Urinary levels of 30 metal/metalloids in the Brazilian southeast population: Findings from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 225; p. 115624
• Main Authors: Barbosa, Fernando, Devoz, Paula Picoli, Cavalcante, Marcos Rafael Nogueira, Gallimberti, Matheus, Cruz, Jonas Carneiro, Domingo, José Luis, Simões, Eduardo J., Lotufo, Paulo, Liu, Simin, Bensenor, Isabela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Inc 15.05.2023
• Subjects: Adult; adults; alcohol drinking; aluminum; antimony; arsenic; atomic absorption spectrometry; barium; beryllium; Brazil; cadmium; cerium; cesium; chromium; cobalt; Cohort; copper; creatinine; Cross-Sectional Studies; education; ELSA-Brasil; environmental exposure; environmental monitoring; Female; France; Human biomonitoring; Humans; lanthanum; lead; lithium; Longitudinal Studies; Male; manganese; mercury; Mercury - analysis; Metalloids - analysis; Metals; Middle Aged; molybdenum; nickel; North America; Pilot Projects; platinum; Reference levels; rubidium; selenium; silver; strontium; tellurium; thallium; thorium; tin; toxicity; Trace elements; Trace Elements - analysis; tungsten; uranium; zinc; Brazil; France; North America; Reference levels; Human biomonitoring; Trace elements; Cohort; Metals; ELSA-Brasil
• ISSN: 0013-9351; 1096-0953; 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115624

The assessment of risks associated with environmental exposure to metals/metalloids requires well-established reference values for each population since it varies considerably according to distinct local/regional characteristics. However, very few studies establish baseline values for these elements (essential and toxic) in large population groups, especially in Latin American countries. This study was aimed at establishing urinary reference levels of 30 metals/metalloids: aluminum (Al), antimony (Sb), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), cerium (Ce), cesium (Cs), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), lanthanum (La), lead (Pb), lithium (Li), strontium (Sr), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), rubidium (Rb), selenium (Se), silver (Ag), tin (Sn), tellurium (Te), thallium (Tl), thorium (Th), tungsten (W), uranium (U) and zinc (Zn) in a Brazilian southeast adult population. This pilot study is a cross-sectional analysis conducted with the first wave of the ELSA-Brasil cohort (baseline examination). A total of 996 adults (45.5% men, N = 453, mean age: 50.5, and 54.5% women, N = 543, mean age: 50.6) were included in the study. Sample analyses were performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). Percentiles (2.5, 10, 25, 50, 75, 95 (CI95%), and 97.5) of each element (μg/g of creatinine) in the study are presented according to sex. Moreover, differences in the mean metal/metalloid urinary levels according to age, education, smoking, and alcohol intake are also presented. Finally, median found values were compared to established values of large human biomonitoring surveys previously conducted in North America and France. This is the first comprehensive and systematic human biomonitoring study that established population reference ranges for 30 (essential and/or toxic elements) in a Brazilian population group. •We established reference ranges for 30 elements in a Brazilian population.•This study was the first wave of the ELSA-Brasil cohort (baseline examination).•Metal/metalloid urinary levels were stratified by sociodemographic factors.