J. E. Kaslow, “Hair Analysis: Cadmium Is Considered a Toxic Heavy Metal with No Known Metabolic Function in the Body,” MD, FACP, FACAAI Physician and Surgeon Board Certified Internal Medicine, Santa Ana, 2011, p. 16.

has been cited by the following article:

• TITLE: Analysis of Heavy Metals in Human Scalp Hair Using Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Technique

  AUTHORS: Peter O. Onuwa, Lami A. Nnamonu, Ishaq S. Eneji, Rufus Sha’Ato

  KEYWORDS: Human Hair; Heavy Metals; X-Ray Fluorescence; Risk Assessment

  JOURNAL NAME: Journal of Analytical Sciences, Methods and Instrumentation, Vol.2 No.4, December 25, 2012

  ABSTRACT: Analysis of six heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn and Mo) in human scalp hair was carried out among various occupational distributions to ascertain their heavy metal burden, using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence technique (ED-XRF). The result of the analysis shows that mean concentrations (mg/kg) of heavy metals obtained were as follows: Cr = 17.1 ± 12.7; Mn = 3.11 ± 0.50; Ni = 11.3 ± 9.3; Zn = 451 ± 128; Cu = 83.3 ± 35.8 and Mo is 9.16 ± 9.1.While the mean concentrations of Cr, Cu, and Mo were higher in the females, that of Mn, Ni and Zn were more in the males. Statistical analysis of the results for both genders at 0.05 probably shows significant difference for Ni, Zn and Mo while Cr, Mn and Cu showed no significant difference. The relationships between age, body mass, height, and heavy metal concentrations were also investigated. Statistical analysis of the results indicates that there was no correlation between the body mass (R2 ≤ 0.048), height (R2 ≤ 0.002) and heavy metal concentration in hair. Zn showed the highest deviation among other elements in the individual samples for both genders which reflect the individual variation in the concentration of Zn.