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UNLABELLED: Our objective was to evaluate the relationship of urine metals including barium, cadmium, cobalt, cesium, molybdenum, lead, antimony, thallium, tungsten, and uranium with diabetes prevalence. Data were from a cross-sectional study of 9,447 participants of the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a representative sample of the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. Metals were measured in a spot urine sample, and diabetes status was determined based on a previous diagnosis or an A1C ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol). After multivariable adjustment, the odds ratios of diabetes associated with the highest quartile of metal, compared with the lowest quartile, were 0.86 (95% CI 0.66-1.12) for barium (Ptrend = 0.13), 0.74 (0.51-1.09) for cadmium (Ptrend = 0.35), 1.21 (0.85-1.72) for cobalt (Ptrend = 0.59), 1.31 (0.90-1.91) for cesium (Ptrend = 0.29), 1.76 (1.24-2.50) for molybdenum (Ptrend = 0.01), 0.79 (0.56-1.13) for lead (Ptrend = 0.10), 1.72 (1.27-2.33) for antimony (Ptrend < 0.01), 0.76 (0.51-1.13) for thallium (Ptrend = 0.13), 2.18 (1.51-3.15) for tungsten (Ptrend < 0.01), and 1.46 (1.09-1.96) for uranium (Ptrend = 0.02). Higher quartiles of barium, molybdenum, and antimony were associated with greater HOMA of insulin resistance after adjustment. Molybdenum, antimony, tungsten, and uranium were positively associated with diabetes, even at the relatively low levels seen in the U.S. POPULATION: Prospective studies should further evaluate metals as risk factors for diabetes.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the distribution of rubidium (Rb), cesium (Cs), beryllium (Be), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba) in blood and urine in general Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 18 120 subjects aged 6~60 years were enrolled from 24 regions in 8 provinces in Eastern, Central, and Western China from 2009 to 2010 based on the method of cluster random sampling. Questionnaire survey was conducted to collect the data on living environment and health status. Blood and urine samples were collected from these subjects, and the levels of Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, and Ba in these samples were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The distribution of these elements in blood and urine in male or female subjects living in different regions was analyzed statistically. RESULTS: In the general Chinese population, the concentration of Be in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.06 µg/L); the geometric mean (GM) of Ba in the whole blood was below the detection limit (0.45 µg/L), with the 95th percentile (P95)of 1.37 µg/L; the GMs (95% CI)of Rb, Cs, and Sr in the whole blood were 2 374(2 357~2 392) µg/L, 2.01 (1.98~2.05) µg/L, and 23.5 (23.3~23.7) µg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of blood Rb, Cs, and Sr were 2 506 (2 478~2 533) µg/L and 2 248 (2 227~2 270) µg/L, 1.88 (1.83~1.94) µg/L and 2.16 (2.11~2.20) µg/L, and 23.4 (23.1~23.7) µg/L and 23.6 (23.3~23.9) µg/L, respectively(P<0.01, P>0.05, and P>0.05). In the general Chinese population, the GM of urine Be was below the detection limit (0.06 µg/L), while the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 854 (836~873) µg/L, 3.65 (3.56~3.74) µg/L, 39.5 (38.4~40.6) µg/L, and 1.10 (1.07~1.12) µg/L, respectively; in males and females, the GMs (95%CI)of urine Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba were 876 (849~904) µg/L and 832 (807~858) µg/L, 3.83 (3.70~3.96) µg/L and 3.47 (3.35~3.60) µg/L, 42.5 (40.9~44.2) µg/L and 36.6 (35.1~38.0) µg/L, and 1.15 (1.12~1.19) µg/L and 1.04 (1.01~1.07) µg/L, respectively (all P< 0.01). Correlation analyses showed that there were weak correlations between blood Rb and urine Rb (r=0.197)and between blood Sr and urine Sr (r=0.180), but a good correlation between blood Cs and urine Cs (r=0.487). CONCLUSION: The levels of Rb, Cs, Be, Sr, and Ba in the general Chinese population are similar to those reported in other countries, and there is a significant difference in the concentration of each element among the populations living in different regions, as well as significant differences in blood Rb, urine Rb, urine Cs, urine Sr, and urine Ba between males and females.

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BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to examine the association of urinary cesium with breast cancer risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collected survey data and urine specimens from 240 women with incident invasive breast cancer before their treatment and 246 age-matched female controls between October 2009 and July 2010. Urinary concentrations of cesium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Interviews were conducted by face-to-face to obtain information on potential breast cancer risk factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the associations. RESULTS: Creatinine-adjusted levels [median (25th, 75th) ug/g] of cesium in cases and controls were 17.6 (13.1, 24.0) and 19.3 (15.3, 25.7), respectively. After adjustment for potential risk factors, women in the second and highest tertile of cesium showed a decreased risk of breast cancer in a dose-dependent manner as compared with those in the lowest tertile [ORs and 95% CIs: 0.75 (0.46- 1.22) and 0.50 (0.30-0.82), respectively]. This decrease was more evident in women with ER positive or localized clinical stage in an exploratory stratification analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that cesium may have anticancer efficacy and urinary cesium has potential as a biomarker for breast cancer risk assessment.

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The present study describes the development of an analytical method for the determination of cesium in biological fluid samples (human urine and blood samples) by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The developed method is based on sample presentation by liquid-to-solid conversion, enhancing the emission signal by drying the liquid into small "pockets" created in a metal support (zinc plate), and allows the analysis to be carried out on as little as 1 µL of sample volume, in a closed sample cell. Absolute detection limits on the Cs I 852.1 nm spectral line were calculated by the IUPAC 3σ method to be 6 ng in the urine sample and 27 ng in the blood serum sample. It is estimated that LIBS may be used to detect highly elevated concentration levels of Cs in fluid samples taken from people potentially exposed to surges of Cs from non-natural sources.

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A total of 50 children presenting with environmental disadaptation syndrome have been treated based at N.K. Krupskaya health resort (Zheleznovodsk). The therapy included the consumption of mineral water with low salt content from the Slavyansky spring at a dose of 3-5 cub.ml per 1 kg b.w. 30 min before meal, thrice daily. Its influence on the radionuclide elimination rate from the organism of the patients previously exposed to enhanced levels of background radiation was estimated from the results of spectrometric and radiochemical analysis of their urine. It was shown that introduction of drinking mineral water into the program of combined spa and resort-based therapy causes a 2-3-fold increase in the cesium excretion rate and thereby reduces the internal radiation load.

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Elevated concentrations of arsenic in drinking water are common worldwide, however, little is known about the presence of other potentially toxic elements. We analyzed 31 different elements in drinking water collected in San Antonio de los Cobres and five surrounding Andean villages in Argentina, and in urine of the inhabitants, using ICP-MS. Besides confirmation of elevated arsenic concentrations in the drinking water (up to 210 microg/L), we found remarkably high concentrations of lithium (highest 1000 microg/L), cesium (320 microg/L), rubidium (47 microg/L), and boron (5950 microg/L). Similarly elevated concentrations of arsenic, lithium, cesium, and boron were found in urine of the studied women (N=198): village median values ranged from 26 to 266 microg/L of arsenic, 340 to 4550 microg/L of lithium, 34 to 531 microg/L of cesium, and 2980 to 16,560 microg/L of boron. There is an apparent risk of toxic effects of long-term exposure to several of the elements, and studies on associations with adverse human health effects are warranted, particularly considering the combined, life-long exposure. Because of the observed wide range of concentrations, all water sources used for drinking water should be screened for a large number of elements; obviously, this applies to all drinking water sources globally.

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Novel decorporation agents are being developed to protect against radiological terrorist attacks. These sorbents, known as the self-assembled monolayer on mesoporous supports (SAMMS), are hybrid materials where differing organic moieties are grafted onto mesoporous silica (SiO(2)). In vitro experiments focused on the evaluation and optimization of SAMMS for capturing radiocesium ((137)Cs); therefore, based on these studies, a ferrocyanide copper (FC-Cu-EDA)-SAMMS was advanced for in vivo evaluation. In vivo experiments were conducted comparing the performance of the SAMMS vs. insoluble Prussian blue. Groups of jugular cannulated rats (4/treatment) were evaluated. Animals in Group I were administered (137)Cs chloride (approximately 40 microg kg(-1)) by intravenous (i.v.) injection or oral gavage; Group II animals were administered pre-bound (137)Cs-SAMMS or sequential Cs chloride + SAMMS (approximately 61 ng kg(-1)) by oral gavage; and Group III was orally administered (137)Cs chloride (approximately 61 ng kg(-1)) followed by either 0.1 g of SAMMS or Prussian blue. Following dosing, the rats were maintained in metabolism cages for 72 h and blood, urine, and fecal samples were collected for (137)Cs analysis (gamma counting). Rats were then humanely euthanized, and selected tissues analyzed. Orally administered (137)Cs chloride was rapidly and well absorbed (approximately 100% relative to i.v. dose), and the pharmacokinetics (blood, urine, feces, and tissues) were very comparable to the i.v. dose group. For both exposures the urine and feces accounted for 20 and 3% of the dose, respectively. The prebound (137)Cs-SAMMS was retained primarily within the feces (72% of the dose), with approximately 1.4% detected in the urine, suggesting that the (137)Cs remained tightly bound to SAMMS. SAMMS and Prussian blue both effectively captured available (137)Cs in the gut with feces accounting for 80-88% of the administered dose, while less than 2% was detected in the urine. This study suggests that the functionalized SAMMS outperforms Prussian blue in vitro at low pH, but demonstrates comparable in vivo sequestration efficacy at low exposure concentrations. The comparable response may be the result of the low (137)Cs chloride dose and high sorbent dosage that was utilized. Future studies are planned to optimize the performance of SAMMS in vivo over a broader range of doses and conditions.

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The wide use of barium (Ba), cesium (Cs), antimony (Sb) and tungsten (W) in many industrial and agricultural fields causes the increased release of these metals into the environment, laying the basis for health risk. To assess the exposure for the general population, the development of adequate and reliable analytical techniques becomes compulsory. This study refers to the quantification of urinary Ba, Cs, Sb and W levels by both quadrupole (Q) and sector field (SF) inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The two procedures were compared for their performances and their measurement uncertainties. The limits of detection were (Q and SF) 23.0 and 5.21 ng L(-1) for Ba; 21.1 and 7.52 ng L(-1) for Cs; 1.09 and 0.43 ng L(-1) for Sb; and 0.36 and 0.49 ng L(-1) for W. The trueness was better than 93.3% and the precision less than 12% for both techniques. Relative expanded uncertainties of the analytical procedures, at the median levels found in the general population, were below 5% for all the elements with both ICP-MS techniques. The uncertainties related to the calibration and repeatability were the parameters most influencing the final analytical performance. The urinary median values observed in healthy subjects from central Italy were 1146, 4301, 60.8 and 48.5 ng L(-1) for Ba, Cs, Sb and W, respectively.

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The Chernobyl fallout caused release of radioisotope contaminants in a very large area that includes Belarus, the Ukraine, and the Russian Federation. In this study, the authors monitored the health status and level of internal contamination in 422 children who resided in the aforementioned areas and who were < or = 10 y of age at the time of the accident. The children came to Italy for a 1-mo period between 1991 and 1992. During this time, the children underwent pediatric checkups and biochemical, immunological, and thyroid analyses. All children underwent whole-body counter measurements, and urine radiotoxicological analysis was performed for 224 of them. The 24 children evacuated from Pripiat, a village very close to the Chernobyl reactor site, were selected for cytogenetic analysis. All of these children continue to have a detectable internal contamination of caesium radioisotopes. This condition is likely the result of ground and foodstuff contamination in the various areas. The children did not evidence overt pathologies related to ionizing radiation. However, minor alterations in immunological and thyroid parameters were observed in the group of the evacuated children. Traditional cytogenetic dosimetry was not possible, but the occurrence of acentric fragments was observed-indicating a persistent effect of continuous exposure to low doses of radiation.

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Quantitative ultratrace analysis (10 nmol to 10 mumol/l) of cesium in biological samples such as human body fluids and animal tissues is performed without any prior purification or concentration steps. The normal level of cesium ions in heart cells was determined. After poisoning these cells with high concentrations of the alkali cation much higher levels were found inside the cells then had been suggested previously. It is demonstrated that field desorption mass spectrometry is a unique tool for the qualitative and quantitative investigations of metal cations in biological material.

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Single doses of 5, 15 or 50 mg of Na3Ca-DTPA per kilogram of body weight were intraperitoneally injected 1 hour (prompt treatment) or 3 days (delayed treatment) after the intravenous injection of 144CeCl3 in the rat. The daily urinary and fecal excretion of 144Ce was determined for 15 days post 144Ce injection. The retention of 144Ce in the several organs 15 days after the 144Ce injection was also determined. A method to assess the DTPA-enhanced amount of urinary excretion of 144Ce from the early urinary excretion of 144Ce post therapy was proposed.

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