Trace elements in the hair of new-born infants by INAA

Abstract

Hair has been used as a bioindicator, as a means to measure environmental and occupational contamination, and a a tool for individualization in the forensic field. Because hair is a product of human metabolic activities, its elemental content is of interest in the examination of normal (healthy) metabolism and abnormal (diseased) metabolism. Employing hair analysis, sources of environmental pollution can be identified. Some recent INAA hair measurements were carried out in our laboratory. Hair samples of six new-born infants and their mothers were collected, washed, and analyzed according to standard procedures. By 5-minute irradiation (flux 2.5×10¹¹ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹) and gamma spectrometric analysis of hair and standard samples, elemental concentrations of Mg, Mn, Cu, Na, V, S, Al, Ca, and the halides were determined. Hair analysis of new-born infants should be of special interest, because it most likely represents endogeneous contribution. Hair assays of mothers and babies may prove to be clear mirrors which reflect observations pertaining to environmental metal mobilization and internal metabolic conditions. This work presents, along with a review of the subject, the results of a case study and identifies areas where further research is needed.