Trace metal contamination study on scalp hair of occupationally exposed workers

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199020· OSTI ID:6607419

Ashraf, W; Jaffar, M ^[1]; Mohammad, D ^[2]

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1. Quaid-i-Azam Univ., Islamabad (Pakistan)
2. Pakistan Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Islamabad (Pakistan)

Scalp hair is a metabolic end product that incorporates metals into its structure during the growth process. The levels of trace elements in the hair are considered to be influenced in particular by food, air and occupational exposure, and in general by race, age, sex, metabolism, hygienic condition and geographical location of individuals. Recently, trace metal content of human hair has been explored as a tool for monitoring the impact of environmental pollution on the inhabitants of a community. In this respect, the endogenous and exogenous contents of metals in hair are understood to play important role towards exposure assessment. The exogenous metal content of hair reflects exposure to the occupational, domestic and recreational environments, provided the donor is not suffering from heavy metal poisoning and depressed endogenous levels arising from dietary deficiencies. Keeping this in view, the exogenous and endogenous metal contents of scalp hair of occupationally exposed workers from various workshops were determined in the present study, both in unwashed and washed hair samples to assess the extent of metal contamination. All donors, within the age group of 6-45 years, were full-time workers of various autoworkshops situated in the densely populated and industrialized city of Lahore. ICP atomic emission and atomic absorption spectrophotometric methods were used for determining the levels of five non-essential and three essential elements in the scalp hair. 20 refs., 6 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6607419
• Journal Information: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; (United States), Vol. 53:4; ISSN 0007-4861
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
HAIR
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
METALS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
PERSONNEL
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ANIMALS
BODY
ELEMENTS
MAMMALS
MAN
MONITORING
ORGANS
PRIMATES
SKIN
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology