SVIBOR - Project code: 3-01-225

MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

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Project code: 3-01-225


ENVIRONMENT AND BIOESSENTIAL ELEMENTS - PATHOGENETIC SIGNIFICANCE IN CJA AND INS


Main researcher: PROHIĆ, ESAD (68463)


Assistants
Type of research: basic
Duration from: 01/01/91. to 12/31/95.
Papers on project (total): 23
Papers on project quoted in Current Contents: 3
Institution name: Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Prirodoslovni odjeli, Zagreb (119)
Department/Institute: Geology Department for Mineralogy and Petrography
Address: Demetrova 1
City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia
Communication
Phone: 385 (0)41 422136
Phone: 385 (0)41 428610
Fax: 385 (0)41 432526
Phone: 385 (0)
Summary: A relationship between bioessential microelements in the environment, namely selenium, cobalt, zinc, copper, molibden and others, and health disturbance is already known, but mostly connected with acute poisoning due to the increased concentration in human body. However, recently the concept of the effects of bioelement deficiency has started to be more important. Bioessential elements can create stable metal-organic bonds with immobile protein molecules. In metalenzimes a particular metal is firmly linked to protein, frequently creating active centers of living cells catalysing only one specific reaction or type of reaction showing a direct influence upon the important function in human body. The relationship between selen deficiency in the environment and certain chronic diseases is already proved in several studies worldwide. Selenium is catalyst of the enzime activities acting as an antioxidans and as a part of vitamine E. Aforesaid investigations were performed in noncarbonate environment. However, selenium deficiency is much more sound in the carbonate terrains, which is important for us taking into account that about 50% of Croatia is built up of carbonate rocks. We took a area of Istria as a model system to study interrelations between content of selenium and other bioessential elements in soil and occurrences of certain chronic diseases on predominantly carbonate terrains. The relationship between trace elements in the environment and human body and chronic diseases has been studied by analyses of the content of selenium and other bioessential elements in soil, blood (whole blood and serum) and urine of children affected by chronic juvenile arthritis (CJA) and insufficient nephritic syndrome (INS). A specific methodology of analyses was developed. By analysing the healthy children we established a "natural" concentration of mentioned elements in human body and environment.

Keywords: Trace elements, environment, chronic diseases, chronic juvenile arthritis, insufficient nephritic syndrome, blood, urine, soil, carbonate terrains, selenium, ICP-AES

Research goals: In recent years, the role of trace elements in the human body and environment has been recognized in the bio-medical and environmental field even though the mechanism concerning the behaviour of trace elements in biological systems is not completely clear. Every plant, animal and human live in complete symbiosis with its natural environment. However, serious problems have risen with the undue development of human technology and its capacity to modify greatly its natural environment.Furthermore, some types of landscape disturbance may result in a deficiency of certain elements that are essential to humans in low, but toxic in high, concentration. These are the goals of this study to recognize these mechanisms by looking the concentrations of certain bioessential elements in human blood and urine and to establish the natural background of these elements predominantly in carbonate terrains and to verify possible disturbance of environment and its effect on human health. To achieve that first we had to establish the normal inorganic content of several selected elements in whole blood, serum and urine samples of healthy children. As a very next step we will study the distribution of these elements in children affected by certain chronic diseases, namely chronic juvenile arthritis (CJA) and insufficient nephritic syndrome. A study of regional distribution of selected elements in soil overlying carbonate rocks and regional distribution or regional frequency of mentioned chronic diseases will give us ideas of possible connection of processes in environment and processes in human body which is the part of this environment. The expected results of these investigations could be of exceptional significance for the early discovery and preventive measure of examined diseases.

COOPERATION - PROJECTS


  1. Name of project: >881-31 Regional geochemical mapping of carbonate terrains
    Name of institution: United States Geological Survey (USGS)
    City: Reston, USA

  2. Name of project: >>Alpe-Adria Standardization of methodology of geochemical mapping and environmental geology in carbonate terrains
    Name of institution: Voest-Alpina, Fakulteta za naravoslovje in tehnologijo
    City: Ljubljana, Slovenia

  3. Name of project: JF275 Natural radionuclide and trace element distribution in coal from carbonate depositional environment and in burning products around coal fired power plant in carbonate terains
    Name of institution: Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas
    City: Lawrence, Kansas, USA

COOPERATION - INSTITUTIONS


  1. Name of institution: Voest-Alpina
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: Linz, Austria

  2. Name of institution: Fakulteta za naravoslovje in tehnologijo, Inštitut za geologijo
    Type of institution: Economical/Production
    City: Ljubljana, Slovenia

  3. Name of institution: United States Geological Survey (USGS)
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: Reston, USA

  4. Name of institution: Klinički bolnički centar Šalata
    Type of institution: International organization
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  5. Name of institution: Institut za geološka istraživanja
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    City: 10000 - Zagreb, Croatia

  6. Name of institution: Kansas Geological Survey
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Joint project
    City: Lawrence, Kansas, USA

  7. Name of institution: University of Kansas
    Type of institution: University/Faculty
    Type of cooperation: Joint project
    City: Lawrence, Kansas, USA

  8. Name of institution: Umwelt und Geo-informatik
    Type of institution: State institute
    Type of cooperation: Joint project
    City: Leoben, Austrija
Other information about the project.
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