To assess whether levels of trace metals and oxidative species are involved in Parkinson's disease (PD), At, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Ha, Mn, Ni, Pb and V were measured in urine, serum, blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum peroxides and antioxidant capacity were determined in 26 patients with PD and 13 control subjects. The quantification of metals was based on the 1 + 4 water dilution of CSF, serum and urine, the acid-assisted microwave digestion under atmospheric pressure of blood and final determination by sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS). Results indicated a significant increase of Pb and V concentrations in blood and urine (P less than or equal to 0.03, in both cases) related to the disease. Parkinson disease also seemed to be closely associated (P less than or equal to 0.003) with a reduction in levels of Al, Cd, Hg and Pb in serum and of Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Pb in CSF As regards Mn, a lower mean concentration was found in the CSF and whole blood of PD patients than in control group, although this trend was not statistically significant. Levels of peroxides were also increased (P less than or equal to 0.001), while antioxidant capacity was lower (P less than or equal to 0.002) in PD patients than in controls. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.