Trace element levels in whole blood and serum from Swedish adolescents

Blood and serum samples from 372 15-year-old adolescents were collected in two cities in Sweden and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The objective was to (1) determine the levels of 13 elements in blood and serum from the teenagers; and (2) for each element, investigate the correlation between the concentrations in blood and serum. The concentrations in blood and serum were generally in line with that usually reported for the essential elements Co, Cu, Zn and Se, and generally low for the 'non-essential' elements Cd, Hg, Pb. The median concentrations were in blood and serum, respectively: of Co 031 and 0.48 mug/l, Cu 0.92 and 1.0 mg/l, Zn 6.1 and 0.99 mg/l, Se 110 and 100 mug/l, Rb 2.8 and 0.24 mg/l, Hg 1.1 and 0.44 mug/l, Pb 16 and 0.33 mug/l. The median concentration of W in blood was < 0.2 mug/l (below the detection limit) and in serum 0.087 mug/l. The median concentrations of Cd, Rh, Pd, Pt and TI were below the detection limits. Statistically significant correlations were found between the concentrations in blood and serum for Co, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, W, Hg and Pb. The levels presented in this study constitute baseline levels or levels generally not exceeded in adolescents for 13 elements, including essential, ubiquitous toxic, and rare elements. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.