Urinary Concentrations of Toxic and Essential Trace Elements among Rural Residents in Hainan Island, China

Abstract

Background: Toxic element exposure and essential trace element consumption may have changed after the Chinese economy transformed to a market-oriented system. The objectives of this study were to measure urinary concentrations of toxic (arsenic, cadmium, lead) and essential trace (selenium, zinc, copper) elements among rural residents in Hainan, China and to examine if variations in economic development are linked to differences in toxic and trace element exposure. Methods: We conducted a questionnaire-based survey and undertook anthropometric measurements of residents aged ≥20 years (n = 599). Urinary samples were collected and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Results: The median (μg/g creatinine) element concentrations were: arsenic, 73.2; cadmium, 1.8; lead, 3.1; selenium, 36.5; zinc, 371; and copper, 11.0. Intra-community variation in element concentrations was explained by age (arsenic, cadmium, zinc and copper), sex (arsenic, cadmium and selenium: higher in females; zinc: higher in males), body mass index (cadmium) and individual involvement in the market economy as indexed by agrochemical use (lead and selenium). The degree of community-level economic development, which was determined by the proportion of people living in better housing among the study communities, was positively associated with cadmium concentration. Conclusions: The degree of community-level economic development was positively associated with urinary cadmium concentration while individual involvement in the market economy was positively associated with lead and selenium.

Concentrations of major and trace elements in the soils, edible parts of crops and urine of farmers in agroecological communities

“…The mean Cu concentration in the urine of farmers demonstrated that their exposure to this element was not problematic. The mean concentrations of Cu were lower than those reported by Inoue et al (2014) for rural residents of Hainan Island (15.1 µg L -1 ), China.…”

“…The mean concentration of Pb (Table 3) in the urine of all farmers was within the reference concentration range (< 0.03-2.96 µg L -1 ) for the Brazilian population (Batista et al, 2009). The mean Pb concentration was lower than those found by Inoue et al (2014) in China (4.3 µg L -1 ) and White and Sabbioni (1998) in the United Kingdom (11.9 µg L -1 ) and higher than those reported in other countries, such as France (0,55 µg L -1 ) (Goullé et al, 2005), the United States (1.3 µg L -1 ), (Komaromy-Hiller, Ash, Costa, & Howerton, 2000), and Spain (1.05 µg L -1 ) (Castaño et al, 2012). According to Kosnett (2003), Pb contamination occurs due to the ingestion of contaminated food and beverages.…”

“…Therefore, as confirmed by the data of our study, the use of cigarettes results in higher Zn excretion in urine. The mean Zn concentrations (Table 3) were lower than those found in the populations of the following countries: China, 470 µg L -1 (Inoue et al, 2014); the United States, 371.5 µg L -1 (Komaromy-Hiller et al, 2000); and Spain, 698.7 µg L -1 (Schuhmacher et al, 1994). The Zn concentrations in the group comprising children and teenagers were lower than that reported for children in Poland, which is 660 µg L -1 (Błażewicz, Klatka, Astel, Partyka, & Kocjan, 2013).…”

Associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure in residents of Asian countries

“…We targeted participants who had slightly higher urinary As concentrations and equal or slightly lower urinary Cd/Pb concentrations, compared with those in non-polluted populations. The urinary Se concentrations ( GM = 16.5 μg/g creatinine) were lower than those reported for regions in Japan ( GM = 37.5 μg/g creatinine for men and 45.7 for women [ 52 ]) or in China ( GM = 38.3 μg/g creatinine [ 53 ]), where Se deficiency is not recognized.…”

Hair Metal Levels and Childhood Weight Gain

“…For example, studies in Iran and Italy have reported higher level of scalp hair elements (i.e., lead, cobalt, cadmium, copper, and zinc) in girls than in boys ( 36 , 37 ). In addition, some researchers have revealed higher blood levels of manganese, copper, arsenic, cadmium and selenium in females than males ( 38 – 40 ). Similar to hair and blood, higher levels of urinary cadmium in females than in males was shown ( 33 ).…”