Arsenic, Selenium and Zinc in Finger and Foot Bone from Blackfoot Disease Patients

• Published in: Analytical Sciences 1997, Vol.13(Supplement), pp.497-500
• Main Authors: Wang, Chin-Thin, Chang, Wei-Tung, Huang, Kuo-Ching, Wang, Ren-Tse
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: antagonistic effect; arsenic; Biological and medical sciences; Blackfoot disease; Blood and lymphatic vessels; bone; Cardiology. Vascular system; Diseases of the aorta; Medical sciences; selenium; Tropical medicine; zinc
• ISSN: 0910-6340; 1348-2246
• DOI: 10.2116/analsci.13.Supplement_497

Atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods, developed for determination of arsenic, selenium and zinc concentration in finger and foot bone from blackfoot disease patients(BFDPs), by the amputation were developed. Thirty-four cases of BFDPs at the most strict clinical examination and thirty cases of Non-BFDPs(NBFDP) from the traffic accidents, nearly at the same condition were compared as control. Arsenic has been claimed to be a major causative agent of blackfoot disease(BFD) in the southwestern coast of Taiwan. Previously we published some reports also supported this conception, as with increasing of zero, first second, third and fourth clinical stages. The increasing of the arsenic concentration in the blood, hair and urine were happened during the BFD progressed. Although at the third and fourth stages, arsenic decreased may be affected by the antagonistic effect of selenium and zinc. For the purpose to this facts, this experiment was carried to check whether at the fourth stages, the concentration of arsenic in BFDPs finger and foot bone by amputation are higher than NBFDPs andeven in the blood of BFDPs at the fourth stage or not. The result showed arsenic concentration in finger and foot bone of BFDPs were a little higher than NBFDPs and with the rate of 0.09±0.05μg/g and 0.08±0.04μg/g. Zinc concentration in BFDPs finger and foot bone by amputation were lower than the NBFDPs and with the rate of 52.9±20.2μg/g>35.0±13.8μg/g and had a significantly difference with p 3.59±1.36μg/g. Selenium concentration of BFDPs in finger and foot bone by amputation were also had a lower selenium concentration than the NBFDPs and with the rate of 0.07±0.04μg/g