The analysis of lead, cadmium, zinc, copper and nickel content in human bones from the Upper Silesian industrial district

The concentration of lead, cadmium, zinc, copper and nickel in autopsy samples of bones from adults living in the Upper Silesian industrial district (Poland) — an ecological disaster region — was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (flame and flameless GF AAS). Lead concentrations ranged from 20 μg/g to 200 μg/g bone wet weight, cadmium from 0.4 μg/g to 1.5 μg/g bone wet weight. About one-fourth of the bones examined from Silesia, contained lead in the range from 100 μg/g to 200 μg/g. The were no significant differences in zinc, copper and nickel concentration between the control groups. The samples were mineralized in a microwave digestion system. To avoid anomalous results caused by the influence of the matrix Ca3 (PO4)2 — the procedure of lead determination was carried out at a temperature of 2000°C, the cadmium determination at a temperature of about 1200°C.