). Correlation analyses showed that there were weak correlations between blood Rb and urine Rb (r=0.197)and between blood Sr and urine Sr (r=0.180), but a good correlation between blood Cs and urine Cs (r=0.487).


CONCLUSIONS
The levels of Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, and Ba in the general Chinese population are similar to those reported in other countries, and there is a significant difference in the concentration of each element among the populations living in different regions, as well as significant differences in blood Rb, urine Rb, urine Cs, urine Sr, and urine Ba between males and females.
National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, China CDC, Beijing 100050, China.
Chunguang
C
Ding
Yajuan
Y
Pan
Aihua
A
Zhang
Chun
C
Zhu
Deye
D
Liu
Guang
G
Xu
Yuxin
Y
Zheng
Huifang
H
Yan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001464:Barium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D001608:Beryllium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002586:Cesium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012413:Rubidium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D013324:Strontium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D055815:Young Adult
D002586:Cesium; D001464:Barium; D012413:Rubidium; D001608:Beryllium; D013324:Strontium