Sistema FMUSP-HC: Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (FMUSP) e Hospital das Clínicas da FMUSPSANTOS, Nathalia Villa dosVIEIRA, Carolina Leticia ZilliSALDIVA, Paulo Hilario NascimentoANDRE, Carmen Diva Saldiva DeMAZZILLI, Barbara PaciANDRADE, Maria de FatimaSAUEIA, Catia HeloisaSAIKI, MitikoVERAS, Mariana MateraKOUTRAKIS, Petros2023-08-162023-08-162022SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v.12, n.1, 20222045-2322https://observatorio.fm.usp.br/handle/OPI/54798Heavy metals are natural and essential elements of the environment and living beings, produced from natural (e.g. volcanic activity and cosmic ray-induced spallation) and anthropogenic processes (e.g. industrial and fossil fuel combustion). High-concentrations of heavy metals and radionuclides are also originated from anthropogenic activities in urban and industrial areas. In this preliminary study, we analyzed the levels of heavy metals and Polonium-210 (Po-210) in lung tissues in autopsies from residents of the city of Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil. In order to identify the link among sources of the heavy metals in lungs, factor analysis was performed. Of the first four factors, which explain 66% of the total variability, three were associated with vehicular sources. The fitting of a regression model with Po-210 as the response variable and with the four factors as explanatory variables, controlling for age, sex and tobacco, showed a significant association between the concentration of polonium and the first factor that is generated by catalysts and brakes (coefficient = 0.90, standard error = 0.33, p = 0.016). Our findings suggest an association between traffic-related trace metals and Po-210 in lung autopsies.engopenAccessAcidente Vascular CerebralAlta do PacienteEncaminhamento e Consulta Reabilitaçãofine particulate matterheavy-metalsradoncomponentsimpactarticleCopyright NATURE PORTFOLIO10.1038/s41598-022-15048-2Multidisciplinary Sciences