Occurrence of heavy metals and sodium, potassium and calcium in human teeth

Abstract

Heavy metals and Na, Ca, and K were determined in human teeth during 1992/1993 in the Polish towns of Katowice and Istebna. In the relatively clean region of the southern part of Poland (Istebna) the content of heavy metals in the teeth of inhabitants was several times lower than in Katowice (Silesian industrial centre). Ratios of the concentration of Pb : Fe and Pb : Mn in teeth may be an indicator of the pollution. The analysis of the correlation matrix shows the differences in accumulation of metals in teeth for inhabitants of the two investigated towns. The differences of the mean concentration of metals Pb, Ni, Cd, Zn, Co, Mn, Cr, Na and Ca in teeth of inhabitants of Katowice and Istebna were significant (p<0.05) according to Student's t-test for independent samples.