Serum manganese concentrations in a representative sample of the Canarian population

Serum manganese (Mn) concentrations of 368 individuals 6-75 yr of age (179 males and 189 females) living in the Canary Islands were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean manganese concentration was 1.06+/-0.62 microg/L, ranging between 0.19 and 3.33 microg/L. Most of the analyzed samples (63.3% of the samples) fall within the reference interval (0.54-1.76 microg/L) for apparently healthy people. Individuals from Fuerteventura presented with mean Mn concentrations significantly higher than individuals from the rest of the islands. This could be attributed to differences in the Mn content of soil and/or differences in dietary habits of the population. Serum Mn concentration did not vary with gender, and individuals younger than 18 yr old had the highest mean Mn concentration, compared to the rest of the age groups considered. No relation to socioeconomic status, educational level, and tobacco or alcohol consumption was found. However, the serum Mn concentration tended to decrease when increasing the consumption of wine or beer. Sportsmen presented significantly higher serum Mn concentrations than the rest.