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The Effect of Age and Gender on Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr, V, and Zn Contents in Rib Bone of Healthy Humans

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Abstract

The effect of age and gender on major, minor, and trace element contents in the intact rib bone of 80 relatively healthy 15–55-year-old women and men was investigated. Contents or upper limit of contents of 16 chemical elements in the rib bone were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Mean values (M ± SΕΜ) for the mass fraction of Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Na, P, S, Sr, and Zn (milligram per kilogram of dry bone) were as follows: 2.54 ± 0.16, 171,400 ± 4,050, 1.35 ± 0.22, 140 ± 11, 1,874 ± 71, 0.049 ± 0.011, 2,139 ± 38, 5,378 ± 88, 75,140 ± 1,660, 1,881 ± 51, 291 ± 20, and 92.8 ± 1.5, respectively. The upper limits of contents of Al, B, Mn, and V were <7.20, <0.65, <0.36, and <0.03, respectively. Statistically significant tendency for the Ca, Mg, and P content to decrease with age was found in the human rib bone, regardless of gender. The mass fraction of Fe in the male rib bone increases with age. It was shown that higher Ca, Mg, Na, P, and Sr mass fractions as well as lower Fe content were typical of female ribs as compared to those in male ribs.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Dr. Sergey Moiseev, Hospital Department of Forensic Medicine, Obninsk for supplying rib samples and Ms. Irina Moskvina, Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Chernogolovka for the assistance in the ICP-AES measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Radiological Research Centre, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Koroleva Str.-4, Obninsk, 249020, Kaluga Region, Russia

    Vladimir Zaichick & Vasilii Karandashev

  2. Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA

    Sofia Zaichick & Vasilii Karandashev

  3. Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High, Purity Materials, Chernogolovka, 142432, Russia

    Vasilii Karandashev & Sergey Nosenko

Authors
  1. Vladimir Zaichick
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  2. Sofia Zaichick
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  3. Vasilii Karandashev
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  4. Sergey Nosenko
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Correspondence to Vladimir Zaichick.

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Zaichick, V., Zaichick, S., Karandashev, V. et al. The Effect of Age and Gender on Al, B, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Sr, V, and Zn Contents in Rib Bone of Healthy Humans. Biol Trace Elem Res 129, 107–115 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8302-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-008-8302-9

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