Shosuke Suzuki

An analysis of chromium copper and zinc in organs of a chromate worker

SummaryThe content of chromium, copper, and zinc and the valency of chromium were measured in organs of a chromate worker who had been exposed to a considerable amount of hexavalent chromium for 30 years and died of maxillary and lung cancer 10 years after his retirement. The chromium in the lung of the worker averaged 3,555 ppb on a wet tissue weight basis, while those in the lung of five controls were 86.0–399 ppb. Organs other than the lung of the worker also had more chromium than those of the controls. The amounts of copper and zinc did not vary as widely as did chromium. The ratio of hexavalent chromium to total chromium was 29.3% in the lung of the worker and 12.9 to 38.7% in controls, and its ratio in the lung was lower than that in the other organs.

Relation of exposure to dimethylformamide vapor and the metabolite, methylformamide, in urine of workers.

SummaryExposure of DMF (dimethylformamide) and urinary MF (methyl-formamide-metabolite of DMF) were measured in nine male workers handling surface-treating agents containing DMF for 5 consecutive days. The amount of urinary MF correlated well with the exposure to DMF. The measurement of urinary MF is therefore useful as an index of exposure to DMF.The rate constant for MF excretion was estimated as 0.16/h, while that calculated from Krivaneks data averaged 0.21/h. The MF excretion delay was correlated with the daily alcohol consumption.

Cadmium, copper, and zinc in rice produced in Java.

Cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) contents in 116 polished and unpolished rice samples produced in the Java Islands of Indonesia were assessed as a base-line study of trace metals. Arithmetic means and one standard deviation were 0.040±0.042 ppm Cd, 2.93±1.11 ppm Cu, and 18.17±3.13 ppm Zn. Concentration ratio of Cd to Zn was 0.00220±0.00222. The correlation coefficients between the metals were low. The two highest samples of rice contained 0.27 and 0.34 ppm Cd. Using the fact that Indonesians consume about 300 g of rice, the daily intake of Cd would exceed the tolerable limit proposed by FAO/WHO and could cause slight chronic renal damage to the rice eaters. Soil type by suborder and rice variety gave little difference of the three metals content in rice. Rice samples from West Java, where major soil type by order is Ultisol, contained higher cadmium and zinc, and lower copper than those from East Java (Vertisol).