Trace element intake and excretion in the Italian population

The amount of ten trace elements (Ag, Co, Cr, Cs, Fe, Hg, Rb, Sb, Se and Zn) has been evaluated in the diets, excretion (urines and faeces), blood and hair samples taken from different groups of subjects using a simple NAA procedure. All the samples enclosed in quartz vials have been irradiated for approximately 14 hrs in a thermal flux of 2.6x1012 n.cm-2sec-1. Standard pure solutions and NBS orchard leaves were irradiated together with the samples. After irradiation the samples were transferred to polyethylene containers for gamma-measurements. Each population group is composed of five or more individuals selected in order to be representative of the adult population living in a well defined community. Some communities with different socio-economical living habits and discplaced in different regions of Italy have been considered in order to detect the variability, if any, of the trace element distribution among the Italian population. The data obtained seem to show a reasonable uniformity of the average trace element daily intakes in different regions of Italy. Beside the individual variability, very significant differences among the groups studied have not been found. All data are compared with similar data referred to populations living in other countries. (T.G.)