
stable strontium in human bone: geographical and age
differences in the united kingdom and their
correlation with levels of strontium-90
a re-assessment has been made of published data of other workers on sr and
90sr in human bone.  in different parts of great britain the mean ratio of
stable sr to ca in adult human bones ranged
from 240 to 475ug/g.  extreme values
were found even as close as 40 miles apart (carlisle v. westmorland).
perinatal levels of stable sr were correlated with adult levels.  an estimate
of placental discrimination may be derived from the ratio, perinatal level:
adult level of about 0.7.
the concentration of stable sr in bones of children from 2 to 5 years old or
more was not demonstrably different from that of adults except in one area,
carlisle.  with the striking exception of london and south-east england the
change from perinatal to adult levels occurred in the 2nd year of life: there
was no particular change during the first 9 months or so.  in london and
south-east england the pattern of change with age was quite different: there
was a progressive rise in sr level from shortly after birth to the end of the
1st year by which time adult levels were reached.  it is concluded that
geographical differences need to be taken into account when making
physiological deductions about turnover of bone salt from changes with age in
the level of stable sr.
when children in the south-east of england and the rest of the united kingdom
were compared, there seemed to be a broad inverse correlation between levels of
stable sr and of 90sr.
detailed analysis of perinatal results from one area suggested that the level
of stable sr in bone was somewhat higher in summer than in winter and somewhat
higher in anatomically normal babies than in babies dying with gross congenital
defects.  90sr showed the seasonal change only.
