Serum sample levels of selenium and copper in healthy volunteers living in Rio de Janeiro city

• Published in: The Science of the total environment 2003, Vol.301 (1), p.51-54
• Main Authors: da Cunha, Sérgio, Filho, Francisco Manes Albanesi, Antelo, Domingos Senra, de Souza, Mário Miranda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil; Copper - blood; Environmental Exposure; Ethnic Groups; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Male; Metabolisms and neurohumoral controls; Nutritional Status; Reference Values; Selenium - blood; Serum copper; Serum selenium; Sex Factors; Trace elements; Urban Population; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Water and mineral metabolism. Osmoregulation. Acidobasic balance
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/S0048-9697(02)00290-5

The objective of this study was to analyze the serum sample levels of selenium and copper in healthy volunteers living in the city Rio de Janeiro. Thirty individuals were submitted for nutritional assessment, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and serum selenium and copper analysis through hydride generation and flame atomic absorption spectrometry, respectively. The accuracy and precision of these methods were evaluated using certified reference materials. None of the studied individuals was undernourished; 53% were overweight and 13.3% were slightly obese. The mean serum selenium level was 73.18±9.9 μg/l (56.50–94.50 μg/l). Among women it was 76.28±8.7 μg/l and in men 72.23±10.24 μg/l ( P=0.35). Among non-white individuals the mean was 73.12±12.57 μg/l and in the white individuals it was 73.20±9.11 μg/l ( P=0.98). The mean serum level of copper was 1.09±0.39 mg/l (0.56–1.80 mg/l). The mean found in women was 0.99±0.22 mg/l and in the men 1.13±0.43 mg/l ( P=0.42). In non-white individuals it was 1.36±0.48 mg/l and in white individuals was 1.00±0.31 mg/l ( P=0.02). The authors concluded that selenium and copper serum levels observed in this study were similar to those found in other cities.