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Biomedical subjects

L Kosta

Publications and source records attributed to L Kosta.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Trace elements in some human milk samples by radiochemical neutron activation analysis.

Some trace element contents of samples of human milk, mainly colostrum and transitional milk, collected in the Ljubljana area of Yugoslavia, are reported. Analyses of As, Cd, Co, Cu, Hg, I, Mn, Sb, Se, Sn, V and Zn were performed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis, and the results are discussed briefly in the light of literature values.

Colostrum

On the vanadium and tin contents of diet and human blood.

The vanadium and tin contents of total diet samples collected in five Italian towns are given, and discussed in relation to literature data, their status as essential elements and their levels in human blood. Tin in blood was found to be below 2 ng ml-1 in a group of 14 subjects, and barely detectable even after oral consumption of 60 mg of tin.

Animals

Vanadium in foods and in human body fluids and tissues.

Using neutron activation analysis, vanadium was analysed in a range of foods, human body fluids and tissues. On the basis of these results and those of other workers, it was concluded that daily dietary intake amounts to some tens of micrograms. Analysis of body fluids (including milk, blood and excreta) and organs and tissues provided an estimate for the total body pool of vanadium in man of about 100 microgram. Vanadium was not detectable in blood and urine at the level of 0.3 ng/g, while low levels were found in muscle, fat, bone, teeth and other tissues. The relationship between dietary intake to pulmonary absorption is discussed in relation to the occurrence of vanadium in man-made air particulates. The very low levels found in milks and eggs suggest minimal vanadium requirements in growth. The findings are discussed in the light of previous results and also in relation to the possible essentiality of vanadium.

Air

Trace element concentrations in higher fungi.

The concentrations of ten trace elements, As. Br, Cd, Cu, Hg I, Mn, Se, Zn and V, have been determined in up to 27 species of higher fungi from several sites in Slovenia, Yugoslavia. Analyses were based on destructive neutron activation techniques. Data are presented and compared with the concentrations found in soils. Previously values were non-existent or scanty for these elements, so that the data represent typical levels for basidiomycetes. In addition to confirming high levels of mercury in many species, the survey also found that cadmium is accumulated to a surprising extent by most fungi, the average value being 5 ppm. Among other accumulations found was bromine by the genus Amanita, and selenium by the edible Boletus. Correlation analysis between all pairs of trace elements gave values for r of from 0.75 to 0.43 for 7 pairs (Cu and Hg, 0.75; Se and As, 0.69). As well as these features of biochemical interest, the values found and the pattern of accumulation suggest potential uses of fungi in environmental studies.

Bromine

The occurrence of mercury in amphibia.

Studies have been made of the distribution of mercury and its occurrence as methylmercury in the organs of amphibia collected from different sites mainly in Slovenia, Yugoslavia, including the area around the mercury mine at Idrija. Liver accumulates the highest amounts of mercury, up to 2 ppm in apparent background areas, with values up to 0.5 ppm in muscle, where virtually all mercury is present in the methyl form. Results are reported for some other trace elements in liver. Amphibia may provide useful monitors of the occurrence and spread of mercury contamination.

Amphibians