Concentration of titanium in respiratory tissue obtained from autopsies in Mexico city residents

Abstract

Objetivos. To quantify the levels of titanium (Ti) in respiratory tissue obtained by autopsy in people who resided in Mexico City. Materials and Methods. An exploratory study was conducted in which 216 samples of respiratory tissue from pulmonary lobes and peribronchial lymph nodes were obtained from legal medical autopsies of 36 corpses with a minimum of two years of residence in Mexico City. Histopathological analyses of the samples were performed and the Ti existing in them was quantified by induction plasma coupled to atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results. The amount of Ti in respiratory tissue was distributed between 0 micrograms of Ti in dry tissue (µg Ti/g ts) and 39.7 µg Ti/g ts; the presence of Ti was identified as distributed in up to six times a higher quantity in the lymph nodes than in pulmonary lobes. Cluster analysis showed that the sample consisted of four groups of individuals grouped according to the amount and distribution of Ti in the lower respiratory tract, age, body mass index, place and time of residence in Mexico City. Conclusions. Due to the distribution pattern observed, Ti found in respiratory tissue samples may come from urban air; the amount of Ti in conjunction with other elements may be the cause of respiratory pathologies.