PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON INTERACTIONS BETWEEN METALOTHIONEIN CADMIUM, METALOTHIONEIN ZINC AND INORGANIC CADMIUM AND ZINC-COMPOUNDS

Metalothionein complexes divalent metals such as cadmium and thereby a ssists in removing Cd2+ from the bloodstream. It has been stated that excess Zn2+ in the blood stream will displace Cd2+ from the Cd metalot hionein complex and release Cd2+ back into the bloodstream. This was a n in vitro study to study this reaction. A metal speciation technique was utilized with a newly developed analytical thermospray nebulizer(T SP) interfaced '' high-speed high performance liquid chromatography (H PLC)'' with flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). The in vitro synthesis of human biological conditions in the experimental procedure s allowed the mole ratio at which the replacement reaction being initi ated Lo be determined as 1:100:1,000 mol ratio of zinc:cadmium:metalot hioaein. This corresponded to actual concentration ratios of 0.015:1.0 :40.0 ppm, respectively.