Lead and cadmium content in human hair in Central Pomerania (Northern Poland)

Abstract

Samples of hair collected in 2004-2007 from 416 persons living in Central Pomerania were analyzed. The subjects donating hair represented a vast spectrum of age, from a tenmonth-old child to a 75-year-old person. The subjects were selected randomly. Lead and cadmium were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry using an ASA-3 spectrometer. The average content of the metals in the hair samples was 3.20 µg g–1 (Pb) and 0.284 µg g –1 (Cd). The highest concentration of lead in human hair (about 3.88 µg g –1 ) was determined for the age group 61-75 years, and that of cadmium (0.406 µg g –1 ) – for the age group 26-50 years. The lowest concentrations of these metals in human hair (2.07 and 0.152 µg g–1, respectively) were determined for the age group of 0-15 years. Most hair samples (50%) contained 2.01-4.00 µg g–1 Pb, while 45% of the samples contained 0.001-0.300 µg g –1 of cadmium. Studying the dependence of the content of lead and cadmium in hair on the gender of subjects, it was discovered that in all age groups males had more lead and cadmium (3.79 and 0.334 µg g –1 , respectively) than females (2.63 µg g –1 and 0.236 µg g–1). This study has also demonstrated that the environment affects the content of the analyzed metals in hair. The average value of lead and cadmium concentrations for people living in the country were 2.39 µg g –1 for Pb and 0.214 µg g –1 for Cd, while for the people living in towns and cities, the respective values were 4.17 and 0.361 µg g –1 . The present study has demonstrated how nutrition affects lead and cadmium content in human hair. Among the subjects, 17% had been on some kind of a diet, predominatly easily digestible and light foods. The lowest content of these metals (on average, 2.08 µg g–1 Pb and 0.141 µg g –1 Cd) was found in hair of people on a diet, while the hiest levels (3.54 µg g –1 Pb and 0.315 µg g –1 Cd) were determined in people who did not limit consumption of meat and dairy products. Among the analyzed population, 241 persons suffered from chronic disease. The average content of lead and cadmium in hair of healthy subjects was 3.05 µg g–1 Pb and 0.257 µg g–1 Cd, but in patients suffering from arthrosclerosis, allergy and hyperplasia prostate the levels of lead and cadmium in hair reached the upper values of the