Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Copper Concentration in Body Tissues and Fluids in Normal Subjects of Southern Poland

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Data on the concentration of the elements in the human body are important, for example, to estimate the amounts required to maintain a good healthy state or find their connections with morbidity and mortality. In this paper, the concentration of copper (by flame atomic absorption spectrometry) in material obtained from autopsy cases of nonpoisoned people (n = 130), aged from 14 to 80 years, between 1990–2006, is presented. The following values were found (mean ± SD in micrograms of copper per gram or per milliliter): brain 3.32 ± 1.50 (n = 43), liver 3.47 ± 1.51 (n = 79), kidney 2.15 ± 0.90 (n = 76), stomach 1.10 ± 0.76 (n = 65), intestines 1.54 ± 1.19 (n = 25), lung 1.91 ± 1.30 (n = 27), spleen 1.23 ± 0.28 (n = 3), heart 3.26 ± 0.59 (n = 5), bile 3.60 ± 1.67 (n = 13), and blood 0.85 ± 0.19 (n = 73).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wapnir RA (1998) Copper absorption and bioavailability. Am J Clin Nutr 67(Suppl):1054S–1560S

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Barceloux DG (1999) Copper. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 37:217–230

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Vanderwerf SM, Cooper MJ, Stetsenko IV, Lutsenko S (2001) Copper specifically regulates intracellular phosphorylation of the Wilson’s disease protein, a human copper-transporting ATPase. J Biol Chem 276:36289–36294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chan S, Gerson B, Subramaniam S (1998) The role of copper, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc in nutrition and health. Clin Lab Med 18:673–685

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Horng CJ, Lin SR (1996) Determination of urinary zinc, chromium, and copper in steel production workers. Biol Trace Elem Res 55:307–314

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Asseth J, Morseth T (1986) Copper. In: Friberg L, Nordberg GF, Vouk VB (eds) Handbook on the toxicology of metals, vol. 2. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 233–254

    Google Scholar 

  7. Loudianos G, Gitlin JD (2000) Wilson’s disease. Semin Liver Dis 20:252–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rayner MH, Suzuki KT (1994) Effect of medium copper concentration on the growth, uptake and intracellular balance of copper and zinc in Menke’s and normal control cells. BioMetals 7:253–260

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cobine PA, George GN, Winzor DJ, Harrison MD, Mogahaddas S, Dameron CT (2000) Stoichiometry of complex formation between Copper (I) and the N-terminal domain of the Menkes protein. Biochemistry 39:6857–6863

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Smith H (1967) The distribution of antimony, arsenic, copper and zinc of human tissue. J Forensic Sci Soc 7:97–102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Hamilton EI, Sabbioni E, Van der Venne MT (1994) Element reference values in tissues from inhabitants of the European Community. VI. Review of elements in blood, plasma and urine and a critical evaluation of reference values for the United Kingdom population. Sci Total Environ 158:165–190

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Sumino K, Hayakawa K, Shibata T, Kitamura S (1975) Heavy metals in normal Japanese tissues. Arch Environ Health 30:487–494

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Iyengar GV, Kollmer WE, Bowen HJM (1978) The elemental composition of human tissues and body fluids. A compilation of values for adults. Verlag Chemie, Weinheim

    Google Scholar 

  14. Versieck J (1985) Trace elements in human body fluids and tissues. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 22:97–184

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Iyengar GV, Woittiez J (1988) Trace elements in human clinical specimens: evaluation of literature data to identify reference values. Clin Chem 34:474–481

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Bem EM, Piotrowski JK, Turzyńska E (1993) Cadmium, zinc and copper levels in the kidneys and liver of the inhabitants of north-eastern Poland. Pol J Occup Med Environ Health 6:133–141

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Jonas G, Fulda G, Salameh T, Schmidt W, Kröning G, Hopt U, Nizze H (2001) Electron microscopic detection of copper in the liver of two patients with Morbus Wilson by EELS and EDX. Ultrastruct Pathol 25:111–118

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Yoo Y, Lee S, Yang J, In S, Kim K, Kim S, Kwon T, Ko Y, Chung K (2000) Distribution of heavy metals in normal Korean tissues. Problems of Forensic Sciences 43:283–289

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Tietz NW (ed) (1995) Clinical guide to laboratory tests. Sanders, Philadelphia, PA, USA, pp 168–169

    Google Scholar 

  20. Barany E, Bergdahl IA, Bratteby LE, Lundh T, Samuelson G, Schutz A, Skerfing S, Oskarsson A (2002) Trace element levels in whole blood and serum from Swedish adolescents. Sci Total Environ 286:129–141

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lyon TDB, Fell GS, Halls DJ, McKenna F (1989) Determination of nine inorganic elements in human autopsy tissue. J Trace Elem Electrolytes Health Dis 3:109–118

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Aalbers TG, Houtman JP, Makkink B (1987) Trace-element concentrations in human autopsy tissue. Makkink Clin Chem 33:2057–2064

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Haswell SJ (ed) (1991) Atomic absorption spectrometry. Theory, design and applications. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 368–370

    Google Scholar 

  24. Piekoszewski W, Pach J, Sadlik K, Winnik L (2000) Changes in serum copper level during detoxification of acutely poisoned drug addicts. Biol Trace Elem Res 78:1–6

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Forensic Research, ul. Westerplatte 9, Kraków, 31-033, Poland

    T. Lech & J. K. Sadlik

Authors
  1. T. Lech
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. K. Sadlik
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Lech.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lech, T., Sadlik, J.K. Copper Concentration in Body Tissues and Fluids in Normal Subjects of Southern Poland. Biol Trace Elem Res 118, 10–15 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-007-0014-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-007-0014-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation