CONCENTRATIONS OF COPPER, ZINC AND SELENIUM IN BRAIN AND KIDNEY OF 2ND-TRIMESTER FETUSES AND INFANTS

The concentrations of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) in the brain and kidneys of second trimester fetuses (abortion cases) and inf ants (deceased before three months of age) were determined. Concentrat ions of Cu in brain, 0.31-1.6 mg/kg wet weight, increased with age, an d were, on the average, three times higher in the brains of infants th an of fetuses. In kidneys, Cu concentrations ranged between 0.34 and 2 .9 mg/kg, and increased with age after birth. Concentrations of Zn in the brain decreased significantly with age in the fetuses, from about 7 mg/kg at post-conceptional week 12 to less than 5 mg/kg at week 20, but increased again postnatally. In kidneys, Zn concentration's (12-37 mg/kg) increased in parallel with the increase in tissue density. Con centrations of Se in brain, 0.072-0.14 mg/kg, decreased with age in th e fetuses, but increased with age postnatally. Kidney Se concentration s (0.16-0.55 mg/kg) did not change significantly with age during the f etal period, but increased about 2.5 times during the postnatal period . There was a significant association between the concentrations (on m olar basis) of Zn and Cu in kidneys, but not in brain. There was no co rrelation between the concentrations of Cu, Zn or Se and those of merc ury, cadmium and lead, previously determined in the same samples, with the exception of mercury and Se in kidneys.