Original scientific paper
Cross-sectional Biomonitoring of Metals in Adult Populations in Post-war Eastern Croatia: Differences Between Areas of Moderate and Heavy Combat
Matijana Jergović
orcid.org/0000-0002-1357-1609
; Dr Andrija Štampar Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Maja Miškulin
orcid.org/0000-0001-7330-3019
; Department of Public Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Dinko Puntarić
orcid.org/0000-0001-9776-5533
; Department of Public Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Rudika Gmajnić
; Department of Family Medicine Josip Juraj Strossmayer Universityof Osijek, School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Josip Milas
orcid.org/0000-0001-6722-9289
; Department of Public Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, School of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Laszlo Sipos
; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Aim To determine differences in metal and metalloid exposure
between residents of areas in eastern Croatia exposed
to heavy fighting during the war in Croatia and residents
of areas exposed to moderate fighting.
Methods Concentrations of aluminum (Al), arsenic (As),
barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu),
iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), uranium (U), vanadium (V),
and zinc (Zn), reported to be associated with military operations,
were determined in hair, serum, and urine samples
using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy.
A total of 127 and 46 participants from areas of heavy and
moderate fighting, respectively, were included.
Results Compared with participants from areas exposed
to moderate fighting, participants from areas exposed to
heavy fighting had significantly higher serum concentrations
of Al (87.61 vs 42.75 μg/L, P = 0.007), As (5.05 ± 1.79 vs
4.16 ± 1.55 μg/L, P = 0.003), Ba (7.12 vs 6.01 μg/L, P = 0.044),
and V (17.98 vs 16.84 μg/L, P = 0.008); significantly higher
urine concentrations of As (43.90 vs 11.51 μg/L, P < 0.001)
and Cd (0.67 vs 0.50 μg/L, P = 0.031); and significantly higher
hair concentrations of Al (12.61 vs 7.33 μg/L, P < 0.001),
As (0.32 vs 0.05 μg/L, P < 0.001), Cd (0.03 vs 0.02 μg/L,
P = 0.002), Fe (22.58 vs 12.68 μg/L, P = 0.001), Pb (1.04 vs
0.69 μg/L, P = 0.006), and V (0.07 vs 0.03 μg/L, P < 0.001).
Conclusion Differences between populations from eastern
Croatian areas exposed to heavy and populations exposed
to moderate fighting point to the need for extensive
monitoring of metal and metalloid exposure, emphasizing
the role of biomonitoring through ecologic and preventive
activities.
Keywords
biomonitoring; Croatia; inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry; metals; war
Hrčak ID:
63522
URI
Publication date:
15.10.2010.
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