Abstract
It is very interesting that copper and other mineral elements are excreted through the skin when they are metabolised in human body. Many studies concerning the excretion of minerals through the skin were attempted in the past. But those experiments were only held under specific conditions: such as one hour collection of sweat, some specific work or els any artificial enviromental condition. However, it is necessary to investigate the intrinsic sweating loss of them through the skin of human body.
The author attempted to certify the amount of mineral loss throught he skin over 24 hours. Copper, iron, calcium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium contents in sweat were measared in this experiment.
Three healthy women were used for the subjects. So called liquidy sweat and contain greasy sweat and peeled off epitheliar cells filth which were all collected over 24 hours. Head, forearm and feet were omited from the weat collection in this experiment.
It was observed in this experiment that daily loss from the skin for the copper was 1.0mg. or more, iron 3.5mg. or more, calcium 35mg. or more, phosphorus 15mg. or more, sodium 3.3g. or more and potasium was 2.3g. or more. respecsively.
Ecretion by sweating was compared with urinary and fecal losses. Copper and iron losses from the skin were almost same quantity with fecal excretion, while, calcium and phosphorus were negligibly small amount.
Copper and iron ballances were also studied. Copper intake in this experiment was 3.4mg., out of which 2.8mg. was retained excepting the sweating loss, and in case of iron, the intake was 5.6mg., retention being 1.8mg. per day per person respectively on 9 days experiment.
