Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review
Sears ME, Kerr KJ, Bray RI
Journal of environmental and public health · 55 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Systematic review (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- No health outcome
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research
- Government
- Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Based on 2 listed funder(s) and full-text disclosure statement.
Publication
- Published
- 2012-01-01 · J Environ Public Health · vol. 2012 · pp. 1–10
- Publisher
- Hindawi Publishing Corporation
- Cited
- 108 citations · more than 54% of similar papers · 0.5× the field average
- References
- 47 works
- Access
- Open access (hybrid journal) · CC-BY
- Research areas
- Thermoregulation and physiological responses · Restraint-Related Deaths · Vitamin D Research Studies
- Keywords
- SWEAT, Mercury (programming language), Cadmium, Toxicant, Arsenic, Excretion, Urine, Medicine, Physiology, Toxicology, Environmental health, Chemistry, Internal medicine, Toxicity, Biology
- MeSH
- sweat, humans, arsenic, metals, heavy, cadmium, lead, mercury, environmental pollutants, body burden, environmental exposure, environmental monitoring
3 authors
From CA
- Margaret Sears · correspondingChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario; Ottawa Hospital; Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
- Kathleen J. KerrUniversity of Toronto; Women's College Hospital
- Riina I. BrayUniversity of Toronto; Women's College Hospital
Abstract
Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury exposures are ubiquitous. These toxic elements have no physiological benefits, engendering interest in minimizing body burden. The physiological process of sweating has long been regarded as "cleansing" and of low risk. Reports of toxicant levels in sweat were sought in Medline, Embase, Toxline, Biosis, and AMED as well as reference lists and grey literature, from inception to March 22, 2011. Of 122 records identified, 24 were included in evidence synthesis. Populations, and sweat collection methods and concentrations varied widely. In individuals with higher exposure or body burden, sweat generally exceeded plasma or urine concentrations, and dermal could match or surpass urinary daily excretion. Arsenic dermal excretion was severalfold higher in arsenic-exposed individuals than in unexposed controls. Cadmium was more concentrated in sweat than in blood plasma. Sweat lead was associated with high-molecular-weight molecules, and in an interventional study, levels were higher with endurance compared with intensive exercise. Mercury levels normalized with repeated saunas in a case report. Sweating deserves consideration for toxic element detoxification. Research including appropriately sized trials is needed to establish safe, effective therapeutic protocols.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).
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