The Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Co and Ni in Extracted Permanent Teeth Related to Donors' Age and Elements in the Soil

Abstract

Extracted permanent molars, premolars or incisors were collected from 89 subjects aged 8–67 years living in a rural area of eastern Finland where large scale geochemical analyses of the soil have been carried out. A sample of 89 teeth was analyzed for Pb, Cu, Co and Ni by atomic absorption spectro-photometry. The concentration of Pb increased with age in the dentin but not in the enamel. The concentrations of Cu, Co and Ni remained unaltered with age. The mean concentrations (μg/g) of Cu in the dentin were 9.1, 8.6 and 7.2 when the mean concentrations (μg/g) in the soil were over 150, 50–150 and under 50, respectively. The concentration of Cu in the enamel was not dependent on the content in the soil. The mean concentrations (μg/g) of Co and Ni were higher in the enamel (26.3 and 43.8) than in the dentin (13.8 and 31.4).

Key Words:

• Trace elements
• enamel
• dentin