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Biomedical subjects

C J Pickford

Publications and source records attributed to C J Pickford.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Elevation of lead in human blood from its controlled ingestion in beer.

1. Nine volunteers ingested high levels of lead in beer over a 28-d period. The increase in blood lead varied by a factor of about two. There was a similar two-fold variability in the whole-body uptake (mean 14%) of a single oral dose of the short-lived tracer 203Pb. 2. The average elevations led to estimates of the potential increment from consumption of alcoholic beverages which accord broadly with epidemiological observation and which, if relevant to intakes of lead in table wine, raise the possibility of considerably elevated levels in the blood of avid consumers. 3. Rate constants inferred for removal of stable lead from blood were lower than reported following intake of the tracer, reflecting feedback of lead from other compartments.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Human metabolism of arsenobetaine ingested with fish.

1. Six volunteers ingested 74As-labelled arsenobetaine with a fish meal. The retention and distribution of the tracer were studied by body radioactivity measurements. 2. The tracer became rapidly dispersed in soft tissues, with no major concentration in any localized organ or region. 3. In all subjects less than 1% of the ingested activity remained in the body after 24 days. 4. Any losses from the skin were minor in relation to those by other routes of excretion.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Potential of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for trace element metabolism studies in man.

A new inorganic mass spectrometric technique is described which allows sensitive, rapid and economic determination of trace element concentrations and isotope ratios in aqueous samples. This paper illustrates the potential of the technique in one particular application area, namely the measurement of strontium isotope ratios in human blood and urine following ingestion of an enriched stable strontium isotope. The data from a human volunteer experiment illustrate the viability of the analytical method, with measurement precisions of +/- 0.2% (1 sigma) achieved for the isotope ratio in urine samples, which contained approximately 300 ng 86Sr in the volume required for analysis. Measurement precision is limited by counting statistics.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lead in alcoholic beverages.

Following the finding that blood lead concentrations in middle-aged men were positively associated with alcohol consumption, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution recommended that information on lead in alcoholic beverages be obtained. The results reported here were obtained in response to the Royal Commission's request. About 90% of canned and bottled beers contained less than or equal to 10 micrograms/l of lead, whereas nearly half the draught beers sampled contained greater than 10 micrograms/l and 4% contained greater than 100 micrograms/l. Opening the cans and bottles and pouring the contents into a glass had no significant effect on the lead concentration in the beer. All wines sampled directly from the bottle, that is without pouring, contained less than 250 micrograms/l of lead. However the lead concentration in some wines contained in lead-capped bottles increased significantly when the wine was poured from the bottle, in one instance the increment was 1890 micrograms/l. It is concluded that consumption of beer containing 50 micrograms/l of lead could make a substantial contribution to blood lead concentrations in man. Consumption of 1 l/day of wine containing 150 micrograms/l of lead could also make a major contribution to blood lead concentrations. Lead contamination of wine when it is poured from a bottle, which had been lead-capped, can sometimes greatly increase lead concentrations in the wine.

Beer↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Human intake of arsenic and iodine from seaweed-based food supplements and health foods available in the UK.

A number of seaweed-based products were analysed for total and 'reducible' arsenic and total iodine. Maximum potential intakes of the two elements were estimated using the manufacturers' recommended does. The levels of reducible arsenic found were generally low and, with one exception, ingestion of the products is unlikely to lead to the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) Tolerable Daily Intake being exceeded. Iodine levels varied widely even between different samples of the same product. In a number of these cases the potential iodine intake is very high.

Arsenic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Lead in alcoholic beverages: a second survey.

Results are presented of a survey of lead in beers and wines. Evidence of low level lead contamination of draught beer was found in an earlier survey conducted previously but remedial action initiated by the Brewers' Society has apparently been successful in reducing this contamination. The position in respect of lead contamination of wine is less satisfactory. Wine poured from bottles which have been fitted with tin-coated lead closures may sometimes become contaminated by deposits of lead salts produced by corrosion of the lead closure. Results of a survey of wines from lead-capped bottles show that for bottles sampled during 1985/1986 the lead concentration in 20 out of 100 samples exceeded 1000 micrograms/l (equivalent to the statutory limit for lead in wine of 1 mg/kg as sold). Such contamination could give rise to undesirably high intakes of lead. Action being taken to reduce exposure from this source is described.

Beer↗