Abstract
This study was performed in order to analyze the relationships between hair zinc, lead, and cadmium with the kind of diet consumed (by recall of the diet consumed the previous 14 days), living area (urban or rural), tobacco smoking, and body mass index (BMI) among 419 individuals of the Canary Archipelago. Median values and interquartile range were 43 μg/g (18.50–132.50) for zinc, 4.09 μg/g (2.19–8.38) for lead, and 0.128 μg/g (0.05–0.30) for cadmium. We observed that hair zinc was markedly elevated among those consuming fish more frequently and, to a lesser amount, among those who consumed meat frequently, among those living in urban areas, and among those with BMI over 25 kg/m2, keeping a significant relationship with BMI. Hair lead was also higher among fish consumers, showed a trend to higher values among inhabitants of urban areas, and was lower among obese individuals. Hair cadmium was higher among those who consumed less vegetables and fruits. By multivariate analysis, introducing the variables meat, fish, and vegetable consumption, urban/rural; sex; age; and BMI values, we observed that fish consumption (beta = 0.15) was the only variable independently associated to higher zinc levels; fish consumption (beta = 0.15) and meat consumption (beta = 0.17) were related to high cadmium levels, whereas meat consumption was significantly associated to higher hair lead levels (beta = 0.15). Therefore, we conclude that hair zinc, cadmium, and lead seem to depend more heavily on dietary habits than on tobacco consumption or living in rural or urban areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Dunicz-Sokolowska A, Długaszek M, Radomska K, Wlaźlak E, Surkont G, Graczyk A (2007) Contents of bioelements and toxic metals in the Polish population determined by hair analysis. Part III. Adults aged 20 to 40 years. Magnes Res 20:43–52
Dunicz-Sokolowska A, Wlaźlak E, Surkont G, Radomska K, Długaszek M, Graczyk A (2007) Contents of bioelements and toxic metals in the Polish population determined by hair analysis. Part IV. Adults aged 40 to 60 years. Magnes Res 20:136–147
Chłopicka J, Zachwieja Z, Zagrodzki P, Frydrych J, Słota P, Krośniak M (1998) Lead and cadmium in the hair and blood of children from a highly industrial area in Poland. Biol Trace Elem Res 62:229–234
Prosser NR, Heath AL, Williams SM, Gibson RS (2010) Influence of an iron intervention on the zinc status of young adult New Zealand women with mild iron deficiency. Br J Nutr 104:742–750. doi:10.1017/S0007114510001091
Gonzalez-Reimers E, Santolaria-Fernandez F, Galindo-Martín L, Duran-Castellon MC, Aleman-Valls MR, Garcia-Valdecasas-Campelo E, Ros-Vilamajo R, Barroso-Guerrero F (2000) Relative and combined effects of ethanol and protein deficiency on some hair trace elements: lack of relationship with body stores. Biol Trace Elem Res 78:121–129
Barton HJ (2011) Advantages of the use of deciduous teeth, hair, and blood analysis for lead and cadmium bio-monitoring in children. A study of 6-year-old children from Krakow (Poland). Biol Trace Elem Res 143:637–658. doi:10.1007/s12011-010-8896-6
Assarian GS, Oberleas D (1977) Effect of washing procedures on trace-element content of hair. Clin Chem 23:1771–1772
Gibson RS, Gibson IL (1984) The interpretation of human hair trace element concentrations. Sci Total Environ 39:93–101
Cheng S (2003) Heavy metal pollution in China: origin, pattern and control. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 10:192–198
Broun ER, Greist A, Tricot G, Hoffman R (1990) Excessive zinc ingestion. A reversible cause of sideroblastic anemia and bone marrow depression. JAMA 264:1441–1443
Underwood EJ (1977) Trace elements in human and animal nutrition. Academic Press, New York
Solomons NW (1980) Zinc and copper in human nutrition. In: Karcioglu ZA, Sarper RM (eds) Zinc and Copper in Medicine. Charles C Thomas, Springfield (IL), p 224–275
Neal AP, Guilarte TR (2010) Molecular neurobiology of lead (Pb(2+)): effects on synaptic function. Mol Neurobiol 42:151–160. doi:10.1007/s12035-010-8146-0
Takebayashi S, Jimi S, Segawa M, Kiyoshi Y (2000) Cadmium induces osteomalacia mediated by proximal tubular atrophy and disturbances of phosphate reabsorption. A study of 11 autopsies. Pathol Res Pract 196:653–663
Creason JP, Hinners TA, Bumgarner JE, Pinkerton C (1975) Trace elements in hair, as related to exposure in metropolitan New York. Clin Chem 21:603–612
Birgisdottir BE, Knutsen HK, Haugen M, Gjelstad IM, Jenssen MT, Ellingsen DG, Thomassen Y, Alexander J, Meltzer HM, Brantsæter AL (2013) Essential and toxic element concentrations in blood and urine and their associations with diet: results from a Norwegian population study including high-consumers of seafood and game. Sci Total Environ 463–464:836–844. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.06.078
Padilla MA, Elobeid M, Ruden DM, Allison DB (2010) An examination of the association of selected toxic metals with total and central obesity indices: NHANES 99–02. Int J Environ Res Public Health 7:3332–3347. doi:10.3390/ijerph7093332
Lin WH, Chen MD, Lin PY (1992) Investigation of the profile of selected trace metals in genetically obese (ob/ob) and lean (+/?) mice. J Formos Med Assoc 91(1):S27–S33, abstract
Wilhelm M, Pesch A, Rostek U, Begerow J, Schmitz N, Idel H, Ranft U (2002) Concentrations of lead in blood, hair and saliva of German children living in three different areas of traffic density. Sci Total Environ 297:109–118
Sanna E, Liguori A, Palmas L, Soro MR, Floris G (2003) Blood and hair lead levels in boys and girls living in two Sardinian towns at different risks of lead pollution. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 55:293–299
Strumylaite L, Ryselis S, Kregzdyte R (2004) Content of lead in human hair from people with various exposure levels in Lithuania. Int J Hyg Environ Health 207:345–351
Wilhelm M, Hafner D, Lombeck I, Ohnesorge FK (1991) Monitoring of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc status in young children using toenails: comparison with scalp hair. Sci Total Environ 103(2–3):199–207
Razi CH, Akin KO, Harmanci K, Ozdemir O, Abaci A, Hizli S, Renda R, Celik A (2012) Relationship between hair cadmium levels, indoor ETS exposure and wheezing frequency in children. Allergol Immunopathol (Madr) 40:51–59. doi:10.1016/j.aller.2010.11.004
Lowe NM, Fekete K, Decsi T (2009) Methods of assessment of zinc status in humans: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 89:2040S–2051S. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27230G
Kedzierska E (2003) Concentrations of selected bioelements and toxic metals and their influence on health status of children and youth residing in Szczecin. Ann Acad Med Stetin 49:131–143, abstract
Benes B, Sladká J, Spevácková V, Smid J (2003) Determination of normal concentration levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Zn in hair of the child population in the Czech Republic. Cent Eur J Public Health 11:184–186
Geier DA, Kern JK, King PG, Sykes LK, Geier MR (2012) Hair toxic metal concentrations and autism spectrum disorder severity in young children. Int J Environ Res Public Health 9:4486–4497. doi:10.3390/ijerph9124486
Iyengar V, Woittiez J (1988) Trace elements in human clinical specimens. Evaluation of literature data to identify reference values. Clin Chem 34:474–481
Popko J, Olszewski S, Hukalowics K, Markiewicz R, Borawska MH, Szeparowicz P (2003) Lead, cadmium, copper and zinc concentrations in blood and hair of mothers of children with locomotor system malformations. Pol J Environ Stud 12:375–379
Reinhold JG, Kfoury GA, Thomas TA (1967) Zinc, copper and iron concentrations in hair and other tissues: effects of low zinc and low protein intakes in rats. J Nutr 92:173–182
Contiero E, Folin M (1994) Trace elements nutritional status. Use of hair as a diagnostic tool. Biol Trace Elem Res 40:151–160
Özden TA, Gökçay G, Işsever H, Durmaz Ö, Sökücü S, Saner G (2012) Serum and hair zinc levels of infants and their mothers. Clin Biochem 45:753–757. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2012.04.001
Alkan N, Alkan A, Gedik K, Fisher A (2013) Assessment of metal concentrations in commercially important fish species in Black Sea. Toxicol Ind Health. Nov 5. [Epub ahead of print]
Guéguen M, Amiard JC, Arnich N, Badot PM, Claisse D, Guérin T, Vernoux JP (2011) Shellfish and residual chemical contaminants: hazards, monitoring, and health risk assessment along French coasts. Rev Environ Contam Toxicol 213:55–111. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-9860-6_3
Qu CS, Ma ZW, Yang J, Liu Y, Bi J, Huang L (2012) Human exposure pathways of heavy metals in a lead-zinc mining area, Jiangsu Province, China. PLoS One 7:e46793. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0046793
He P, Lu Y, Liang Y, Chen B, Wu M, Li S, He G, Jin T (2013) Exposure assessment of dietary cadmium: findings from Shanghainese over 40 years, China. BMC Public Health 18(13):590. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-590
Scherer G, Barkemeyer H (1983) Cadmium concentrations in tobacco and tobacco smoke. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 7:71–78
Serdar MA, Akin BS, Razi C, Akin O, Tokgoz S, Kenar L, Aykut O (2012) The correlation between smoking status of family members and concentrations of toxic trace elements in the hair of children. Biol Trace Elem Res 148(1):11–17. doi:10.1007/s12011-012-9337-5
Włodarczyk A, Raciborski F, Opoczyńska D, Samoliński B, Pwg G (2013) Daily tobacco smoking patterns in rural and urban areas of Poland—the results of the GATS study. Ann Agric Environ Med 20:588–594
Yawson AE, Baddoo A, Hagan-Seneadza NA, Calys-Tagoe B, Hewlett S, Dako-Gyeke P, Mensah G, Minicuci N, Naidoo N, Chatterji S, Kowal P, Biritwum R (2013) Tobacco use in older adults in Ghana: sociodemographic characteristics, health risks and subjective wellbeing. BMC Public Health 13:979
Weber CW, Nelson GW, Vasquez de Vaquera M, Pearson PB (1990) Trace elements in the hair of healthy and malnourished children. J Trop Pediatr 36:230–234
Fell GS, Fleck A, Cuthberson DP, Queen K, Morrison C, Bessent RG, Husain SL (1973) Urinary zinc levels as an indication of muscle catabolism. Lancet 1:280–282
Lee BK, Kim Y (2013) Blood cadmium, mercury, and lead and metabolic syndrome in South Korea: 2005–2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Am J Ind Med 56:682–692. doi:10.1002/ajim.22107
Kelishadi R, Askarieh A, Motlagh ME, Tajadini M, Heshmat R, Ardalan G, Fallahi S, Poursafa P (2013) Association of blood cadmium level with cardiometabolic risk factors and liver enzymes in a nationally representative sample of adolescents: the CASPIAN-III study. J Environ Public Health 2013:142856. doi:10.1155/2013/142856
Rhee SY, Hwang YC, Woo JT, Sinn DH, Chin SO, Chon S, Kim YS (2013) Blood lead is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults: an analysis based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), 2008. Cardiovasc Diabetol 12(1):9
Acknowledgments
We are indebted to the students of the Universities of La Laguna and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for their collaboration in obtaining the hair samples.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest regarding this manuscript. No institutional grants or funding have been received for this study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gonzalez-Reimers, E., Martín-González, C., Galindo-Martín, L. et al. Lead, Cadmium and Zinc in Hair Samples: Relationship with Dietary Habits and Urban Environment. Biol Trace Elem Res 157, 205–210 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9896-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9896-8