Relationship between air pollution and metal levels in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues

ABSTRACT

We aimed to check the relationships between levels of metals (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg and Zn) in cancerous and non-cancerous lung tissues and their link to air pollution, expressed as particulate matter (PM) concentrations. The study also examines the influence on metal concentration in the lung tissue of patients' sex and the distance of their homes from the nearest emitter. We found that the general pattern of ascending concentrations in tumor tissue was as follows: Hg < Cd < Cu < Ca < Zn < Fe. In non-affected lung tissue the order of concentrations of Ca and Fe was reversed. With the exception of Cd and Cu, levels of metals were found in higher accumulations in non-cancerous tissue (e.g., Fe 326.423 and Ca 302.730 μg/g d.w) than in tumorous tissue (Fe 150.735 and Ca 15.025 μg/g d.w). Neither the PM10 (PM of a diameter of 10 μm) concentration nor sex revealed any connection with metal concentrations. The shorter the distance from the emitter, the higher the metal concentrations that tended to be observed for almost all metals, but a statistically significant (but weak) relationship was noted only for Cu in tumor tissue (r_s: −0.4869).

KEYWORDS:

• Air pollution
• biomonitoring
• cancer
• copper
• metal

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the patients who agreed to our using their samples and medical tests in the study. The project was carried out on the basis of the approval of the Bioethical Commission of the Medical University in Katowice (No. KNW/0022/KB1/139/I/11/12).