Trace Elements in the Large Population-Based HUNT3 Survey

Abstract

The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (The HUNT Study) is a large health survey population study in the county of Trøndelag, Norway. The survey has been repeated four times in about 10-year intervals. In the HUNT3 survey (2006–2008), we collected 28,000 samples for trace element analysis. Blood samples from 758 healthy persons without known occupational exposure were selected for multielement analysis of a small sample of blood (0.25 mL). The aim of the study was to determine the minimum blood volume that can be used for the analytical procedure and to compare our results with previously published results of similar surveys in healthy populations. Samples were digested and the concentration of selected trace elements was determined by ICP-MS. We report results on essential elements (B, Co, Cu, Mn, Se and Zn) as well as non-essential elements (As, Be, Br, Cd, Cs, In, La, Pb, Hg, Nd, Ni, Nb, Pd, Pt, Sm, Ta and Sn). Results are similar to previous studies on the HUNT3 population, and with a few exceptions, our data compares very well with results obtained in recent studies from other countries. We wanted to test a minimum volume of blood in a large-scale analytical program. For a number of nonessential elements, our results were below the limit of detection. We suggest that future studies using similar ICP-MS equipment as analytical tool should use at least 0.5 mL of blood.

A genome-wide association study provides insights into the genetic etiology of 57 essential and non-essential trace elements in humans

“…The proportion of measurements below the detection limit from NTNU2 ranged from 0% to 97% (average 11%, median 0%). Details of sample collection, storage of samples, sample processing, quality control and ICP-MS analyses have been reported in detail elsewhere 8 , 49 , 50 .…”

“…Trace elements have been measured in whole blood in two large Norwegian population-based studies: the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) 8 , 47 – 50 , and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) 7 , 51 – 53 . Further, genetic variants have been genotyped genome-wide and imputed using the Haplotype Reference Consortium reference panel (v1.1) 54 in both cohorts.…”

New insights into the genetic etiology of 57 essential and non-essential trace elements in humans

“…The proportion of measurements below the detection limit from NTNU2 ranged from 0% to 97% (average 11%, median 0%). Details of sample collection, storage of samples, sample processing, quality control and ICP-MS analyses have been reported in detail elsewhere 8,50,51 .…”

“…The potential causality of increased trace element levels on various diseases may be explored using genetic instruments for the individual elements. Trace elements have been measured in whole blood in two large Norwegian population-based studies: the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) 8,[48][49][50][51] , and the Norwegian Mother, Father, and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) 7,[52][53][54] . Further, genetic variants have been genotyped genome-wide and imputed using the Haplotype Reference Consortium reference panel (v1.1) in both cohorts 55 .…”