CONCENTRATIONS OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN CHILDREN’S HAIR IN RURAL AREAS OF THE IRKUTSK REGION

Abstract

Introduction: Monitoring of different elements in human biological samples is one of the promising areas of environmental health and medicine. Aim: To assess concentrations of trace element in hair of children - permanent residents of rural areas with different climatic and geochemical conditions in the Irkutsk region, South-Eastern Siberia. Methods: Altogether, 372 children aged 6-15 years took part in the study. Hair concentrations of three essential elements (zinc, copper and magnesium) and three toxic elements (mercury, lead and cadmium) were assessed by the atomic absorption method using AAS-240DUO spectrophotometer (Agilent Technologies, USA). Data were presented using medians (Me) and interquartile ranges (Q1 - Q3) across the settings and age-groups. Results: The most pronounced deviations from the normal concentrations were observed for copper and magnesium. Concentration of copper in children's hair in the 7 areas varied between 3.48-6.15 pg/g. A half of the children of the Kazachinsky district had concentration of magnesium between 8.89-20.54 pg/g which is below the limit. Concentrations of zinc were greater in the northern districts of the region (212.89-308.52 pg/g) while in the foothill area a deficiency of zinc (53.01-66.21pg/g) was observed. An excessive levels of level of mercury were found in the Alarsky (0.66-2.30 pg/g), Balagansky (0.56-1.82 pg/g) and Katansky (0.34-1.20 pg/g) districts. An increased level of lead was observed in the Alarsky region (1.17-4.26 pg/g) while increased concentrations of cadmium were observed in the Katansky region (0.22-0.64 pg/g). Conclusions: Concentrations of essential and toxic elements in children's hair varied between the districts of the Irkutsk region. Our results warrant more biomonitoring research including variables on children's health particularly from the vulnerable groups.