Cadmium in hair

Methods were used to determine levels of chromium, lead, and cadmium in hair. Manganese concentrations in hair were evaluated for some, but not all, of the samples and tested one, but not both, new methods. However, it is assumed that both techniques will work for the trace element manganese. 

Analysis of hair can often serve as a lead to even more complicated disorders. For example, a study by Capel et al. [166] indicated significantly higher concentrations of cadmium in hair from dyslexic children than in a normal control group. These scientists suggest that cadmium analysis of hair may be used in early detection and that excessive cadmium may be involved in this type of learning disorder. 

Hair lead has also been used to determine exposure. A group of 31 children with learning disability were found to have signiflcantly elevated concentrations of lead and cadmium in hair (Pihl and Parkes, 1977). However, no differences were reported in hair mineral content (including lead) or nutrient uptake in autistic children (Shearer et al., 1982). 

Stupar J, Dolinsek F. 1996. Determination of chromium, manganese, lead and cadmium in biological samples including hair using direct electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Spectrochim Acta Part B 51 665-683. 

The following example shows how the Grubbs test is applied to chemical data. The results obtained for the determination of cadmium in human hair by total reflection... 

Hair is an excellent ion exchange system. Metallic ions may be sorbed to hair in multiple forms such as lipids (e.g., calcium stearate) or as particulates (e.g., metal oxides). Many metallic ions such as copper (-1-2) [11] can adsorb to hair, especially after frequent exposure to swimming pool water. It has been suggested that metallic ions such as chromium, nickel, and cobalt may bind to hair from swimming pool water [11]. Sorption of metallic ions like calcium or magnesium occurs even from low concentrations in the water supply rather than from hair products. However, fatty acids present in hair products enhance the adsorption of most of these metallic ions to the hair surface, as described earlier. Heavy metals such as lead and cadmium have been shown to collect in hair from air pollution [12], and other metals like zinc are available from antidandruff products, from the zinc pyrithione active ingredient. 

The uranium concentration in hair samples of Brazilian residents (18 young females and 4 males) was determined by ENAA (Akamine et al. 2007). Hair samples were collected from the occipital part of the head, cut into 2 mm sections, rinsed to remove external contamination, and placed on filter paper for drying. The hair samples, and samples spiked with uranium standards, were placed in thin cadmium capsules and irradiated for 16 h. After 4 days, to allow for decay of interfering radionuclides, the gamma activity of the samples was measured for 50,000 s, and the uranium content was determined from the intensity of the 106 and 278 keV peaks of Np. Method validation was based on measur ent of CRM (NIST 1575—pine needles). The uranium concentration was 2.1-49.8 ngU g hair, with mean and median values of 15.4 and 10.7 ng g , respectively. 

Whanger, P. D., 1979, Cadmium effects in rats on tissue iron, selenium and blood pressure Blood and hair cadmium in some Oregon residents. Environ. Health Persp. 28 115. 

The urinary excretion of cadmium in members of the general population and in workers exposed to low amounts of cadmium is a good indicator of the body burden. Cadmium in blood is an indicator of recent exposure and/or of body burden. In infants cadmium in blood will mainly be an indicator of the exposure level. Cadmiiam in hair should not be used as an indicator of body burden. 

Nordberg, G.F. and Nishiyama, K. (1972) Whole-body and hair retention of cadmium in mice. Arch. Environ. Health 24 209-214. 

Additionally, analysis of cadmium can be performed in other matrices such as saliva, hair, nail, teeth and tissues. Overviews of analytical methods for determining cadmium in biological materials are given in Tables 1 to 3 (see below). 

Cadmium in blood, urine, hair, saliva, and human milk is predominantly analyzed with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS), also known as electrothermal AAS (ET-AAS). Samples are usually prepared by digestion with nitric acid [16-20]. Solubilizers (Triton X-100) or matrix modifiers (e.g., diammonium hydrogen phosphate, Pd-components) are added [17,21-23]. 

DPASV procedures have been applied to analyze cadmium in urine [24—26] and in human hair [27]. The samples were prepared by digestion with acids. 

The analyses of cadmium concentrations in human kidney and liver with NAA can be performed with direct in vivo [35-37] or in vitro measiuements [38]. Additionally, NAA procedures for the quantification of cadmium in biological materials such as bovine liver and food samples [39], human hair [40], serum [41], and human central nervous system issue samples [42] have been described. 

It is evident that the precise determination of cadmium in biological samples, including blood, plasma, serum, and urine as well as hair, saliva, and various tissues is an important issue. Chapter 4 describes the relevant analytical tools like inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), electrochemical methods, neutron activation analysis (NAA), and X- ray... 

Harbour, J.R. and Hair, M.L., Superoxide generation in the photolysis of aqueous cadmium sulphide dispersions, detection by spin trapping, /. Phys. Chem., 81,1791,1977. 

Proximity to the smokestacks of metal smelters is positively associated with increased levels of lead in the hair (manes) of horses and in tissues of small mammals, and is consistent with the results of soil and vegetation analyses (USEPA 1972). Lead concentrations were comparatively high in the hair of older or chronically impaired horses (USEPA 1972). However, tissues of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) collected near a zinc smelter did not contain elevated levels of lead (Sileo and Beyer 1985). Among small mammals near a metal smelter, blood ALAD activity was reduced in the white-footed mouse but normal in others, e.g., the short-tailed shrew (Beyer et al. 1985). The interaction effects of lead components in smelter emissions with other components, such as zinc, cadmium, and arsenic, are unresolved (USEPA 1972) and warrant additional research. 

Dollard, G.J. 1986. Glasshouse experiments on the uptake of foliar applied lead. Environ. Pollut. 40A 109-119. Dom, C.R., P.E. Phillips, J.O. Pierce, and G.R. Chase. 1974. Cadmium, copper, lead and zinc in bovine hair in the lead belt of Missouri. Bull. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 11 626-630. 

J. R. Harbour, R. Wolkow and M. L. Hair. (1981) Effect of platinization on the photoproperties of cadmium sulfide pigments in dispersion. Determination by hydrogen evolution, oxygen uptake and electron spin resonance spectroscopy. J Phys Chem 85 4026-4029... 

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