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Levels of trace elements in human hair samples of adolescents living near petrochemical plants

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Abstract

The aim of the study is a comparative analysis to investigate human hair metal profiles of adolescents residing near petrochemical plants (Sicily, Italy). We selected the small town of Augusta, Gela, and Pace del Mela, and a control area made up of the towns characterized by low anthropogenic activity. Twenty trace elements were measured in samples of scalp hair from adolescents (11–14 years old) of both genders. Hair samples were cleaned using a rigorous cleaning method, mineralized, and processed for analyses by inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In industrial sites, zinc was always the most abundant element, ranging from186 to 217 μg g−1. Following zinc, the elements Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, and Sr were in the range 1–20 μg g−1. The remaining elements had concentrations < 1 μg g−1. The comparison with adolescents living in suburban area highlighted that As, Ba, Mn, Sr, U, and V have the highest median concentrations in an industrial location. An industrial factor (As, Mn, Sr, U, and V) and an urban factor (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mo, Ni, and Sb) were distinguished by the multivariate statistical analysis between a cohort residing in urban and industrial areas. Statistically significant differences (Kruskal–Wallis test, p < 0.05) between the genders were found for Ba, Mn, Ni, Sr, and V in all industrial sites with median concentrations higher in females’ hair than males’. The data confirm that the study areas are heavily affected by industrial and urban emissions of metals and metalloids, representing a potential hazard to the local population.

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Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all adolescents and their families who cooperated in this study for their generous contribution.

Funding

MIUR FFR 2018 (D. Varrica).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM), via Archirafi 22, 90123, Palermo, Italy

    Daniela Varrica, Elisa Tamburo & Maria Grazia Alaimo

Authors
  1. Daniela Varrica
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  2. Elisa Tamburo
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  3. Maria Grazia Alaimo
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Contributions

Daniela Varrica, Elisa Tamburo, and Maria Grazia Alaimo were involved in conceptualization; Daniela Varrica and Elisa Tamburo helped in data curation and formal analysis; Daniela Varrica contributed to funding acquisition; Daniela Varrica, Elisa Tamburo, and Maria Grazia Alaimo were involved in writing—original draft.

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Correspondence to Daniela Varrica.

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Varrica, D., Tamburo, E. & Alaimo, M.G. Levels of trace elements in human hair samples of adolescents living near petrochemical plants. Environ Geochem Health 44, 3779–3797 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01124-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-021-01124-5

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