Daily Intake of Elements as Estimated from Analysis of Total Diet Samples in Relation to Reference Japanese Man

Abstract

Total diet samples were collected from two urban areas in Japan, Sapporo and Kyoto, during the period from 1967 to 1968. The samples, ashed by dry-ashing and acid-digestion, were analyzed for elements by atomic absorption spectroscopy with the flame and electrothermal atomization. Average daily intake found in the two cities was determined as follows: sodium 4.4 g, potassium 1.6 g, magnesium 0.19 g, iron 11 mg, zinc 7.2 mg, aluminium 4.4 mg, manganese 3.8 mg, rubidium 1.9 mg, copper 1.3 mg, nickel 0.25 mg and molybdenum 0.16 mg, per person per day. By comparison with the ICRP Reference Man data, a little higher values were observed for sodium, strontium and manganese. For some other elements e.g. calcium, nickel, molybdenum and copper, about half the level of corresponding daily intake selected by ICRP for the Western Europeans and North Americans was noticed.