Element composition of human organs and tissues

Development of modern analytical research methods of environment element composition has made possible to reveal the regularities of their distribution and concentration in different geospheres and in the environment. At present a crucial role of elements in various functions of organism and its every individual cell is of no doubt. In the process of its function living organism takes different elements from the environment, uses them, and then excretes. «Living matter is an entirely peculiar chemical area chemistry of the Earth crust... In living matter, in its every cell …a vortex of chemical elements replacing each other takes place», wrote V.I. Vernsdskiy (1994). Chemical elements entering the organism influence the different biochemical and biophysical processes greatly governing their characteristics.

Table 1

Contemporary estimation of the environmental pathology (wt. %) and
trace elements (mg/kg) in a human body
(From Ulf Lindh, 2005 with changes)

№	Element	Concentration	№	Element	Concentration
	oxygen (O)	65,0 (65,04)		zinc (Zn)	0,0033 (0,00n)
	carbon (C)	18,0 (18,25)		Bromine (Br)	0,00029 (0,000n)
	hydrogen (H)	10,0 (10,05)		copper (Cu)	0,0001 (0,000n)
	nitrogen (N)	3,0 (2,65)		arsenic (As)	0,26 (0,n)
	phosphorus (P)	1 (0,8)		cobalt (Co)	0,021
	sulphur (S)	0,26 (0,21)		chromium (Cr)	0,094
	calcium (Ca)	1,4 (1,4)		iodine (I)	0,19 (0,0n)
	magnesium (Mg)	0,5 (0,04)		lithium (Li)	0,009
	potassium (K)	0,34 (0,27)		molybdenum (Mo)	0,08
	sodium (Na)	0,14 (0,26)		nickel (Ni)	0,14
	chlorine (Cl)	0,14 (0,25)		selenium (Se)	0,11
	silicon (Si)	0,026 (0,00n)		tin (Sn)	0,24
	iron (Fe)	0,006 (0,02)		vanadium (V)	0,11
	fluorine (F)	0,0037 (0,000n)		tungsten (W)	0,008

Note: in brackets there are the data on human body composition presented by V.I. Vernadskiy in 1922 with reference to Folkmann.

At present a study of microelementosis is developing dynamically in the science of a man. Its foundation was laid by the Russian scientist, biogeochemist, philosopher, and public figure V.I. Vernadskiy in the 20’s of the ХХ century (Vernadskiy, 1922), and then it was extended by A.P. Vinogradov (1932), А.P. Avtsyn, А.А. Zhavoronkov (1991), V.V. Kovalskiy (1989) and others, it had different periods of its development. The problem of microelements (ME) and microelementosis is one of the most urgent in modern biology and medicine.

There is a concept of homeostasis according to which an organism functions normally at definite concentrations of chemical elements. Their shortage or excess leads to disorders in mechanisms of living cell (Bowen, 1966; Коvalkiy, 1970; et al.]. As a result of ME shortage causes some chronic, degenerative, tumorous, and endocrine abnormalities in experimental animals and in a man. The excess of МE in organism impacts negatively the metabolism and all functions of organism as well (Afonskiy, 1998). The researchers point out that one of the most important parts in the process of medium denaturalization belongs to introduction of physical and chemical agents penetrating into the cells of human organism. This could do much harm even to the biological bases of a man (Gichev, 2002).

Beginning from the 60-70’s of the ХХ century, when the research of element composition of various biomedia became possible, the results of investigations in such human biomedia as hair, blood, saliva, urine, etc. were published. (Кist, 1987; Zaichik et al., 2004; Коndratieva et al., 2008; et al.).

Unfortunately, the list of investigated chemical elements in a man is rather limited and, as a rule, we deal with either the group of essential elements (Fe, Mn, Co, Zn, Cu and some others) (Semenov, 1971) or monoelements (Se, I and others).) (Тutelian et al., 2002; Еrmakov et al., 2005; Zaichick,1997), whose role is considered to be extremely significant in the development of deseases.

The data on element composition of living substance (LS) are presented in general conclusions of А.P. Vinogradov, V.V. Kovalskiy, А.А. Kist, А. Kabaty-Pendias and H. Pendias, А.L. Kovalevskiy, S.М. Tkalich, G.N. Saenko, А.P. Avtsyn, D.P. Maluga, H.J.M. Bowen, J.A.C. Fortescue, D.K. Kalani and some other researchers.

At present the most complete summary in chemical composition of a man available for wide application is the data from the report of the working group of II WHO on a conditional man (“Human-being…”, 1977), where one can find information on the composition of 71 organs and tissues of 150 grown-ups died as a result of accidents. The results were obtained by using the same method of analysis and the data from other sources characterizing wet or dry tissue, ash, etc. (often recalculated as presented information is given in different units of mass: milliequivalent – per cent, milligram – per cent, microgram – per cent, etc) were generalized. In this summary the data on 47 chemical elements are presented.

On the whole, information on the accumulation levels of chemical elements in human organs, tissue is particularly topical in the present state of medical development, when following the concept of homeostasis and microelementosis (Avzin, 1991; Skalniy, 1999) scientists try to develop the methods of treatment of different deceases using various additives of chemical elements (I, Se, Fe, Zn etc.), and their compounds.

In our opinion up to now the chemical composition of a healthy man has still insufficiently been studied, the regional characteristics of element composition formation in organs and tissue as well as the character of transformations in their composition at pathologies etc. has not been revealed.

So, the research of a human thyroid gland (in normal and pathologic state, in 4 indicators (nodular colloid goiter, autoimmune thyroiditis, adenoma, cancer) and in different areas of Tomsk regions) performed by us together with О.А.Denisova on a large amount of material (more than 100 samples) has shown that the accumulation level of chemical elements depend on both the type and the degree of pathology development and natural-anthropogenic factors indicating the living conditions of a man (Dеnisova, 2005, 2007; Baranovskaya et al., 2006; Rikhvanov, 2008).

Similar reason for transformations in accumulation levels of microelements was stated by us (Baranovskaya, 2003) and other scientists when studying the composition of hair (Zuk, 1990), blood (Kist,1987). Hence, there appears the problem of development of standards for the element content in organs, tissues, and general organism of a man and determination of their deviations.

Thus, in the present state of biogeochemical investigations in a man the problem of quantitative determination of maximum possible concentration for chemical elements and their ratios in human organs, tissues, and organism both in normal and in pathologic state has become utterly urgent. Of no less importance is the revealing of regional, national, sex-age differences in their accumulation.

To solve this problem we have attempted to study chemical composition of a man’s organs and tissue living in the Eastern Siberia.

The material for investigation is bioptic samples presenting ablated pieces of a man’s organs tissues taken from the accidentally dead people for postmortem examination (Hazanov, 1969).

The material is taken from a 52-year-old man and a 50-year-old woman. They were inhabitants of villages of Tomsk region in Tomsk oblast. The given villages could be referred to conditionally background as they are located in the directions opposite to the exposure of industrial enterprises of Tomsk city and Tomsk region along the wind rose (Rikhvanov, 2006).

Bioptic material is delivered in formaldehyde solution and kept in the refrigerator. Before ashing it is weighted in porcelain bowls. Ignition is performed in a muffle furnace according to the following procedure: during an hour the temperature increases to 200⁰ С, then ashing takes place to constant weight at temperature 550-600⁰ С, after ignition the material is weighted, the large particles are reduced to powder in agate mortar. Then the samples are weighted in 100 mg in foil packets and sent to the two modern high-sensitive analyses: instrumental neuron-activation and method of inductive-connected plasma.

Instrumental neuron-activation (INAA) is a modern high-sensitive, non-destructive analysis. It is one of highly efficient techniques for detection of rare, rare-earth, and radioactive elements in living substance, without specific chemical decomposition. INAA allows for determination of concentration for many elements in different samples and in a wide range (from n*1 % to n*10^-6 %). In this non-destructive method the thermal neutron irradiation is made at the research nuclear reactor IRT-T of Tomsk Polytechnic University in the Laboratory of Nuclear-geochemical Research, Geoecology and Geochemistry Department (analysts – s.s.w. Sudyko А.F., Bogutskaya L.F.).

Measurements are made at gamma-spectrometer with germanium-lithium detector. INAA method, used in the laboratory is also applied for certification of content standard samples (CSS) of both domestic and foreign ones (IAEA, Germany, Japan, India and others) and its quality is rather satisfactory (Table 2).

Using the method of inductive-connected plasma (ICP) the conditions of the sample decomposition are optimized in autoclave with resistive heating «Ankon-AT-2» (Russia) and microwave system Multiwave «Anton Paar» (Austria). The reaction mixture «Lefortov vodka» (a mixture of HCl and HNO₃ in ratio 1:3) and hydrogen peroxide is selected. Autoclave decomposition is performed during 1,5 hour at t=180-200⁰С, and microwave decomposition – during 15 min at power 600 – 1000W.

The mass fraction of elements is determined at masspectrometer with magnetic sector ELEMENT-2 (Finnigan MAT), having double focus and registering signal in three resolutions. Rh of 0,2ng/l concentration is taken as an internal standard. Certified multielement solutions CLNS 1-4 (SPEX, USA) are used to calibrate the concentrations at calculations.

Correctness of results in ICP analysis is regulated by means of standard sample BP-2 (Baikal pertch).

The analysis is performed in the Institute of Geochemistry named after A.P. Vinogradov of RAS, Irkutsk city. The analysts are Sandimirova G.P., Pakhomova N.N.

Table 2.

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