Age, gender and lifestyles in difference urinary levels of cadmium, lead, cobalt, copper in Taiwanese - Taiwan Environmental Surveys for Toxicants 2013-2016

摘要

Background Our previous study revealed that Taiwanese exposure to higher levels of certain hazardous metals than the other developed countries. However, the information of difference levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), cobalt (Co) and copper (Cu) by demographic characteristics and lifestyles are limited. The aim of this study was to determine the association between demographic characteristics, lifestyles and the urinary levels of Cd, Pb, Co, Cu in the general Taiwanese. Methods We randomly recruited 1992 participants age above 7 years old from Taiwan Environmental Surveys for Toxicants during 2013-2016. The levels of Cd, Pb, Co and Cu in the participants' urine samples were analyzed by ICP-MS. A questionnaire survey was applied to obtain individual's demographic characteristics and lifestyles. Results The median (range) levels of urinary Cd, Pb, Co and Cu in participants were 0.61 (ND-8.44), 0.80 (ND-66.0), 0.30 (ND-23.22) and 10.66 (ND-706.13) ug/L, respectively. We found that the urinary Pb and Cu levels of men were 1.2-fold significantly higher than in women (P<0.01), whereas, the urinary Co levels in women were 1.7-fold significantly higher than in men (P<0.05). Besides, the urinary Co level in youths were 2.1-fold significantly higher than in adults (P<0.01). The major component of metal exposure in Taiwanese were Cd and Pb, regardless gender or age, using principal component and cluster analysis. Participants who self-reported betel quid chewing, smoking and passive smoking, respectively, had significantly higher median levels of urinary Cd and Pb than those without (P<0.01). Besides, participants with betel quid chewing and smoking had significantly higher 1.3 to 1.9-fold median levels of urinary Cd (1.0 v.s 0.6 ug/L), Pb (1.5 v.s 0.8 ug/L) and Cu (13.6 v.s 10.5 pg/L) than those without (P<0.05). We concluded that the urinary levels of certain metals exposure in the general Taiwanese varied by age, gender and different lifestyles.