Study of trace elements in urine of some Nigerian medical patients

In this study, trace element concentrations were determined in urine samples of patients with kidney and liver conditions from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife Nigeria. Urine samples from 80 patients whose ages ranged from 15 to 79 were used for the trace metals analysis. Variation of the trace metals including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn) in urine samples were correlated with respect to gender, age, professions, personal habits and patients’ conditions. The levels of Pb in the urine samples of both male and female patients were found to be generally higher than those of Cd, Hg, Zn, Cu, and Mn. Highest levels of Pb and Cd were found in patients who smoked and drank and those with various kidney and liver conditions. Most of the trace metals except Mn occurred at levels that are deleterious to human health as they are above the standard threshold values expected in normal human urine, and raised cause for concern.     

Analysis of Cd,Cu, Pb,Zn, Hg and Mn in kidneys and liver from human cadavers – A case study in South Western Nigeria

In this study, autopsy tissue samples from human liver and kidneys were analysed for Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn, Hg and Mn in 25 subjects (16 males and 9 females) ranging in age from 2 to 70 years. Tissue samples that were pathologically normal were obtained at postmortem and concentrations of metals were determined. In both kidneys and liver, the concentrations of metals followed the order Cd > Hg > Pb > Zn > Mn > Cu irrespective of gender and age group, except in female kidneys where the order was Cd > Pb > Hg > Zn > Mn > Cu. Generally, males had higher concentrations of metals in both the kidneys and liver. Significant correlations of the metals were found in kidney and liver tissues.