ABSTRACT
Traditionally, tin was considered a relatively nontoxic element; the main route of exposure to the metal is through nutritional intake, although even by that route it is absorbed minimally (1). The levels found in vegetables and meats are less than 0.3 ppm and 3 ppm, respectively, and only in canned preserves do they reach several hundred ppm (2). Recently, however, evidence of toxic effects associated with elevated levels of tin have been discovered. Hypocalcemia, which affects hemoglobin metabolism and biosynthesis, can be induced by exposure to tin (3). By apparently interfering with iron and copper, elevated tin levels can also result in the development of anemia (2).
