Analysis of Heavy Metals in Scalp Hair Samples of Hypertensive Patients by Conventional and Microwave Digestion Methods

Talpur

et al. 2015

Environ Monit Assess

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Cigarette smoking interferes with the metal homeostasis of the human body, which plays a crucial role for maintaining the health. A significant flux of heavy metals, among other toxins, reaches the lungs through smoking. In the present study, the relationship between toxic element (TE) exposure via cigarette smoking and rheumatoid arthritis incidence in population living in Dublin, Ireland, is investigated. The trace {zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and selenium (Se)} and toxic elements arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb) were determined in biological (scalp hair and blood) samples of patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, who are smokers living in Dublin, Ireland. These results were compared with age and sex-matched healthy, nonsmoker controls. The different brands of cigarette (filler tobacco, filter, and ash) consumed by the studied population were also analyzed for As, Cd, Hg, and Pb. The concentrations of trace and TEs in biological samples and different components of cigarette were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked using certified reference materials. The recovery of all the studied elements was found to be in the range of 96.4-99.8 % in certified reference materials. The filler tobacco of different branded cigarettes contains Hg, As, Cd, and Pb concentrations in the ranges of 9.55-12.4 ng, 0.432-0.727 μg, 1.70-2.12 μg, and 0.378-1.16 μg/cigarette, respectively. The results of this study showed that the mean values of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb were significantly higher in scalp hair and blood samples of rheumatoid arthritis patients as compare to healthy controls, while Zn, Cu, Mn, and Se concentrations were found to be lower in rheumatoid arthritis patients, the difference was significant in the case of smoker patients (p<0.001). The levels of four toxic elements were 2-3-folds higher in scalp hair and blood samples of nonrheumatoid arthritis smoker subjects as compared to nonsmoker controls. The high exposure of toxic metals as a result of cigarette smoking may be synergistic with risk factors associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Section: Microwave-assisted Acid Digestionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of toxic elements in the samples of different cigarettes and their effect on the essential elemental status in the biological samples of Irish smoker rheumatoid arthritis consumers

Talpur

et al. 2015

Environ Monit Assess

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“…After cutting, each sample was washed with diluted Triton X-100: samples were then rinsed with distilled water and then with deionized water. The samples were then rinsed three times with acetone (Afridi et al, 2006). The sam-ples were then dried in an oven at 75 ± 5 °C for 2 h. Dried samples were stored separately in polyethylene bags.…”

Section: Collection Of Scalp Hair Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The main advantage of microwave-assisted samples pretreatment is its requirement of small amount of mineral acids and a reduction in the production of nitrous vapors. Microwave systems keep blank levels low because only small volumes of reagents are required and allow more samples to be processed per hour than conventional digestion systems (Afridi et al, 2006). As seen in the literature, the alterations in trace and toxic element concentrations in the scalp hair samples of RA patients are inconsistent and, to our knowledge, there are no available reports of the understudy elemental levels in smoker and nonsmokers RA patients.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Association between essential trace and toxic elements in scalp hair samples of smokers rheumatoid arthritis subjects

Science of The Total Environment

Brabazon

et al. 2011

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The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been increased among people who possess habit of tobacco smoking. In the present study, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were determined in scalp hair samples of smokers and nonsmokers RA patients, residents of Dublin, Ireland. For comparison purposes scalp hair samples of age and sex matched healthy smokers and nonsmokers were also analyzed. The concentrations of understudied elements were measured by inductive coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer, prior to microwave assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of methodology was checked using certified reference material (NCS ZC 81002b) and by the conventional wet acid digestion method on the same certified reference material and on real samples. The mean hair Zn, Cu and Mn contents were significantly lower in smokers and nonsmokers RA patients as compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.01-0.001). Whereas the concentrations of Cd and Pb were significantly higher in scalp hair samples of RA patients of both group (p <0.001). The referent smokers have high level of Cd and Pb in their scalp hair samples as compared to those had not smoking tobacco (p <0.01). The ratio of Cd and Pb to Zn, Cu and Mn in scalp hair samples was also calculated. The Cd/Zn ratio was higher in smoker RA patients with re-lated to nonsmoker RA and referents. This study is compelling evidence in support of positive associations between toxic elements, cigarette smoking, deficiency of essential trace elements and risk of arthritis.

“…The main advantage of microwave-assisted samples pre-treatment is its requirement of small amount of mineral acids and a reduction in the production of nitrous vapors. Microwave systems keep blank levels low because only small volumes of reagents are required and allow more samples to be processed per hour than conventional digestion systems [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction between essential trace and toxic elements in the scalp hair samples of smokers and alcohol user diabetics

Int J Diabetes Dev Ctries

Brabazon

et al. 2012

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In the present study, trace and toxic elements were determined in the Scalp Hair (SH) samples of patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) who were smokers and habitual alcohol drinkers living in Dublin, Ireland. The concentrations of elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrophotometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology was checked using Certified Reference Material (CRM) (NCS ZC 81002b) and by the conventional wet acid digestion method on the same CRM. The results of this study showed that the mean values of cadmium, copper, iron, nickel and lead were significantly higher (P<0.001), in scalp hair samples of diabetic patients as compared to referents of both gender. While the smokers and alcohol drinker referents and DM patients have two to three time higher values of these elements than those subjects who were not smokers and teetotallers. The concentrations of zinc, chromium and manganese were lower in the scalp hair samples of diabetic patients as compared to referents. The deficiency of zinc, chromium and manganese, while the high exposure of cadmium, lead and nickel, as a result of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption, may be synergistic with risk factors associated with diabetes.