Trace elements concentrations in biological samples and their correlation with urinary arsenic metabolites of chronic arsenic exposed people

Abstract

We collected and analyzed groundwater and other biological samples for the determination of arsenic and other trace elements from an arsenic exposed group and an unexposed group (control group) of people in Bangladesh. The results showed that arsenic in hair, nail, and urine increases with increasing arsenic in drinking water. Along with arsenic in hair and nail samples, I also analyzed Se, Zn, Cu, Hg, Pb, and Sb by ICP-MS after microwave digestion. In both cases (hair and nail), it appears that the mean concentration of Se and Zn are lower in the exposed group than in the control group. Again, the mean concentration of Hg, Pb, and Sb are higher in both hair and nail for the exposed group than the control group.