Abstract
The concentrations of Cr, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni and Cd wereanalyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer in thescalp hair of professional male autodrivers who areoccupationally exposed to the vehicular/industrialpollutants in the industrial city of Coimbatore, TamilNadu. The unwashed hair samples when compared with thewashed hair showed a significantly higher levels of Cr,Zn and Pb. The correlation coefficient showed a strongmutual dependence on the scalp hair of the exposedindividuals and no correlation was found among the tracemetals except for Ni–Pb and Ni–Cd. The results ingeneral showed a positive exogenous contribution of allthe analyzed industrial trace metals. The drivers who are occupationally exposed to vehicular/industrial pollution are at risk.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmed, A. F. M. and Elmubarak, A. H.: 1990, 'Assessment of trace elements in hair of a Saudi Arabian suburban adult male population', Environ. Tech. 12, 387–392.
Ashraf, W., Jaffar, M. and Mohammad, D.: 1994, 'Trace metal contamination study on scalp hair of occupationally exposed workers', Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 53, 516–523.
Baumslag, N., Yeager, D., Levin, L. and Petering, H. G.: 1974, 'Trace metal content of maternal and neonate hair, zinc, copper, iron and lead', Arch. Environ. Health. 29, 186.
Chatt, A. and Katz, S. A.: 1988, Hair Analysis: Application in Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, VCH Publishers Inc.
Costa, C., Arban, R. and Allegri, G.: 1989, 'Correlation between age, sex and colour and hair levels on copper and zinc. A premise for studies on human pigmentation disorders', J. Ital. Chim. Clin. 14, 73–76.
Chow, J. J.: 1970, 'Lead accumulation in roadside soil and grass', Nature 225, 295–297.
Dell'omo, M., Muzi, G., Piccinini, R., Gambelunghe, A., Morucci, P., Fiordi, T., Ambrogi, M. and Abbritti, G.: 1999, 'Blood cadmium concentrations in the general population of Umbria, Central Italy', Sci. Tot. Environ. 226, 57–64.
Ellis, K. J., Yasumura, S. and Cohn, S. H.: 1981, 'Hair cadmium content: Is it a biological indicator of the body burden of cadmium for the occupationally exposed worker? Am. J. Indus. Med. 2, 323–330.
Eltayeb, M. A. H. and Grieken, R. E.: 1990, 'Iron, copper, zinc and lead in hair from Sudanese populations of different age groups', Sci. Total Environ. 95, 157–65.
Ferguson, J. E., Hibbard, K. A. and Tig, R. L. H.: 1981, 'Lead in human hair: General survey of battery factory employees and their families', Environ. Pollut. 2, 235–238.
Gaggi, C., Zino, F., Duccini, M. and Renzoni, A.: 1996, 'Levels of mercury in scalp hair of fisherman and their families from Camara de Lobas-Madeira (Portugal): A preliminary study,' Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 56, 860–865.
Golow, A. A. and Kwaansa-Ansah, E.: 1994, 'Comparison of lead and zinc levels in the hair of pupils from four towns in the Kumasi municipal area of Ghana', Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 53, 325–331.
Hyoi, N., Imahari, A., Shiobara, S. and Shina, F.: 1986, 'Study on trace element concentrations in hair and blood of electroplating workers', Japan J. Ind. Health. 28, 200–201.
Ingrao, G., Santaroni, G. and Tomassi, G.: 1995, 'Elements in traccia ruolo biologico aspetti nutrizionali per luomo', Ann. lst. Super. Sanita 31, 275–281.
Jervis, R. E., Tiefenbach, B. and Chattopadhyay, A. 1977, 'Scalp hair as a monitor of population exposure to environmental pollutants', J. Radioanal. Chem. 37, 751–60.
Krishna, P. S. and Alonzo, O.: 1987, 'Trace elements in hair of epileptical and normal subjects', Sci. Total Environ. 57, 215–25.
Krause, C. and Chutsch, M.: 1987, 'Haare als Indicator für die Erfassung von Pb and Cd-Belastungen, Schriftner', Ver. Wasser. Boden. Lufthyg. 71, 101–109.
Leotsinidis, M. and Kondakis, X.: 1990, 'Trace metals in scalp hair of Greek agricultural workers', Sci. Total Environ. 95, 149–156.
Malm, O., Guimaraes, J. R. D., Castro, M. B., Bastos, W. R., Viana, J. P., Branches, F. J. P., Silveira, E. G. and Pfeiffer,W. C.: 1997, 'Follow up of mercury levels in fish, human hair and urine in the Madiera and Tapajos basins, Amazon, Brazil', Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 97, 45–51.
Petering, H. G., Yeager, D. W. and Witherup, S. O.: 1971, 'Trace metal content of hair: Zinc and copper content of hair in relation to age and sex', Arch. Environ. Health. 23, 202.
Qureshi, I. H., Chaudry, M. S. and Ahmed, S.: 1982, 'Trace element concentration in head hair of the inhabitants of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad area', J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 1-2, 209.
Sen, J. and Das Chaudhuri, A. B.: 1996, 'Hair trace element concentrations in the bengalee population', J. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Monit. 4, 237–342.
Sturaro, A., Parvoli, G., Doretti, L., Allegri, G. and Costa, C.: 1994, 'The influence of colour, age and sex on the content of zinc, copper, nickel, manganese and lead in human hair', Biol. Trace. Elem. Res. 40, 1–8.
Subramanian, R. and Sukumar, A.: 1989, 'Elements in the scalp hair indicating body burden of metal pollution', J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 2, 88.
Takeuchi, T., Hayashi, T. and Takada, J.: 1982, 'Variation of elemental concentration in hair of the Japanese in terms of age, sex and hair treatment', J. Radioanal. Chem. 70, 29–55.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vishwanathan, H., Hema, A., Edwin, D. et al. Trace Metal Concentration in Scalp Hair of Occupationally Exposed Autodrivers. Environ Monit Assess 77, 149–154 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015819818496
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015819818496