Mass Fractions of 52 Trace Elements and Zinc/Trace Element Content Ratios in Intact Human Prostates Investigated by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

Contents of 52 trace elements in intact prostate of 64 apparently healthy 13-60-year-old men (mean age 36.5 years) were investigated by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Mean values (M +/- SI center dot Ie) for mass fraction (in milligrams per kilogram, on dry-weight basis) of trace elements were as follows: Ag 0.041 +/- 0.005, Al 36 +/- 4, Au 0.0039 +/- 0.0007, B 0.97 +/- 0.13, Be 0.00099 +/- 0.00006, Bi 0.021 +/- 0.008, Br 29 +/- 3, Cd 0.78 +/- 0.09, Ce 0.028 +/- 0.004, Co 0.035 +/- 0.003, Cs 0.034 +/- 0.003, Dy 0.0031 +/- 0.0005, Er 0.0018 +/- 0.0004, Gd 0.0030 +/- 0.0005, Hg 0.046 +/- 0.006, Ho 0.00056 +/- 0.00008, La 0.074 +/- 0.015, Li 0.040 +/- 0.004, Mn 1.53 +/- 0.09, Mo 0.30 +/- 0.03, Nb 0.0051 +/- 0.0009, Nd 0.013 +/- 0.002, Ni 4.3 +/- 0.7, Pb 1.8 +/- 0.4, Pr 0.0033 +/- 0.0004, Rb 15.9 +/- 0.6, Sb 0.040 +/- 0.005, Se 0.73 +/- 0.03, Sm 0.0027 +/- 0.0004, Sn 0.25 +/- 0.05, Tb 0.00043 +/- 0.00009, Th 0.0024 +/- 0.0005, Tl 0.0014 +/- 0.0001, Tm 0.00030 +/- 0.00006, U 0.0049 +/- 0.0014, Y 0.019 +/- 0.003, Yb 0.0015 +/- 0.0002, Zn 782 +/- 97, and Zr 0.044 +/- 0.009, respectively. The upper limit of mean contents of As, Cr, Eu, Ga, Hf, Ir, Lu, Pd, Pt, Re, Ta, and Ti were the following: As a parts per thousand currency sign0.018, Cr a parts per thousand currency sign0.64, Eu a parts per thousand currency sign0.0006, Ga a parts per thousand currency sign0.08, Hf a parts per thousand currency sign0.02, Ir a parts per thousand currency sign0.0004, Lu a parts per thousand currency sign0.00028, Pd a parts per thousand currency sign0.007, Pt a parts per thousand currency sign0.0009, Re a parts per thousand currency sign0.0015, Ta a parts per thousand currency sign0.005, and Ti a parts per thousand currency sign2.6. In all prostate samples, the content of Te was under detection limit (< 0.003). Additionally, ratios of the Zn content to other trace element contents as well as correlations between Zn and trace elements were calculated. Our data indicate that the human prostate accumulates such trace elements as Al, Au, B, Br, Cd, Cr, Ga, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, U, and Zn. No special relationship between Zn and other trace elements was found.