The Concentration of the Potentially Toxic Metals in Human Hair, Nails, Urine, Blood, and Air, and Their Impact on Human Health: A Review

Abstract

Due to fast urbanization, industrialization, the metal industry, improper waste disposal, and chemicals associated with agricultural activities (fertilizers, pesticides), potentially toxic metals are discarded in water, soil, and the atmosphere (air). These metals enter the body through food, water, and air and accumulate. Some of these metals affect biological functions and growth in the body; some disturb endocrine gland functions; and some are accumulated in one or more organs, causing serious diseases including cancer. To assess the potential health risk due to the accumulation of these metals in the human body, biomarkers are used. Hair, nails, urine, and blood are commonly used biomarkers. The review aims is to summarize the concentration of potentially toxic metals in human hair, nails, urine, and blood. The feeding habits (vegetarian or non-vegetarian), sex, age, and concentration of these metals in drinking water, air, smoking, and workplace are some factors that affect the accumulation of these metals in hairs, nails, urine, and blood. The concentration of these metals in hair, nails, and blood was higher than in drinking water. This review also shows the adverse effects of these metals on humans.

Multi-Elemental Analysis of Hair and Fingernails Using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED XRF) Method Supported by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS)

“…It should be noted that the ranges for metal amounts obtained by the EDX method were consistent with the literature data [43,44], including lead and strontium amounts comparable to essential selenium.…”

“…Optimal parameters for both techniques are presented in Table 6. Integration times for monitored isotopes 5 ms: 56 Fe, 10 ms: 24 Mg, 27 Al 50 ms: 31 P, 39 K, 44 Ca, 45 Sc 100 ms: 7 Li, 9 Be, 47 Ti, 51 V, 52 Cr, 55 Mn, 59 Co, 60 Ni, 63 Cu, 66 Zn, 71 Ga, 72 Ge IS , 88 Sr, 89 Y IS , 95 Mo, 103 Rh IS , 107 Ag, 115 In, 118 Sn, 121 Sb, 125 Te, 127 I, 137 Ba, 201 Hg, 205 Tl, 206 Pb, 209 Bi, 232 Th, 238 U 300 ms: 75 As, 78 Se, 79 Br, 23 Na 1000 ms: 111 Cd *, **, ***-signals selected to monitor elements related to X-ray emitted when replenishing the K and L shells with electron-K α , K β , L α , respectively.…”

How pesticides affect the environment and human: A review

“…Some other sources of pesticide runoff in the surface water are pet shampoos, lice removal shampoos, and the coating of the pesticides at the bottom of the boat [21] , Groundwater is contaminated by pesticides due to leaching from soils, dumping sites, sports fields, and house gardens (currently used or persistent ingredients already present). The survey of the literature reveals that globally, about 50% of groundwater samples contain pesticides [10,11,[22][23] . The contamination of the ground and surface water by pesticides not only impacts the drinking water quality but also transfers to the soil and food chain [24] .…”