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Trace Elements in Abiotic and Biotic Environments
Zirconium is able to cross the blood–brain barrier and the placental barrier. Zr
oxychloride is mutagenic in vivo. Skin granulomas have occurred from the use of
deodorants containing Zr salts, and lung granulomas have been reported in Zr workers (EU 1998).
Little information is available on Zr level in foodstuffs. However, it may be present in almost all foods. Very low levels of Zr are in vegetables (0.3–30 μg/kg fresh
weight [FW]), and wine (0.01–1.0 μg/kg FW) (Szefer and Grembecka 2007). There
are no indications that Zr in food is a cause for concern.
The mean quantity of Zr ingested by preschool children in Amherst, Massachusetts,
was 7 μg/day (Stanek et al. 1988). Daily adult Zr ingestion with food has been estimated in the United Kingdom to be 53 μg/day (Hamilton and Minski 1972).