SERUM BORON CONCENTRATION FROM INHABITANTS OF AN URBAN AREA IN JAPAN - REFERENCE VALUE AND INTERVAL FOR THE HEALTH SCREENING OF BORON EXPOSURE

Boron (B) levels were determined in the serum of 980 healthy inhabitan ts Living in an urban area of Japan by means of Inductively coupled pl asma emission spectrometry (ICPES). The results showed a log-normal di stribution of serum B for both sexes, although there are age-related d ifferences. In male subjects, serum B increases rapidly up to 49 yr of age, reaching a plateau between ages 50 and 69 yr old, followed by a gradual increase up to 70 yr or older. Female subjects exhibit a gradu al increase up to the age of 70 yr old. The reference value for male a nd female subjects was 79.8 mu g/L and 67.9 mu g/L, and the reference interval was 33.3-191.2 mu g/L and 29.5-154.9 mu g/L, respectively. Th e obtained reference value and interval of the nonexposed group may be useful for health screening for B exposure, either for people living in regions with high levels of B in the environment, or for workers wh o are exposed to this element.