Monitoring of body burden of toxic elements is usually based on analysis of concentration of particular elements in blood, urine and/or hair. Analysis of these matrices, however, predominantly reflects short- or medium-term exposure to trace elements or pollutants. In this work, urinary stones were investigated as a matrix for monitoring long-term exposure to toxic and essential elements. A total of 431 samples of urinary calculi were subjected to mineralogical and elemental analysis by infrared spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The effect of mineralogical composition of the stones and other parameters such as sex, age and geographical location on contents of trace and minor elements is presented. Our results demonstrate the applicability of such approach and confirm that the analysis of urinary calculi can be helpful in providing complementary information on human exposure to trace metals and their excretion. Analysis of whewellite stones (calcium oxalate monohydrate) with content of phosphorus <0.6 % has been proved to be a promising tool for biomonitoring of trace and minor elements.

• Klíčová slova
• Biomonitoring, Exposure, Trace elements, Urinary stones, Urolithiasis,
• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• močové kameny chemie   MeSH
• monitorování životního prostředí metody   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý analýza   MeSH
• stopové prvky analýza   MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• zeměpis MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• šťavelan vápenatý MeSH
• stopové prvky MeSH
• whewellite MeSH Prohlížeč

The development of miniaturized Raman instrumentation is in demand for applications relevant to forensic, pharmaceutical and art analyses, as well as geosciences, and planetary exploration. In this study we report on evaluation of a portable dispersive Raman spectrometer equipped with 1064 nm laser excitation. Selected samples from geological, geobiological and forensic areas of interest have been studied from which the advantages, disadvantages and the analytical potential of the instrument are assessed based on a comparison with bench instrumentation and other portable Raman spectrometers using 785 nm excitation. It is demonstrated that the instrument operating with 1064 nm excitation has potential for expanding the number and types of samples that can be measured by miniaturized Raman spectroscopy without interfering fluorescence background emission. It includes inorganic and organic minerals, biomolecules within living lichen and endolithic cyanobacteria as well as drugs of abuse and explosives.

• MeSH
• benzoáty analýza   MeSH
• benzofurany analýza   MeSH
• beta-karoten analýza   MeSH
• geologie metody   MeSH
• jantar analýza   MeSH
• minerály analýza   MeSH
• polystyreny analýza   MeSH
• Ramanova spektroskopie přístrojové vybavení   MeSH
• sloučeniny rtuti analýza   MeSH
• soudní vědy metody   MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý analýza   MeSH
• výbušné látky analýza   MeSH
• zakázané drogy analýza   MeSH
• zkameněliny MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• hodnotící studie MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• benzoáty MeSH
• benzofurany MeSH
• beta-karoten MeSH
• cinnabar MeSH Prohlížeč
• jantar MeSH
• mellitic acid MeSH Prohlížeč
• minerály MeSH
• polystyreny MeSH
• sloučeniny rtuti MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý MeSH
• usnic acid MeSH Prohlížeč
• výbušné látky MeSH
• whewellite MeSH Prohlížeč
• zakázané drogy MeSH

Urolithiasis is a frequent and in many cases serious disease. Proper analysis of kidney stone composition is crucial for appropriate treatment and prevention of disease recurrence. In this work, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy was applied for a study of 30 samples covering the most common types of human kidney stones. The results are analyzed and evaluated in terms of applicability of the method for both routine kidney stone analysis as well as collecting of specific data. The method provides complex information about studied samples including morphology of the stones and of the present crystals or their aggregates. It also brings information on elemental composition of the phases. After application of standardization, quantitative microanalysis with detection limits of 400 ppm (Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca), 500 ppm (Na) and 1200 ppm (F) was obtained. Compositional mapping with EDS shows the elemental distribution within a sample. This study demonstrated that information on morphology and chemistry acquired by these methods was highly reliable for identification of phases, even when present in small amounts. It provided information on kidney stone structure, relationships between phases, major and minor element content, and variations in chemical composition related to the growth of the stones. SEM represents a powerful tool in urinary stone analysis, since a single facility can produce a wide spectrum of information. It can be suggested as a basic method used for routine urinary stone identification, whilst bringing additional detailed information that cannot be obtained by other methods.

• Klíčová slova
• Urolithiasis, electron probe microanalysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, renal calculi, scanning electron microscopy,
• MeSH
• apatity chemie   MeSH
• fosforečnany vápenaté chemie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mikroskopie elektronová rastrovací * MeSH
• močové kameny ultrastruktura   MeSH
• spektrometrie rentgenová emisní MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý chemie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• apatity MeSH
• calcium phosphate, dibasic, dihydrate MeSH Prohlížeč
• fosforečnany vápenaté MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý MeSH
• whewellite MeSH Prohlížeč

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to present a case study of a 56-year-old woman with hyperoxaluria induced by calcium-free diet that resulted in kidney stone recurrence. METHODS: A 24-hour urine collection and serum tests for kidney stone risk factors identification were performed. The monitoring of urine risk factors was done by untimed urine samples and 24-hour urine collections. Polarized light microscopy was performed for kidney stone analysis. RESULTS: The results of urine collection showed hyperoxaluria of 0.551 mmoL per 24 hours. After adding calcium-containing products to the diet the oxaluria decreased to reference range value of 0.352 mmoL/24 hours and all untimed oxalate to creatinine ratios returned to reference ranges. Polarized light microscopy revealed 100% calcium oxalate kidney stone composition (It was 50% Weddellite and 50% Whewellite). CONCLUSIONS: The case study shows the importance of calcium intake in the prevention of calcium oxalate kidney stone recurrence. Particularly, unsuitable diet without calcium can induce kidney stone recurrence. Knowledge of diet habits is important for interpretation of kidney stone risk factors and their inhibitors excreted in urine.

• Klíčová slova
• calcium oxalate, diet, hyperoxaluria, risk factors, urolithiasis,
• MeSH
• dieta škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• hyperoxalurie etiologie   moč   MeSH
• ledvinové kameny etiologie   moč   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• recidiva MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• šťavelan vápenatý MeSH
• vápník krev   moč   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• kazuistiky MeSH
• Názvy látek
• šťavelan vápenatý MeSH
• vápník MeSH

Raman spectra have been obtained for crystals of the organic mineral mellite, from three different sites. Mellite occurs in the frame of the Tertiary series including lignite and coaly slates at Artern (Thuringia), Tula (Russia) and Bílina (Northern Bohemia). Mellite, Al(2)C(6)(COO)(6) x 16H(2)O, can be considered as evidence of previous biological activity in the geological record, similar to other salts of carboxylic acids such as whewellite and weddellite. Assignments of the major Raman features of mellite are proposed on the basis of comparison with the parent, mellitic acid, C(6)(COOH)(6). During diagenesis and epigenesis, mellite is formed from the reaction between organic carbon rich solutions with aluminosilicates, hence, with the current interest in the adoption of Raman spectroscopy for incorporation into robotic instrumentation for space mission landers, it is important that organic minerals be included into a spectroscopic database for the recognition of biomolecular signatures for remote life-detection experiments.

• MeSH
• benzoáty chemie   MeSH
• hliník chemie   MeSH
• minerály chemie   MeSH
• molekulární struktura MeSH
• Ramanova spektroskopie * MeSH
• uhlí * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• benzoáty MeSH
• hliník MeSH
• mellitic acid MeSH Prohlížeč
• minerály MeSH
• uhlí * MeSH

Sequestration of arsenic to biogenic sulfide minerals is known from As-contaminated anoxic environments. Despite numerous successful laboratory experiments, the process remains difficult to predict in moderate arsenic conditions. We performed microcosm experiments using naturally contaminated groundwater (containing ca. 6 mg/L As) and natural organic matter (NOM) particles both collected from wetland soil. Macroscopic realgar precipitates, occasionally accompanied by bonazziite, a FeS phase, elementary S, calcite, and whewellite, appeared after 4 to 18 months. Realgar only precipitated in microcosms moderately poisoned by azide or antibiotics and those in which oxidation of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur took place. The biomineralization process was not affected by the presence of additional carbon sources or the diversity, community structure, and functional composition of the microbial community. Hydrogen sulfide concentration was greater in the realgar-free microcosms, suggesting that arsenic thiolation prevented precipitation of realgar. We compared our data to available microbial community data from soils with different rates of realgar precipitation, and found that the communities from realgar-encrusted NOM particles usually showed limited sulfate reduction and the presence of fermentative metabolisms, whereas communities from realgar-free NOM particles were strongly dominated by sulfate reducers. We argue that the limited sulfate supply and intensive fermentation amplify reducing conditions, which make arsenic sulfide precipitation plausible in high-sulfate, low-arsenic groundwaters.

• Klíčová slova
• Arsenic, Arsenic thiolation, Fermentation, Microcosm, Realgar biomineralization, Sulfate reduction,
• MeSH
• arsenikové přípravky analýza   MeSH
• biomineralizace * MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu analýza   MeSH
• huminové látky analýza   MeSH
• mikrobiota * MeSH
• mokřady MeSH
• oxidace-redukce MeSH
• podzemní voda chemie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• půda chemie   MeSH
• sírany chemie   MeSH
• sulfidy analýza   MeSH
• teoretické modely MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• arsenic disulfide MeSH Prohlížeč
• arsenikové přípravky MeSH
• chemické látky znečišťující vodu MeSH
• huminové látky MeSH
• půda MeSH
• sírany MeSH
• sulfidy MeSH