Nuclear-based methods for the analysis of trace element pollutants in human hair

The trace element composition of human hair is a suitable indicator of exposure to trace element pollutants. During the implementation of an international research programme, coordinated by the IAEA, on the use of nuclear methods for detecting trace element pollutants in hair, much valuable information was collected both on normal levels of trace elements and on increased levels caused by pollution. As a result of reviewing and comparing the data, interesting observations relating to the spread of concentrations were made. Standardized procedures were elaborated for a number of analytical techniques as well as for pre-analytical preparations in the analysis of hair. Paper presented at the Second Meeting on Nuclear Analytical Procedures, Dresden (GDR), 19 to 23 March 1979.     

Contents of arsenic, mercury and other trace elements in Napoleon's hair determined by INAA using the k0-method

Two samples of Napoleon's hair were received for determination of arsenic, mercury and other trace elements by INAA. Before sample irradiation, the hairs were washed following the IAEA washing procedure. Two standard reference materials of GBW09101 (human hair) and NIST/SRM1572 (citrus leaves) were analyzed along with Napoleon's hair for quality control. Standardization was conducted by applying the k ₀-method implemented in the program MULTINAA. The contents of arsenic and mercury as well as three additional elements chromium, antimony and zinc in Napoleon's hair are reported. Compared to the present normal levels, all of the determined elements in Napoleon's hair, except the mercury, are found to be irregular.     

XRF and TXRF techniques for multi-element determination of trace elements in whole blood and human hair samples

XRF and TXRF were established as useful techniques for multi-element analysis of whole blood and human head hair samples. Direct-XRF with different collimation units and different X-ray excitation modes was successfully used for the determination of S, P, K, Ca, Fe, and Br elements in blood samples and K, Ca, Mn, Fe elements in human hair samples. Direct analysis by TXRF was used for the determination of Rb and Sr in digested blood and human hair samples, respectively, while, the co-precipitation method using APDC for TXRF analysis was used for the determination of Ni, Cu, Zn, and Pb elements in both matrices. As a result, the improved XRF and TXRF methods were applied for multi-element determination of elements in whole blood and human hair samples in non-occupational exposed population living in Damascus city. The mean concentrations of analyzed elements in both matrices were on the reported range values for non-occupational population in other countries.     

微波消解-超声雾化-ICP-AES测定发样中微量元素

研究了微波消解-超声雾化-ICP-AES测定人发样品中12种常量、微量元素的方法。对样品的测定条件进行了优化，并对20例女性拉祜族长寿老人发样进行了测定。与普通老人比较，女性拉祜族长寿老人发样中Mn、Mo、Ge的含量均明显高于普通老人发样中含量，存在显著性差异。     

人发微量元素与性别关系的模式识别分类研究

通过对人发样品中22种元素含量的数据进行变量扩维及压缩筛选处理,选出了影响性别判断较显著的变量,用PLS法处理这些变量组成的数据,得到男性与女性分类清晰的二维判别图及预报模型,并根据所建立的预报模型及人发微量元素的含量判别人的性别,准确率为81%.     

多变量判别分析用于癌症诊断研究

用感应耦合等离子体原子发射光谱及石墨炉原子吸收光谱仪测定了正常人及癌症病人头发样品中15种元素的含量。所得数据用多元多项式扩展增维和逐步回归变量压缩技术以及PLS方法处理,得到了病人与正常人分类极为清晰的二维判别图。据此可将头发用作癌症临床诊断中的分析样品以取代血液样品。     

遗传算法用于变量筛选

利用遗传算法的优越搜索寻优特性,结合有序Gram-Schmidt正文化及PLS算法可得到预报能力较强的模型,即PRESS(预报残差平方和)值较低的模型.该法可用于处理构效关系及人发微量元素与性别关系问题,并与正交递归选择法及逐步回归正向选择法进行比较,结果良好.     

Neutron activation analysis of neonate and maternal hair sampled in areas with different levels of pollution

Instrumental neutron activation analysis has been performed on human head hair of newborns and mothers sampled in two areas with a different level of environmental exposure. The group of neonates from the exposed area (polluted by thermal power plants burning brown coal and by chemical industry) has exhibited higher levels of several trace elements in hair, e.g. Se, Zn, Hg and Sb in comparison with the control group. Moreover, the mean concentrations of Se, Hg, Zn and Br in neonate hair have been found to be higher than in mothers hair. Although the study revealed statistically significant differences in the composition of neonate hair sampled in areas with different levels of environmental exposure, the differences are relatively small. Only a thorough long-term study both with environmental and medical observations can prove a direct connection of the elevated levels of some trace elements in neonate hair with the higher frequency of mental diseases of children living in the exposed area.     

Isolation of strontium pools and isotope ratios in modern human hair

The elements of human hair record specific information about an individual's health, diet, and surrounding environment. Strontium isotope ratios of human hair have attracted interest as they potentially record an individual's environment. Yet, separating the external environmental signals from the internal dietary indicators has remained a challenge. Here, we examined the effects of five different hair-cleaning methodologies to determine the extent that internal and external strontium signals can be isolated from human hair. In the first study of its kind, we employed an in-line strontium purification methodology and a multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer to obtain high-precision strontium isotope ratio of human hair and of leachates of the different washing treatments. We found that the different applications of an individual treatment removed a consistent amount of strontium from hair and that replicate analyses showed each treatment altered the strontium isotope ratios of hair consistently. A mass-balance approach was applied to demonstrate that strontium was quantitatively removed and was accounted for in either the treated hair or the leachate. We observed that strontium isotope ratio varied as a function of treatment aggressiveness so as to suggest that there was a fine-scale structuring of strontium within hair (transverse cross-sectional variations); these variations existed as differences in strontium concentrations and isotope ratios. As a result, the Sr isotope ratio of hair and hair leachates treated with the most aggressive cleaning methods reflected the isotope ratios of the interior and total exterior strontium signatures, respectively. The results of this study indicate that external environmental strontium signals can be distinguished from the internal signals and therefore permit the application of strontium isotope ratios of modern human hair for geospatial applications.     

Growth of hair and the trace element profile a study by sectional analysis

Correlations between the growth of hair and the trace element profile have been investigated by non-destructive neuron activation analysis through gamma-ray speetrometry using NaI(Tl) as well as Ge(Li) detectors. After preliminary investigations to establish the experimental errors, the effect of washing procedures and in-person variations, hair samples belonging to ladies with known case histories, particularly with regard to dietary habits, health and profession, were examined. Scalp-hair samplex 50–100 cm in length, representing an average time span of ∼5–10 years were collected by combing. Samples in their non-anagen phase, differentiated by their roots, were analysed in 10 cm sections. The concentrations of the following elements were determined: Na, Cl, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Ag, I, Au and Hg. Absolute values for the concentrations are reported for most of the elements, while for the rest relative values for the various sections are given. The values for the different sections vary by large factors for many elements although for some elements, like Cu and Mn, the variations are not appreciable. The unusually large concentrations of elements like Se ang Hg are in broad agreement with the case histories. However, detailed examination of the results with regard to time-dependent variations seem to pose serious problems in the applications to forensic science.     

原子发射光谱法对胃癌患者头发中微量元素的分析

应用原子发射光谱法（ＡＥＳ）对胃癌组和对照人体头发进行分析,测定镁、阵、铁、铜、奶元素的含量,获得了比较满意的结果。经过比较发现胃癌组头发中锌显著低于正常组、银、铁高于正常组,并首次提出悲和需元素银在人体中所起的作用。     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of fly ash,aerosols and hair

Samples of coal, slag, emissions retained on the separating devices, fly ash, aerosols and hair taken in the area of coal-fired power plant were analyzed by means of instrumental neutron activation analysis. 13 to 23 elements were determined in the samples. The data obtained for emissions and aerosols were further evaluated by calculation of enrichment factors, correlation coefficients and by the ratio matching method. The concentrations of elements determined in the hair of exposed group were compared with the data of control and out control groups as well as with the recent data found for hair in other countries. It can be seen from the results that arsenic is the most serious pollutant in the area.     

Scalp hair as a monitor of population exposure to environmental pollutants

Concentrations of As, Cd, Hg, Pb, Sb and Zn have been measured in hair from population groups with varied types of environmental exposure. Rural and urban controls have exhibited low levels of most toxic elements, whereas people residing near urban lead refineries, rural gold refinery and other industries have shown high elemental concentrations in their hair. A combination of instrumental as well as radiochemical neutron and photon activation analysis methods have been used to determine the concentrations of the above elements. The precision and accuracy of these methods have been evaluated.     

Trace elements in the scalp hair of patients with alcohol induced psychosis

A number of essential trace elements play a major role in various metabolic pathways and in many diseases like autoimmune, neurological and psychiatric. This study is undertaken with an aim to evaluate the levels of different trace elements in the scalp hair samples of patients suffering from alcohol induced psychosis by particle induced X-ray emission technique (PIXE). It is observed that Fe (p?<?0.0005), Cu (p?<?0.001) are significantly higher in the hair samples of alcohol induced psychosis patients compared to those in normals while concentrations of Mn (p?<?0.005) and Zn (p?<?0.0001) are lower. The concentrations of Co and Ni in the hair samples are found to be in consonance with the concentrations in the normals.     

Determination of trace elements in hair from Tanzanian children: Effect of dietary factors

The objective of this study was to evaluate the concentrations of essential and toxic elements in hair of children in Tanzania in order to assess their nutritional status. 141 samples of hair from boys and girls living in Tanzania were analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The mean concentration levels of Zn and Cu were lower whilst those of other elements were in the same range as the hair elemental concentrations reported in the literature. The lower concentrations of Zn might be related to the diet of mainly cereals with low animal proteins consumed by most of the Tanzanian population.     

Hair analysis as a biomonitor for toxicology, disease and health status

Hair analysis receives a large amount of academic and commercial interest for wide-ranging applications. However, in many instances, especially for elemental or 'mineral' analysis, the degree of success of analytical interpretation has been quite minimal with respect to the extent of such endeavors. In this critical review we address the questions surrounding hair analysis with specific intent of discovering what hair concentrations can actually relate to in a biogenic sense. This is done from a chemistry perspective to explain why and how elements are incorporated into hair and their meaning. This includes an overview of variables attributed to altering hair concentrations, such as age, gender, melanin content, and other less reported factors. Hair elemental concentrations are reviewed with regard to morbidity, with specific examples of disease related effects summarized. The application of hair analysis for epidemiology and etiology studies is enforced. A section is dedicated specifically to the area of population studies with regards to mercury, which highlights how endogenous and exogenous incorporation relies on species dependant metabolism and metabolic products. Many of the considerations are relevant to other areas of interest in hair analysis, such as for drug and isotopic analysis. Inclusion of a table of elemental concentrations in hair should act as a valuable reference (298 references).     

Hair as an indicator of environmental exposure in Hong Kong

Eleven human hair samples were taken from the Chinese residents of Hong Kong for the study of hair trace elemental level and environmental exposures. Absolute neutron activation analysis and Ge(Li) gamma-ray spectrometry were applied in the determination of the trace elemental level. All results are reported in parts per million except for sulfur and oxygen which are reported in percent. The trace element content of hair from a drug addict was found to be considerably different from other sampled people. Comparison of the normal concentrations of the trace elements of the Chinese residents of Hong Kong was made with those from people of various other national, socio-cultural and environmental backgrounds. It was found that together with a few other trace elements, Ni, Sr, Zr and Hg content of the Chinese Residents of Hong Kong show a higher level than those of the other sampled people.     

Examination of distribution of trace elements in hair, fingernails and toenails as alternative biological materials. Application of chemometric methods

The aim of this study was to find correlations between several studied elements and analyzed materials as well as the application and validation of an analytical method to determine trace elements in hair, fingernails and toenails of healthy volunteers (normal concentration). The method developed covers washing, mineralization and ICP-MS determination of 10 elements (Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in hair and nails. Concentrations of the selected elements in hair, fingernails and toenails were measured for 24 women and 18 men. Furthermore, a chemometric approach (Principal Component Analysis, PCA) was employed to evaluate the correlations between concentrations of the elements in hair and nails and between these materials. Until now PCA has not been frequently applied in handling and interpretation of the results of analysis of biological materials. However, the results of the present investigation show the high potential of PCA in extraction of valuable information from analytical measurements. Additionally, PCA has become a useful tool for visualization of the obtained results. Moreover, the cluster analysis (CA) was used to group the samples according to gender, taking into account two different groups of elements: essential and toxic.      

头发中无机元素分析方法及应用的研究进展

人体无机元素含量在头发中较其它体液或组织中高,易于检出。头发能够存储较长的时间信息,并且能提供其空间信息。通过分析其中的无机元素含量和同位素比例,可以说明元素在体内特定时间的变化以及反映人体的地理位置迁移。综述了头发中无机元素分析的前处理和仪器分析方法,重点介绍头发中无机元素分析在环境、医学及法医学研究中的应用,并对未来的技术发展和应用进行展望。     

头发中无机元素分析方法及应用的研究进展

人体无机元素含量在头发中较其它体液或组织中高,易于检出。头发能够存储较长的时间信息,并且能提供其空间信息。通过分析其中的无机元素含量和同位素比例,可以说明元素在体内特定时间的变化以及反映人体的地理位置迁移。综述了头发中无机元素分析的前处理和仪器分析方法,重点介绍头发中无机元素分析在环境、医学及法医学研究中的应用,并对未来的技术发展和应用进行展望。