TOXIC METALS STATUS IN KIDNEYS AND GALLSTONES OF WORKERS IN A STEEL PLANT ENVIRONMENT

Samples of kidney stones and gallstones obtained from patients who wer e workers at a steel plant, or residents of the steel plant township a rea and those unrelated to the steel plant and steel plant township ar ea were analysed for the presence of toxic metals (Zn, Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Pb, Hg, Cd and Mn) by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Other cons tituents (moisture, organic matter, oxalate, phosphate, fluoride and c alcium) were also determined in each sample. In most of the samples th e highest occurrence of toxic metals was found in the samples obtained from workers of the steel plant who were also residents of the steel plant township area. In samples obtained from patients who were non-wo rkers of the plant but residents of the steel plant township area, the concentrations of the toxic metals were smaller, but higher than in t hose cases who were unrelated to the steel plant environment.