Application inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for assessing the content of essential and toxic elements in whole blood of unexposed adults in the Russian Federation

BACKGROUND: Determination of the essential and toxic elements in human blood is an important and urgent task in monitoring, environmental, and hygienic studies accomplished in evidence-based medicine when the population health risks are assessed.

AIM: Biomonitoring of unexposed adult population in the Russian Federation, interpretation of the obtained data taking into account international requirements.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The contents of V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Tl and Pb were determined in the blood of adults (n=80, aged 45.8±3.7 years) living in rural areas in the Western Urals region of the Russian Federation and in the territory of the North of Eastern Siberia (n=90, age 38.2±7.6 years). The measurements were carried out using Agilent 7500cx quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (Agilent Technologies, USA) with an octopole reaction-collision cell (ORS) in conformity with the Methodical guidelines 4.1.3230-14 and 4.1.3161-14 (FR.1.31.2014.17064) developed by the authors. We compared the range of P5–P95 values for unexposed groups of the adult population of the Western Urals and the North of Eastern Siberia with data from hygiene studies in Germany, Italy, France, and Canada.

RESULTS: The arithmetic mean content of elements in blood of adults Western Urals region amounted to 0.13 µg/l (V); 4.75 µg/l (Cr); 13.41 µg/l (Mn); 4.06 µg/l (Ni); 827 µg/l (Cu); 5369 µg/l (Zn); 0.42 µg/l (As); 123 µg/l (Se); 22.75 µg/l (Sr); 0.45 µg/l (Cd); 0.04 μg/l (Tl); 14.37 µg/l (Pb). The validity of the results was confirmed by analyzing standard samples of SERONORM^TM Whole Blood L1 and SERONORM^TM Whole Blood L2 (Norway). The results are presented as basic statistical indicators: minimum and maximum values, arithmetic mean, 5^th, 50^th, 95^th percentiles and are interpreted in accordance with up-to-date international requirements.

CONCLUSION: We compared the range of P5–P95 values for unexposed groups of adults in the Western Urals and the North of Eastern Siberia region with the results produced by several hygienic studies conducted in Germany, Italy, France and Canada. As a result, we established elevated concentrations of chromium, manganese, and nickel in the blood of adults from Russia. The contents of copper, zinc, selenium, and arsenic in the blood of adults living in the Russian Federation were different from the reference values used in such diagnostic laboratories as ALS Scandinavia, SIVR List Italy and in the monograph by Norbert Titz (USA).