Trace Element Science and Chemical Data Processing

1 Trace Element Science and Chemical Data Processing 

In recent years, the progress of analytical chemistiy provides the possibility to detect and determine the contents of trace elements in various materials, and it has been found that these data are rather useful in many scientific and technological fields. One of the most important topics in these fields is to investigate the relationships between some diseases (such as cancer or hypertension) and trace elements [51], 

An interesting topic is related to the data of trace element contents in human hair. The results of analysis of trace element contents in human hair are useful for the diagnosis of some diseases. These data can also provide valuable information about the influence of environment on human health. Like the trace element analysis of serum or urine, hair analysis can provide valuable information. Contrary to the results of the analysis of serum or urine, the results of hair analysis can reflect metabolic process in the body over a period of several months. Metal ions, moreover, are permanently built into the a-helical structure of hair keratin, thereby creating chelate links with the acid and basic radicals of amino acids, as a result of which the content of some metallic elements in hair is much higher than that in other tissues. Up to now, 78 elements have been detected in human hair. 

Although the data of the content of some single element have also been used in some decision making for practical purposes, many 

Besides the healthy problems, trace element analysis is also very useful for commodity inspection because trace element content can provide valuable information for the detection of counterfeit products. The products with famous brand are usually the targets of counterfeit activities. Since famous brand foods, wines, cigarettes or tea products are usually produced in certain definite region. So the characteristics of the trace element contents in soil and natural water in this region will give some finger print on the products produced in this region. The mode of trace element contents is very difficult to be imitated by counterfeiters. 

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