AGE DEPENDENCY OF SELENIUM AND CADMIUM CONTENT IN HUMAN LIVER, KIDNEY, AND THYROID

Selenium and cadmium concentrations were investigated in 60 autopsy ti ssue samples obtained from fetal life up to adulthood (defined in this study as 25-87 y of age) in Styria, a moderately industrialized regio n in Austria that has a low selenium supply. During the first 2 y afte r birth, median liver selenium concentrations were slightly lower (i.e ., 1.5 nmol/g wet weight) than concentrations found in fetal life (i.e ., 2.9 nmol/g) and adulthood (2.1 nmol/g). Whereas in the fetal period median selenium content in the kidney cortex (2.1 nmol/g) and the thy roid gland (1.6 nmol/g) was lower than that found in the liver, the re verse was true for adults (i.e., kidney, 5.5 nmol/g; thyroid, 4.3 nmol /g). Tissue cadmium concentrations approached 0 during gestation. Accu mulation in the kidney and liver commenced immediately after birth. In the thyroid gland of adults, significantly higher concentrations of c admium were found. Median concentrations in adults showed no statistic al significant age dependency (i.e., liver, 7.6 nmol/g; kidney, 59.8 n mol/g; thyroid, 11.2 nmol/g). In summary, the data revealed very low t issue selenium concentrations and low cadmium burdens for the Styrian population that was not exposed occupationally.