The Concentrations of Pb, Cu, Co and Ni in Extracted Permanent Teeth Related to Donors' Age and Elements in the Soil

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Abstract
Extracted permanent molars, premolars or incisors were collected from 89 subjects aged 8–67 years living in a rural area of eastern Finland where large scale geochemical analyses of the soil have been carried out. A sample of 89 teeth was analyzed for Pb, Cu, Co and Ni by atomic absorption spectro-photometry. The concentration of Pb increased with age in the dentin but not in the enamel. The concentrations of Cu, Co and Ni remained unaltered with age. The mean concentrations (μg/g) of Cu in the dentin were 9.1, 8.6 and 7.2 when the mean concentrations (μg/g) in the soil were over 150, 50–150 and under 50, respectively. The concentration of Cu in the enamel was not dependent on the content in the soil. The mean concentrations (μg/g) of Co and Ni were higher in the enamel (26.3 and 43.8) than in the dentin (13.8 and 31.4).