![]() ![]() The metal / calcium ratio allowed the evaluation of the heavy metal content in the crown and the core of each stone analyzed. For each stone, two measurement points were examined (the heart of the stone when the nucleus was individualized and the crown or the outer layer) to assess the zonal distribution of the metals. The beam dimension was equal to 150 × 150 µm 2 and the measurement time was 30 to 60 min. We used the molybdenum rotary anode generator (with energies close to 17.48 keV) at 45 kV–20 mA. ![]() Thirty-six stones from urolithiasis patients admitted to 10 hospitals in the DRC, who provided informed consent for this study between January 2016 and September 2019, were analyzed at the Functional Explorations Department of a Parisian hospital by transform infrared spectrophotometry de Fourier (Vector 22 FT-IR spectrophotometer, Bruker Optics, Champs-sur-Marne, France) in absorbance mode by accumulation of 32 spectra between 4000 and 400 cm −1, with a resolution of 4 cm −1.įurther analyzes by X-ray fluorescence were carried out at the Laboratory of Solids Physics, Bat.510, Université Paris-Sud, 91,405 Orsay using the MORPHEUS X-ray scattering experiment platform. Thus, this study aimed to identify different heavy metals in urinary tract stones and to investigate their association with the main components of urinary stones. In this context, several studies revealed health problems linked to exposure to heavy metals in miners and inhabitants of mining areas. ![]() Consequently, there is widespread contamination of the environment by various heavy metals. Over the last decades, these activities have increased, largely because of the need for copper, cobalt and other metals for the industrial development of fast-growing Asian economies and lithium-ion batteries. The DRC has been a country of intensive mining activities for centuries. Īlthough a few studies have investigated the heavy metal content in urinary stones by physical methods, we could not find such a study conducted in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The inorganic components (calcium oxalate and phosphates) being more loaded by these heavy metals unlike the organic components (uric acid and cystine) which have a low content. In addition, several studies have demonstrated the link between traces of heavy metals and the chemical and crystalline composition of stones. Other studies reported that these metals had little influence in lithogenesis and they would rather be considered as biomarkers of environmental exposure. Some studies reported that a higher content of metals in the nucleus rather than in the peripheral layers of stones might have a possible lithogenic effect. They may play a role in crystal induction, depending on the links between heavy metals and solutes capable of crystallizing in urine. The presence of heavy metals in urinary stones and their role in crystal induction remain poorly understood. The presence of heavy metals in stones analyzed might suggest environmental pollution rather than crystalline induction factors. Iron and Strontium were present in all stones analyzed. Iron and strontium exhibited a high affinity with weddellite than with whewellite. Rubidium had more affinity with phosphates and purines ( p ˂ 0.001). There was no statistically significant association between the content of heavy metals at the center level and at the crown level of the stones. Rubidium had the highest concentration in the stones regardless of the sampling site. Other heavy metals detected included zinc, copper, bromine, rubidium, lead and nickel. Iron and strontium were detected in all the stones analyzed. The average (SD) number of heavy metals detected by stone was 5 (1.2). ResultsĮight heavy metals were detected in all the stones analyzed. Further analysis using X-ray fluorescence was conducted at the Laboratory of Solids Physics. Thirty-six stones from urolithiasis patients ( n = 36) followed in 10 hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo between January 2016 and September 2019 were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry. This study aimed to identify different heavy metals in urinary tract stones and to investigate their association with the main components of urinary stones. The Democratic Republic of Congo has been a country of intensive mining activities for centuries, but the data on the presence of heavy metals in stones are lacking. ![]()
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