[Quantitation of manganese and vanadium levels in the lung of "normal" and occupationally exposed persons]. / Untersuchungen zur Quantifizierung des Mangan- und Vanadium-Gehalts im Lungengewebe bei "Normalpersonen" und beruflich Exponierten.

ABSTRACT

Manganese and vanadium concentrations were measured in the lung and in hilus tissue of 30 non-exposed and 10 occupationally exposed patients. The analyses were performed by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry with Zeeman background compensation after wet oxidative digestion. The pulmonary tissue sampling of 30 non-exposed persons was carried out in terms of topographic anatomical criteria from different lung segments and lobes, resp. The manganese concentrations vary between 70 and 360 ng/g, and for vanadium between 9 and 40 ng/g in relation to wet weight. On the average manganese concentrations are 3 to 5 times higher compared to vanadium concentrations, 2 to 4 times higher values were detected in hilus tissue compared to the lung parenchyme. With regard to the topographic anatomy 1.1 to 1.5 higher manganese and vanadium concentrations have been found in the upper lung areas. In 10 of the occupationally exposed persons the sampling was taken from various segments as far as available. In some cases only one lung tissue sample could be analysed. Two former high-grade steel welders and eight former workers from a Norwegian nickel refinery have been investigated. Esp. the manganese concentrations in lung tissue of the welders raised by the factor 100. The manganese content in other occupationally exposed persons has also been increased in comparison to the normal group whereas the vanadium concentrations were - with one exception - in the normal range. Synoptically these results demonstrate that the determination of manganese and vanadium concentrations in the lung tissue might give additional information especially concerning a former occupational exposure. Such investigations can also be of interest when giving medical expertise opinion.