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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110954
Title: HAIR ANALYSIS IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

Author
item Christopherson, Dale
item Shuler, Terrence
item Klevay, Leslie

Submitted to: Great Lakes Regional American Chemical Society Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2000
Publication Date: 6/5/2000
Citation: Christopherson, D.M., Shuler, T.R., Klevay, L.M. 2000. Hair analysis in environmental assessment [abstract]. Proceedings of the 32nd Great Lakes Meeting of the American Chemical Society. p.18.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ease of collection and analysis makes hair seem attractive in assessing human exposure to nutritionally essential and potentially toxic metallic elements (klevay, et.al., Am J Clin Nutr 46:233, 1987). Samples (c300mg) were washed, extracted, dried and dissolved in acid; elements were measured by absorption or emission spectroscopy. Analysis of 64 samples of occipital lhair collected regularly from one man between 1968 and 1986 reveals (mean +/-SDin ug/g): copper 14.6+/-11; zinc 165+/-28; cadmium 0.17+/-0.12; lead 7.2+/-18 and mercury 0.0024+/-0.0078. Mean values are similar to those published by others. No time trend nor seasonal change has been detected. Although the man lived in two dwellings in two cities during the interval and had no unusual dietary changes or environmental or occupational exposures, the great variability makes analysis of a signle hair sample of dubious utility in assessing elemental exposure. Animal experiments on hair ranalysis are more promising than human studies.