Chronic Metal Exposure, Air Pollution and Cancer in Haifa, Israel.

Air pollution is a worldwide problem to millions of people exposed to concentrations of air pollutants above safety standards, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). In Haifa, Israel, the apparent link between pollution and cancer development is a topic of concern. The study focused on evaluating the metal exposure of children and adults residing in the Haifa area. A high toxic burden to combustion metals such as nickel and potential carcinogens such as mercury was determined. Samples of hair were collected from people living in and around Haifa between 2007 and 2015. Selected patients were separated into three groups, adult males and females, and children with a median age of 6.6 years. Multiple metal exposure was determined in all groups, with the greatest burden found in children.

Trace element concentrations profiles in the hair of normal children living in the northern area of Seoul / 소아과

PURPOSE: The reliability of hair mineral analyses regarding nutritional status, environmental exposure or diseases is controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the normal reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children. METHODS: We examined hair mineral concentrations of 223 children(3-12 yrs old, 110 boys, 113 girls, mean age 8.8+/-2.2 yrs old) living in the northern area of Seoul. The trace elements including six toxic elements(Al, As, Cd, Ba, Hg, Pb) and 11 nutritional elements(Na, Mg, P, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se) were analyzed by inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). RESULTS: The mean concentrations of Ca and Mg were higher in girls than in boys. The mean concentrations of Cd, Pb and Cr were higher in boys than girls. The Zn, Ca, Mg, Cu and Hg levels in hair samples were positively correlated with increasing age. The Zn levels of the Korean children's hair samples appear to be lower than that of other countries' reference values. CONCLUSION: There are considerable differences in hair mineral concentrations by age, sex and race. Additional research is needed to establish Korean reference values, and to evaluate the usefulness of hair mineral analyses as a screening tool for nutrition- and environment-related childhood diseases.

Quantitative Analysis of Hair Minerals in Vitiligo Patients / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Although vitiligo is generally recognized as a single entity, the etiology is complex. There have been three hypotheses to explain vitiligo, (1) neural hypothesis, (2) the self-destruct hypothesis, and (3) the autoimmune hypothesis. And recently, there have been several reports about mineral status in vitiligo patients. Hair minerals may provide a continuous record of nutritional status and exposure to heavy metal pollutants. So, analysis of hair minerals in vitiligo patients may help to explain the etiology of vitiligo. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the hair mineral concentrations between vitiligo patients and normal controls. METHODS: Hair mineral concentrations were measured in 30 normal controls and 30 vitiligo patients. We measured the contents of fifteen nutritional elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, Zn, P, Fe, Mn, Cr, Se, B, Co, Mo, S), eight toxic elements (Sb, U, As, Be, Hg, Cd, Pb, Al), and fifteen additional elements (Ge, Ba, Bi, Rb, Li, Ni, Pt, Tl, I, V, Sr, Sn, Ti, W, Zr) by an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry. RESULTS: In vitiligo patients, the contents of Fe, Mg, P, Cr, Se, Zr were significantly higher than normal controls, and B, Al, W were significantly lower than normal controls. In male patients, K, Cr, B, Rb contents were higher than female and in female patients, Ca, Ba, Sr contents were higher than male. In vitiligo patients, Hg showed positive relationship with increasing age, and B, Pb, Sn, Zr contents showed negative relationship with age. CONCLUSION: Hair mineral analysis was performed with vitiligo patients and normal controls. We concluded that the hair mineral analysis will be useful in researching various skin diseases including vitiligo and may give the clues of etiology of various skin diseases.

Hair Mineral Analysis of Normal Korean Children / 대한피부과학회지

BACKGROUND: Minerals play important roles in biological processes. They can cause disease through deficiency, imbalance, and toxicity. Many chronic diseases of children may be related to mineral status. But difficulty in sampling enough numbers and amount of body fluid to see long term mineral status for those children have been obstacles for detailed clinical studies. Though measurements of body mineral status are usually done for body fluid, hair mineral analysis method showed potentiality as a useful clinical tool. It could provide a continuous record of nutritional status and exposure history to heavy metal pollutants. Also it has advantages in sampling and observing the profiles of multiple minerals simultaneously. But lack of normal reference values of hair mineral contents focused on Korean children prevented us from conducting further studies. OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to survey reference range of hair mineral concentration of Korean children 2 to 7 years old and analysis its characteristics. METHODS: Mineral concentrations of hair were measured in 78 children 2 to 7 years of age, living in the same area. The contents of fifteen nutritional elements(Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cu, P, Fe, Mn, Cr, Se, B, Co, Mo, S), eight toxic elements(Sb, U, As, Be, Hg, Cd, Pb, Al), and fifteen additional elements(Ge, Ba, Bi, Rb, Li, Ni, Pt, Tl, V, Sr, Sn, Ti, W, Zr) were determined by an inductive coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS). Data are analyzed by meticulous statistical approaches. RESULTS: Though direct comparison was impossible in statistical manner, the suggested reference values of normal Korean children were different in K, Cr, Hg, Pb, Sn, Mg, Sb, Zn, Ge, and U content with American reference value. In normal Korean children, the contents of Ca, Mg, Fe, S, Al, Ba, Ni, Sr, U were higher in girls, and Na, Cr, As, V, Bi were higher in boys. Zn and Sr contents were increased with age, Rb, K, Ti, Pb, Mo, Sn, and V contents were decreased with age. CONCLUSION: There are considerable differences in hair mineral contents of normal population by race, age, sex. So it is important to use proper reference values to interpret the hair mineral analysis result correctly. We hope future study conducting for the children living in different geographic regions could verify our suggested reference data as a Korean reference value.