Trace element concentration in human organs in dependence of age

Abstract There is evidence from epidemiological studies that concentration of various trace elements in human organism is not only changed by different diseases but also by the environment. Interpretation of such data requires definition of normal concentration of trace elements in the different organs. Material and Methods In 21 patients aged o to 83 years, skin, lung, heart, liver, renal medulla, renal cortex, aorta abdominalis, and brain were assayed. All samples were dried at 100° C for two days. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to determine the element concentration of Co, Fe, Zn, Rb, Se, Cr, Sb, Sc, Cs. Results The behaviour of several trace elements was not uniform in the different organs. The concentrations of all elements decreased in the skin apart from the non-essential element Cs. The content of all essential and non-essential elements increased in liver and kidneys after the first year of age. The behaviour of all elements was not uniform in lung, heart, aorta, and brain. The concentration of the non-essential elements Sb, Sc, and Cs were raised in nearly all organs except the skin with progressing age; only Sb showed a slight decrease in heart and aorta. Apart from the skin, the concentrations of Co and Fe increased in all organs after the first year of life. The behaviour of the elements Zn, Cr, Se, and Rb varied from organ to organ. Discussion The data indicate that the trace element concentrations in human organs are no fixed values. However, they depend on various factors. The definition of normal concentrations of some trace elements has also to regard its function of age. The different alterations of essential trace element concentrations in the varying organs indicate that they are subject to control mechanisms and not a consequence of simple storage, whereas the increasing concentrations of the non-essential elements with progressing age should be explained by storage mechanism.