Occupational Exposure Assessment of Major and Trace Elements in Human Scalp Hair Among a Group of Eritrean Workers

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate occupational exposure to 40 elements among a group of Eritrean adults employed at the Medeber metal market by analysing human scalp hair samples and by investigating the role of some predictors (gender, age, and body mass index-BMI) on their levels. Scalp hair samples were collected from 60 subjects (32 subjects working at the Medeber metal market and 28 subjects not working at Medeber and not employed in other industrial or artisanal activities) and were analysed through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry to determine the contents of 40 major and trace elements. Information on participants was collected via questionnaire. Significant differences were found in the hair levels of certain elements between subjects working at the Medeber metal market and subjects not exposed. In particular, working at the Medeber metal market increased hair levels of Be, B, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cd, Sb, Tl, Pb, and Fe from 25 to 100%, while reduced Na, K, and Rb levels from 30 to 50%. With multivariate adjustment for age, gender, and BMI, the results confirm that working at Medeber significantly increased the hair levels of Cu, Zn, Sb, Pb, and Fe. This finding reveals the need for more accurate and routine biomonitoring surveys and the necessity of health promotion campaigns both for local decision-makers and workers to increase health promotion and safety in this workplace.

Biomonitoring of Mercury in Hair among a Group of Eritreans (Africa)

“…Communities near mining may have unexpected dietary sources or can be exposed to other Hg species [12,53]. Since the Hg in hair is typically dominated by MeHg species [32], diet is often presumed to be the dominant exposure route; however, a fraction of Hg in hair could be the inorganic form caused by other dietary and non-dietary routes (e.g., inorganic Hg exposure from gold amalgamation) [12,54]. Laffont et al [54] found that modeled inorganic Hg levels in hair samples correspond well to measured inorganic Hg concentrations, demonstrating that inorganic Hg exposure sources to gold miners can be monitored by the use of hair samples.…”

“…The hair-to-whole blood ratio has been estimated to be about 250 to 1 [30,31]. In this way, hair samples appear as an interesting alternative because it is a noninvasive matrix and it is easy to sample [32][33][34].…”

Heavy Metal Concentrations in Malaysian Adults’ Hair and Associated Variables in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia

“…Approximately 20 mg of each hair sample was washed according to a procedure described by Protano et al [9]. The washed samples were transferred into a polypropylene tube, mixed with 0.5 mL of 67% HNO 3 and 0.25 mL of 30% H 2 O 2 , and then were heated in the water bath for 20 min at 95 °C.…”

Hair Trace Elements in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: Systematic Literature Review

“…The analyte content in this matrix re ects the condition of the body and provides information on historical exposure from water, food by dermal exposure. HMA is considered to be a good screening tool in assessing the status of the human body with regard to essential and toxic elements, because the hair incorporates elements into its structure during growth [20]. Unlike other tissues, hair grows outside the skin and eliminates toxic elements from metabolic processes [21].…”