X-ray microanalysis of heavy metals in lung

Han Li

Research training report 2005

Introduction

Department of Medical Cell Biology, BMC Supervisor: Prof. Godfried M. Roomans Project: * literature study on the X-ray microanalysis of metals in lung* literature study on the X-ray microanalysis of metals in lung

* analyze lung specimen from a dental technician* analyze lung specimen from a dental technician Technique: Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis Instrument: Transmition Electron Microscope (TEM)

Background (Ⅰ) Heavy metal toxicity (acute & chronic) Respirotary system is most sensitive to heavy metal influence

Metal name

Atomic number

Related disease or toxicity

Be 4 nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation (Cunha 2003)

Mg 12 Pneumoconiosis (Day 1996, Loos 1990)

Al 13 pneumoconiosis, granulomatous lymphadenopathy (Day 1996, Loos 1990, Canfield 1989)

Ca 20 cystic fibrosis (Roomans 1986)

Ti 22 pneumoconiosis, alveolar proteinosis (Humble 2001, Deppe 2002, Ohno 1996, Schliephake 1993, Moran 1991)

Cr 24 alveolar macrophage abnormalities, pulmonary cancer (Johansson 1987 1986, Kim 1985)

Fe 26 pneumoconiosis (Ghio 1997, Funahashi 1988, Dodson 1985)

Co 27 asthma (Kusaka 1986)

Ni 28 pneumoconiosis, granulomatous lymphadenopathy (Day 1996, Kusaka 1986)

As 33 lung carcinoma (Lu 1992)

Y 39 pulmonary toxicity (Hirano 1990)

Sn 50 lung cancer (Sun 1989)

Sb 51 unknown (Berry 1990)

Ba 56 pneumonia (Slocombe 1989)

La 57 acute toxicity (Suzuki 1992, Pairon 1995)

Ce 58 pneumoconiosis, nuclear toxicity (Pairon 1995, Berry 1989, Vogt 1986)

Gd 64 necrosis (Spencer 1997, Wasserman 1996, Hocine 1995)

W 74 pneumonia (Kusaka 1986, Berry 1990, Seike 1995, Peao 1993)

Np 93 alternations of nuclei, cytoplasmic lesions (Boulahdour 1996)

Background (Ⅱ)

Occupational exposure & Therapy introduced

Occupational exposure Sn, As, Cu, Al, … - miners Ti - painters Fe - welders …

Therapy introduced Ti - implants Ga - NMR contrasting

media W & Sb - drug HPA-23 …

Background (Ⅲ)

Early detection EDX microanalysis is becoming the most favored method non-destructive, fast, capable of multi-elemental detection at trace non-destructive, fast, capable of multi-elemental detection at trace

quantitiesquantities

Materials and Methods

The lung specimen fromfrom: an old local dental technician suffering from dyspnea: an old local dental technician suffering from dyspnea

prepared byprepared by: Department of Pathology, Linköping University Hospital: Department of Pathology, Linköping University Hospital

procedureprocedure: fixed in glutaraldehyde : fixed in glutaraldehyde embedded in epoxy plastic embedded in epoxy plastic sectionedsectioned

Electron microscopy Hitachi H-7110 TEM: accelerating voltage: 75 kV, 5000 xHitachi H-7110 TEM: accelerating voltage: 75 kV, 5000 x

EDX microanalysis Hitachi H-7110 TEM: STEM mode, accelarating voltage: 100 kVHitachi H-7110 TEM: STEM mode, accelarating voltage: 100 kV

Oxford energy-dispersive Si(Li) X-ray detector: analysis time: 70 sOxford energy-dispersive Si(Li) X-ray detector: analysis time: 70 s

Data processing Link ISIS software: spectra collection (50) Link ISIS software: spectra collection (50) automatic identification automatic identification

(indexing)(indexing)

element screenelement screen

Results (Ⅰ)

Electron microscopy

2 µm

The morphology was not fully retained

Nucleus is clear ()

Particles are clearly deposited ()

Results (Ⅱ)

EDX microanalysis

Conclusion

Heavy metals are detected in the lung specimen The appearance of gold, zinc, and silver may be

due to occupational exposure Co-existence pattern can be found ( not highly

evident)

Acknowledgements

Professor Roomans Leif Ljung Department of Medical Cell Biology