ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Zinc and Lead Concentrations in the Pubic Hair of Women Living in Areas with Different Contamination Degrees
Danuta Wiechuła1, Agnieszka Fischer1, Krzysztof Loska2, Kamila Widziewicz2, Adam Górka2
 
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1Department of Toxicology, Medical University of Silesia, Poland
2Institute of Engineering of Water and Wastewater, Silesian University of Technology, Poland
 
 
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2012;21(6):1875-1880
 
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ABSTRACT
Our paper contains analytical results of zinc and lead concentrations in the pubic hair of women living in areas with different contamination degrees. Women living in the area of Knurów, Silesia (a high degree of industrialization) and female residents of the area of Łańcut (Subcarpathian region), where the level of urbanization is much smaller, constituted the respondent group. Overall, the hair of 159 women aged 22 up to 75 was tested. Washed hair was mineralized by a microwave method with HNO3. Metal concentrations were determined using the AAS technique and SpectrAA 880 as well as Spectra 880Z spectrophotometers by the Varian Company. It has been found that the average lead concentration in the pubic hair of the women from the Subcarpathian region was significantly higher than the concentration of this element in the group of women from Silesia, which was probably related to the influence of low emissions in the area. Zinc concentrations in the pubic hair of the women in both treatment groups did not differ. The concentration of lead in the pubic hair of the women from the Subcarpathian region increased with age.
eISSN:2083-5906
ISSN:1230-1485
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