SHORT COMMUNICATION
Occurrence of Arsenic in Selected Parts
of the Human Femur Head
Barbara Brodziak-Dopierała, Jerzy Kwapuliński, Jolanta Kowol
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Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia,
Jagiellonska 4, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2011;20(6):1633-1636
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
An osseous tissue represents a specific repository of many metals. Some of them are physiologically
accumulated in the skeleton, while others remain in the bones as a result of exposure and can be the cause of
pathological states. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence and co-occurrence of As with trace
elements in the femur head; analyzing their concentration in male and female femur head morphological sections
in relation to established As contents in air dust in different locations in Silesia. The statistical characteristics
of the occurrence of the element was determined using ICP (inductively coupled plasma), the spectrometry
method with an Optima 3000 DV (Perkin-Elmer) apparatus. The average geometric mean values
detected were the same for male and female subjects in the articular cartilage (0.09 μg As/g), cortical bone
(0.16 μg As/g and 0.09 in the male and female subjects, respectively), and trabecular bone (0.07 μg As/g for
females 0.09 μg As/g for males). The arsenic concentrations in the specified sections of the femur head were
lower than those reported in previous publications.