[Blood levels of zinc in normal subjects]

Zinc serum concentrations were studied by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry in normal subjects at the Blood Bank of Maracaibo, Venezuela. We analyzed 487 serum samples: 444 from males and 43 from females. The concentration detected was 84 +/- 20 (mean +/- S.D.) microgram Zn/100 ml. The statistical analysis of data did not show any significant differences between age and sex in the groups studied. No-functional relationship was determined between zinc serum concentrations and age and sex of subjects.