Gobal Advanced Research Journal of Environmental Science and Toxicology (GARJEST) ISSN: 2315-5140
September 2013 Vol. 2(7), pp. 163-173
Copyright © 2013 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Trace elements in the hair of normal and chronic arsenism people

Tasrina Rabia Choudhury¹, Mohammad Ali¹, Syed Ahmed Rahin² and MP Ali^3*

¹Chemistry Division, Atomic Energy Centre, P.O. Box 164, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
²Department of Chemistry, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh
³Entomology Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur-1701, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author’s e-mail: panna_ali@yahoo.com

Accepted 19 August, 2013

Abstract

The analysis of trace elements in hair has been widely used for several decades. The non-invasiveness of the method, ease of sample collection, and storage as well as advances in modern analytical techniques are great advantages of hair for determining the levels of various major, trace and toxic elements in animals and humans. To evaluate scalp hair as a possible bio-indicator of trace element, the concentrations of some trace micronutrients (Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn) and pollutants (As and Pb) in scalp hair of 124 normal subjects (71 males and 53 females, average age 29 years) and 110 chronic arsenism patients (62 males and 48 females, average age 27 years) were examined by energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry in this study. The results showed the patient group has lower contents of trace micronutrients than that of normal group and also differences found between the two sex groups. Micronutrients concentrations in females were higher than those in males. Concentrations of As in hair of patients and normal groups, 13.2 mg/kg and <3.0 mg/kg respectively, were significantly different while male patients contain higher As concentration (14.7 mg/kg) than female (11.7 mg/kg). The frequency distributions of the elements with respect to age, sex, diseased state and locality are presented here and the results are compared with the data reported in the literature.

Keywords: Trace elements, hair, chronic arsenism, human.