Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Quantitative analysis of toxic and essential elements in human hair. Clinical validity of results

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Over the last three decades, there has been an increasing awareness of environmental and occupational exposures to toxic or potentially toxic trace elements. The evolution of biological monitoring includes knowledge of kinetics of toxic and/or essential elements and adverse health effects related to their exposure. The debate whether a hair is a valid sample for biomonitoring or not is still attracting the attention of analysts, health care professionals, and environmentalists. Although researchers have found many correlations of essential elements to diseases, metabolic disorders, environmental exposures, and nutritional status, opponents of the concept of hair analysis object that hair samples are unreliable due to the influence of external factors. This review discusses validity of hair as a sample for biomonitoring of essentiall and toxic elements, with emphasis on pre-analytical, analytical, and post-analytical factors influencing results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdulrazzaq, Y. M., Osman, N., Nagelkerke, N., Kosanovic, M., & Adem, A. (2008). Trace element composition of plasma and breast milk of well-nourished women. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. Part A, Environmental Science and Engineering & Toxic and Hazardous Substance Control, 43(3), 329–334.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Althausen, T. L., & Gunther, L. (1992). Acute arsenic poisoning: A report of seven cases and a study of arsenic excretion with especial reference to hair. JAMA, 92, 2002–2006.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amuluru, L., High, W., Hiatt, K. M., Ranville, J., Shah, S. V., Malik, B., et al. (2009). Metal deposition in calcific uremic arteriopathy. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 61(1), 73–79.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baden, H. P. (1988). Biochemistry of hair protein. Clinics in Dermatology, 6(4), 22–25.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett, S. (1985). Commercial hair analysis. Science or scam? JAMA, 254(8), 1041–1045.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Batista, B. L., Rodrigues, J. L., Nunes, J. A., Tormen, L., Curtius, A. J., & Barbosa, Jr., F. (2008). Simultaneous determination of Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn in nail samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after tetramethylammonium hydroxide solubilization at room temperature: Comparison with ETAAS. Talanta, 76(3), 575–579.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berglund, M., Lind, B., Björnberg, K. A., Palm, B., Einarsson, O., & Vahter, M. (2005). Inter-individual variations of human mercury exposure biomarkers: A cross-sectional assessment. Environmental Health, 4(20). doi:10.1186/1476-069X-4-20.

  • Bosque, M. A., Domingo, J. L., Llobet, J. M., & Corbella, J. (1991). Cadmium in hair of school children living in Tarragona Province, Spain. Relationship to age, sex, and environmental factors. Biological Trace Element Research, 28, 147–155.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchard, M., Laforest, F., Vandelac, L., Bellinger, D., & Mergler, D. (2007). Hair manganese and hyperactive behaviors: Pilot study of school-age children exposed through tap water. Environmental Health Perspectives, 115, 122–127.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bravo, I. B., Castro, R. S., Riquelme, N. L., Díaz, C. T., & Goyenaga, D. A. (2007). Optimization of the trace element determination by ICP-MS in human blood serum. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 21(1), 14–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Choi, A. L., & Grandjean, P. (2008). Methylmercury exposure and health effects in humans. Environmental Chemistry, 5, 112–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chojnacka, K., Górecka, H., Chojnacki, A., & Górecki, H. (2005). Inter-element interactions in human hair. Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, 20, 368–374.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chojnacka, K., Górecka, H., & Górecki, H. (2006). The influence of living habits and family relationships on element concentrations in human hair. Science of the Total Environment, 366, 612–620.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) (1997). NCCLS Guidelines, Control of Preanalytical Variation in Trace Element Determinations; Approved guideline, C-38-A (Vol. 17, No.13).

  • Counter, S. A., Buchanan, L. H., & Fernando Ortega, F. (2008). Zinc protoporphyrin levels, blood lead levels and neurocognitive deficits in Andean children with chronic lead exposure. Clinical Biochemistry, 41, 41–47.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Creason, J., Hinners, T., Bumgarner, J., & Pinkerton, C. (1973). Human scalp hair: An environmental exposure index for trace elements. Fifteen trace elements in New York, N.Y (1971–72). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA/600/1–78/037A (NTIS PB284434).

  • Datta, R., & Sarkar, D. (2005). Consideration of soil properties in assessment of human health risk from exposure to arsenic-enriched soils. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management, 1(1), 55–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DeAntonio, S. M., Katz, S. A., Scheiner, D. M., & Wood, J. D. (1982). Anatomically-related variations in trace-metal concentrations in hair. Clinical Chemistry, 28(12), 2411–2413.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Denkhaus, E., & Salnikow, K. (2002). Nickel essentiality, toxicity, and carcinogenicity. Critical Reviews in Oncology Hematology, 42, 35–56.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dopp, E., Hartmann, L. M., Florea, A. M., et al. (2004). Environmental distribution, analysis, and toxicity of organometal(loid) compounds. Critical Reviews in Toxicology, 34, 301–333.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • EPA (2004). Progress Report: Metal Mixtures and Children’s Health. http://cfpub.epa.gov/ncer_abstracts/INDEX.cfm/fuseaction/display.abstractDetail/abstract/7978/report/2004, last time visited April 2010.

  • Esteban, E. (1999). Hair and blood as substrates for screening children for lead poisoning. Archives of Environmental Health, 54(6), 436–440.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fido, A., & Al-Saad, S. (2005). Toxic trace elements in the hair of children with autism. Autism, 9(3), 290–298.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Filipic, M., Fatur, T., & Vudrag, M. (2006). Molecular mechanisms of cadmium induced mutagenicity. Human & Experimental Toxicology, 25(2), 67–77 (Review).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Florianczyk, B. (1996). Function of metallothionein in the body. PosteÓpy Higieny i Medycyny DosÂwiadczalnej, 50, 375–382.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Foo, S. C., Khoo, N. Y., Heng, A., et al. (1993). Metals in hair as biological indices for exposure. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, 65, 83–86.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forte, G., Alimonti, A., Violante, N., Di Gregorio, M., Senofonte, O., Petrucci, F., et al. (2005). Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, silicon and zinc content of hair in Parkinson’s disease. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 19(2–3), 195–201.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frisbie, S. H., Ortega, R., Maynard, D. M., & Sarkar, B. (2002). The concentrations of arsenic and other toxic elements in Bangladesh’s drinking water. Environmental Health Perspectives, 110(11), 1147–1153.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goyer, R. A. (1997). Toxic and essential metal interactions. Annual Review of Nutrition, 17, 37–50 (Review).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grandjean, P., Weihe, P., White, R. F., Debes, F., Araki, S., Murata, K., et al. (1997). Cognitive deficit in 7-year-old children with prenatal exposure to methylmercury. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 19, 417–428.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gurere, H., & Ercal, N. (2000). Can antioxidants be beneficial in the treatment of lead poisoning? Free Radical Biology & Medicine, 29(10), 927–945.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harkey, M. (1993). Anatomy and physiology of hair. Forensic Science International, 63, 9–18.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hasan, M. Y., Kosanovic, M., Fahim, M. A., Adem, A., & Petroianu, G. (2004). Trace metal profiles in hair samples from children in urban and rural regions of the United Arab Emirates. Veterinary and Human Toxicology, 46(3), 119–121.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hatfield, D. L., & Gladyshev, V. N. (2002). How selenium has altered our understanding of the genetic code. Molecular and Cell Biology, 22, 3565–3576.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, G. L. (1993). Mechanisms of drug incorporation into hair. Forensic Science International, 63(1–3), 19–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ikemoto, T., Kunito, T., Tanaka, H., Baba, N., Miyazaki, N., & Tanabe, S. (2004). Detoxification mechanism of heavy metals in marine mammals and seabirds: Interaction of selenium with mercury, silver, copper, zinc, and cadmium in liver. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 47(3), 402–413.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • IOM (Institute of Medicine) (2001). Dietary reference intakes: Vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium and zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iyengar, G. V., & Rapp, A. (2001). Human placenta as a ‘dual’ biomarker for monitoring fetal and maternal environment with special referenceto potentially toxic trace elements. Part 3: Toxic trace elements in placenta and placenta as a biomarker for these elements. The Science of the Total Environment, 280, 221–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kantola, M., Purkunen, R., Kroger, P., Tooming, A., Juravskaja, J., Passanen, M., et al. (1999). Analysis of heavy metal deposition in renal tissue by sectional mapping using PIXE. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 149(1), 167–176.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khaliqu, A., Sha, M. H., Jaffar, M., Shaheen, N., Tariq, S. R., & Manzoor, S. (2006). Multivariate analysis of the selected metals in the hair of cerebral palsy patients versus controls. Biological Trace Element Research, 1111–3, 11–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, S. A., Jeon, C. K., & Paek, D. M. (2008). Hair mercury concentrations of children and mothers in Korea: Implication for exposure and evaluation. Science of the Total Environment, 402, 36–42.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koizumi, N., Murata, K., Hayashi, C., Nishio, H., & Goji, J. (2008). High cadmium accumulation among humans and primates: Comparison across various mammalian species-a study from Japan. Biological Trace Element Research, 121(3), 205–214.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosanovic, M., Jokanovic, M., Jevremovic, M., Dobric, S., & Bokonjic, D. (2002). Maternal and fetal cadmium and selenium status in normotensive and hypertensive pregnancy. Biological Trace Element Research, 89(2), 97–103.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lalla, A. B., Doering, M., Burkholz, T., & Jacob, C. (2009). Metal trafficking: From maintaining the metal homeostasis to future drug design. Critical Review. Metallomics, 1, 292–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • LeBlanc, A., Dumas, P., & Lefebvre, L. (1999). Trace element content of commercial shampoos: Impact on trace element levels in hair. Science of the Total Environment, 229, 121–124.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lindberg, A. L., Ekstrım, E. C., Nermell, B., Rahman, M., Lınnerdal, B., Persson, A. L., et al. (2008). Gender and age differences in the metabolism of inorganic arsenic in a highly exposed population in Bangladesh. Environmental Research, 106(1), 110–120.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morton, J., Carolan, V. A., & Gardiner, P. H. (2002). Removal of exogenously bound elements from human hair by various washing procedures and determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Analytica Chimica Acta, 455(1), 23–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niculescu, T., Dumitru, R., Botha, V., Alexandrescu, R., & Manolescu, N. (1983). Relationship between the lead concentration in hair and occupational exposure. Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 40, 67–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Patrick, L. (2003). Toxic metals and antioxidants: Part II. The role of antioxidants in arsenic and cadmium toxicity. Alternative Medicine Review, 8, 106–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Puchyr, R. F., Bass, D. A., Gajewski, R., Calvin, M., Marquardt, W., Urek, K., et al. (1998). Preparation of hair for measurement of elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICPMS). Biological Trace Element Research, 62(3), 167–182.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, A., Azad, M. A., Hossain, I., Qusar, M. M., Bari, W., Begum, F., et al. (2009). Zinc, manganese, calcium, copper, and cadmium level in scalp hair samples of schizophrenic patients. Biological Trace Element Research, 127(2), 102–108.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigues, J. L., Batista, B. L., Nunes, J. A., Passos, C. J. S., & Barbosa, Jr., F. (2008). Evaluation of the use of human hair for biomonitoring the deficiency of essential and exposure to toxic elements. Science of the Total Environment, 405, 370–376.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodushkin, I., & Axelsson, M. D. (2000). Application of double focusing sector field ICP-MS for multielemental characterization of human hair and nails. Part I. Analytical methodology. The Science of The Total Environment, 250(1–3), 83–100.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlenker, T., Johnson, C., Mark, D., Layde, M., Linke, G., & Murphy, A. (1994). Screening for pediatric lead poisoning. Comparability of simultaneously drawn capillary and venous blood samples. JAMA, 271, 1346–1348.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schoenthaler, S. J. (1986). Hair tissue mineral analysis fact and fiction. The International Journal of Biosocial Research, 8(1), 84–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schramm, K. W. (1997). Hair: A matrix for non-invasive biomonitoring of organic chemicals in mammals. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 59, 396–402.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seppanen, K., Saarikoski, S., & Vartianen, T. (2004). Selenium in pregnancy: Is selenium an active defective ion against environmental chemical stress? Environmental Research, 96(1), 51–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stupar, J., Dolinsek, F., & Erzen, I. (2007). Hair-Pb longitudinal profiles and blood-Pb in the population of young Slovenian males. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 68, 134–143.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S. K., Singh, S., Prasad, S., Khandekar, K., Dwivedi, V. K., Chatterjee, M., et al. (2003). Reversal of cadmium induced oxidative stress by chelating agent, antioxidant or their combination in rat. Toxicology Letters, 145, 211–217.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valentine, J. L., Kang, H. K., & Spivey, G. H. (1978). Selenium levels in human blood, urine, and hair in response to exposure via drinking water. Environmental Research, 17(3), 347–355.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Valko, M., Rhodes, C. J., Moncol, J., Izakovic, M., & Mazurv, M. (2006). Free radicals, metals and antioxidantsin oxidative stress-induced cancer. Chemico-Biological Interactions, 160(1), 1–40.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wahlen, R., Evans, L., Turner, J., & Hearn, R. (2005). The use of collision/reaction cell ICP-MS for the simultaneous determination of 18 elements in blood and serum simples, Application note of Agilent Technologies (2005). http://www.chem.agilent.com/Library/flyers/Public/5989_3546EN_low.pdf, last visited April 2010.

  • Wilhelm, M., Ewers, U., & Schulz, C. (2004). Revised and new reference values for some trace elements in blood and urine for human biomonitoring in environmental medicine. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 207(1), 69–73.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wilhelm, M., Pesch, A., Rostek, U., Begerow, J., Schmitz, N., Idel, H., et al. (2002). Concentrations of lead in blood, hair and saliva of German children living in three different areas of traffic density. The Science of The Total Environment, 297(1–3), 109–118.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (2002). Principles and methods for the assessment of risk from essential trace elements. In: Environmental Health Criteria 228. Geneva: World Health Organization. www.epa.gov/nerlesd1/bios/hinners.htm, last time visited August 2009.

  • Wright, R. O., Amarasiriwardena, C., Woolf, A. D., Jim, R., & Bellinger, D. C. (2006). Neuropsychological correlates of hair arsenic, manganese, and cadmium levels in school-age children residing near a hazardous waste site. NeuroToxicology, 27(2), 210–216.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yenigun, A., Ozkinay, F., Cogulu, O., Coker, C., Cetiner, N., Ozden, G., et al. (2004). Hair zinc level in Down syndrome. Down’s Syndrome: Research and Practice, 9(2), 53–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoshizawa, K., Willett, W. C., Morris, S. J., Stampfer, M. J., Spiegelman, D., Rimm, E. B., et al. (1998). Study of prediagnostic selenium levels in toenails and the risk of advanced prostate cancer. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 90, 1219–1224.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of The President’s Affairs, Management of Scientific Centers and Presidential Camels, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

    Melita Kosanovic

  2. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates

    Melita Kosanovic

  3. Faculty of Medicine, University of Nish, Nish, Serbia

    Milan Jokanovic

  4. Academy of Sciences and Arts of Republic Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Milan Jokanovic

Authors
  1. Melita Kosanovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Milan Jokanovic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melita Kosanovic.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kosanovic, M., Jokanovic, M. Quantitative analysis of toxic and essential elements in human hair. Clinical validity of results. Environ Monit Assess 174, 635–643 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1484-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-010-1484-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation