Elemental contamination of Japanese women's hair from historical samples

The Science of the Total Environment
T SuzukiR Yamamoto

Abstract

Japanese women's hair, which had been cut in the past and preserved was examined for the presence of 12 elements (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Sr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Hg, Pb and P). Elevated levels of Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb and Hg (inorganic mercury) were conspicuous in the samples cut in the period 1880-1929 and used as hair pieces (kamoji). The effects of washing on element concentration depended on both the method of washing and the type of element. The least effective was washing with acetone and water, compared with two other methods involving anionic or non-ionic surface active agents. The most resistant elements to washing were Pb, Hg, Cu and Zn. From the intercorrelation of element content and factor analysis, by examining the diminution of contents by washing and by comparing the detected levels with the values measured on contemporary Japanese women's hair, the contribution of exogenous contamination to hair levels was found to be very strong for Fe, Mn, Cu, Hg (inorganic mercury), and Pb, moderate for Na and Zn, and negligible for Ca, Mg, Sr, K, Hg (organic mercury), and P.

References

Sep 15, 1978·International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health·R Yamamoto, T Suzuki
Oct 6, 1972·Science·D WeissD Leddy
Apr 1, 1984·Journal of Applied Toxicology : JAT·T SuzukiR Yamamoto
Jun 1, 1983·Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology·T Suzuki, R Yamamoto
Dec 1, 1981·Nihon eiseigaku zasshi. Japanese journal of hygiene·Y Takagi

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Citations

Jul 1, 1990·Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·A F Ahmed, A H Elmubarak
Oct 10, 2009·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Megumi Matsumoto, Jun Yoshinaga

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