The estimation of nickel interaction with other elements in an osseous tissue of femur head

Introduction: Bones, because of their long regeneration period, are the pool of free metal exchange in the body, so the determined bone concentration of elements can mirror their total amount in the whole body. It also allows for a better recognition of metabolic processes induced by changes in the balance of trace elements, as well as for a more accurate diagnosis of pathologies dependent on the exposure to toxic materials. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on the samples drawn during the coxa endoprosthetoplasty performed in persons living in Upper Silesia, Poland. The sections were divided into articular cartilage, compact bone and trabecular bone samples. Concentrations of nickel and other 11 metals were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Results: Correlation coefficients were higher for men than for women. Nickel significantly co-occurred with copper, zinc and sodium in women, while in men it co-occurred with Cu, Zn, K and Ca. In all the three parts of femur head, the highest values of correlation coefficients were found for Ni-Cr configuration in the articular cartilage (0.89), the trabecular bone (0.87) and the compact bone (0.78). Conclusions: The observed Ni interactions with other elements and essential differences in its content in bone tissues of particular parts of the femur head indicate the role of smoking.