title: Relationship between air pollution and metal levels in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues.
abstract: We aimed to check the relationships between levels of metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg and Zn) in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues and their link to air pollution, expressed as particulate matter (PM) concentrations. The study also examines the influence on metal concentration in the lung tissue of patients' sex and the distance of their homes from the nearest emitter. We found that the general pattern of ascending concentrations in tumor tissue was as follows: Hg < Cd < Cu < Ca < Zn < Fe. In non-affected lung tissue the order of concentrations of Ca and Fe was reversed. With the exception of Cd and Cu, levels of metals were found in higher accumulations in non-cancerous tissue (e.g., Fe 326.423 and Ca 302.730 μg/g d.w) than in tumorous tissue (Fe 150.735 and Ca 15.025 μg/g d.w). Neither the PM10 (PM of a diameter of 10 μm) concentration nor sex revealed any connection with metal concentrations. The shorter the distance from the emitter, the higher the metal concentrations that tended to be observed for almost all metals, but a statistically significant (but weak) relationship was noted only for Cu in tumor tissue (rs: -0.4869).
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow , Kraków , Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz J
authors.initials: ŁJ
authors.lastname: Binkowski
authors.affiliation: b Department of Thoracic Surgery , Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery Center , Bystra , Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rogoziński
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow , Kraków , Poland.
authors.forename: Martyna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Błaszczyk
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow , Kraków , Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Semla
authors.affiliation: c School of Life Sciences, Pharmacy and Chemistry, Kingston University , Kingston upon Thames , UK.
authors.forename: Patrick M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Melia
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Biology, Pedagogical University of Cracow , Kraków , Poland.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stawarz
mesh_terms: D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter
keywords: Air pollution; biomonitoring; cancer; copper; metal