Serum Levels of Cu, Se, and Zn in Adult Rural/Urban Residents in Ghana: Paradigm Shift? George A. Asare & Albert Nani Received: 24 September 2009 / Accepted: 10 November 2009 / Published online: 3 December 2009 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2009 Abstract Deficiencies in Cu, Se, and Zn impair one or more biochemical functions, and excess are associated with toxicity. Baseline studies on the Ghanaian population are scanty. The study was undertaken to determine whether significant rural/urban differences in the serum levels of Cu, Se, and Zn did exist. Forty males/60 females from rural and 50 males/ 50 females from urban Ghanaian communities were sampled. Serum Cu, Se, and Zn were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Cu level for rural and urban subjects was 997±333 and 979±290 μg/L, respectively (p =0.68). However, Cu levels were significantly higher in the rural females (1,063±367 μg/L) than the rural males (898± 249 μg/L; p =0.0085). Se levels for rural/urban subjects were 97±36 and 87±31 μg/L, respectively (p =0.03). Zn levels in the rural/urban subjects were 312±218 and 150± 102 μg/L, respectively (p =0.002). Additionally, Zn was significantly higher in rural females (428±204 μg/L) than the urban females (166±103 μg/L; p =0.0002). Finally, Zn was significantly higher in rural females (428±204 μg/L) than males (172±116 μg/L; p =0.0028). In conclusion, Cu, Se, and Zn were higher in the rural group compared to the urban group, and the generally low Zn levels were confirmed in another cohort follow-up study. Keywords Copper . Selenium . Zinc . Rural . Urban Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that globally some two billion people are affected by iron deficiency and that some 750 million people suffer from iodine deficiency Biol Trace Elem Res (2010) 137:139–149 DOI 10.1007/s12011-009-8571-y G. A. Asare (*) : A. Nani Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box KB 143, Accra, Ghana e-mail: gasare@chs.edu.gh A. Nani Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Accra, Ghana