Quantitative in vivo elemental analysis using X-ray fluorescence and scattering techniques. Applications to cadmium, lead and bone mineral

摘要

The X-ray fluorescence technique for in vivo determination of cadmium concentration in the human body has been considerably improved so that the minimum concentration now is 10 (mu)g/g for a skin-organ distance of 50 mm and a measurement time of 30 minutes. The technique has been used for measurements of cadmium in the kidney cortex of 60 non-occupationally exposed persons, showing twice the concentration (26(+-)9 (mu)g/g) in a sub-group of frequent tobacco smokers compared with a group of non-smokers (10(+-)11 (mu)g/g). Concentrations of lead in the skeleton of 112 persons have been measured at three bone sites (finger bone, tibia, heel bone) using in vivo XRF techniques either based on Co-57 or Cd-109 sources. There was a good correlation between lead levels at the three bone sites as well as to cumulative exposure index. However, the association between the amount of chelatable lead and measured bone lead levels was poor. The retention of lead in the skeleton of 14 retired workers, now studied for up to 18 years after retirement, shows a half-time of 16 years. 43 refs. (Atomindex citation 25:066729)