[Concentration of stable zinc in human bones. Determination by x-ray fluorescence spectrography]

Zinc has been analysed in bone samples taken from ribs and from vertebrae collected in the Paris region. X-ray fluorescence, with a detection limit of 30 ppm, has been applied to the bone ash. In the ash, the individual average concentration is 234 +/- 125 micrograms g-1 and is quite independent of age (p = 0.95 for one analysis). The vertebrae contain 14% more zinc than the ribs; the difference is significant at the 0.01 level. No difference between the sexes has been observed. An adult ingests on the average 20 mg Zn daily with his food intake. The inhaled amount is much less, approximately 9 micrograms. A skeleton contains on the average 520 mg Zn.