Manganese in lung tissue: study of Mexico City residents' autopsy records from the 1960s and 1990s.

During the conduct of autopsies performed on residents of Mexico City during the 1960s (20 males, 19 females) and 1990s (30 males and 18 females), concentrations of manganese in lung were studied with atomic absorption spectrometry. Concentrations of manganese were not significantly greater in the samples obtained in the 1990s (1.87+/-0.8 microg/gm [mean +/- standard deviation]) than in samples from the 1960s (1.72+/-1.2 microg/gm). Concentrations were not correlated with gender, smoking habit, age, or cause of death; however, there was a correlation with occupation. The findings suggest that manganese exposure via air does not represent a health hazard to residents of Mexico City, given that lung concentrations of manganese remained stable during the 30-y period studied. Investigators should monitor concentrations of manganese in suspended particles to follow-up on these findings.