ABSTRACT
The elemental analysis of 86 honeys sold in France was performed with an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer in order to measure significant concentrations of Ag, Ca, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, P, S, Zn, Al, Cd, Hg, Ni, and Pb. Principal component analysis, correspondence factor analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to rationalize and interpret the analytical data. Crude relationships were found between the elemental profiles of the honeys and their botanical origin. Some honeys were highly polluted by heavy metals and/or other xenobiotics. Explanations for these contaminations are proposed.
Subject(s)
Honey/analysis , Metals/analysis , Xenobiotics/analysis , Analysis of Variance , France , Metals, Heavy/analysis , Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization/methodsABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to examine the potential of multidimensional analysis, and in particular of correspondence analysis (CA), in bringing to light the influence of sex and age on trace element (TE) concentrations in hair from an unselected French population. Sixteen elements (S, Hg, Se, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Co, Mn, Fe, Cr, Mg, Al, Ca, Cu, Ag) were assayed by inductively coupled argon plasma (ICAP) emission spectroscopy in the scalp hair of 135 men and 346 women. In spite of the high background noise, CA was able to reveal the differing patterns in males and females. For instance, in this population, higher relative levels of the essential elements, Ca, Mg, Zn, and Cu, but also of Ag, characterized women's hair, whereas higher relative levels of the heavy metals, Fe and Pb, were associated with men's hair. Al and Ag were unexplainedly high in the hair of the youngest members of the population. The Cu and Co of youth seemed to give way to a predominance of Zn in maturity. The hair of individuals in their forties tended to be richest in Ca and Mg, but these elements decreased with advancing age. Heavy metals (Hg, Pb, Fe) accumulated with age, whereas Se, Mn, and Cr seemed independent of age. CA is manifestly a very useful tool for revealing underlying dimensions in complex dynamic systems and unsuspected relationships among variables. Clearly, the significance of the high Al and Ag contents in the hair of certain members of the population, especially of the very young, needs to be investigated from both physiological and toxicological aspects.
Subject(s)
Age Factors , Hair/chemistry , Sex Factors , Trace Elements/analysis , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Non-specific hypersensitivity from target cell membranes instability sometimes causes a syndrome of acute cutaneous-mucosal problems, which are not found in the usual list of real allergies: no atopic history; no criteria of unity of time or place of action; no allergy equivalent of the atopic series; no individual allergen; absence of the biological criteria of allergy. The body levels of 16 oligo-elements in the capilliaries of patients is reflected in the common anomalies that seem to be involved in the dis-equilibrium of the membrane stability. Deficiency of manganese, iron, magnesium and zinc are most often found. A complementary therapeutic scheme seems to be useful to resolve the situation.
