Diagnostic Potential of Hair Analysis as Applied to the Goldsmith Sector

Indium

“…Spectrochemical methods are also used for the determination of indium in microgram amounts in various biological media (Kinser et al 1976). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been used to determine indium in microgram quantities in the hair of exposed individuals working in the goldsmith sector (Caroli et al 1998). Other methods of analysis include neutron activation analysis (NAA; Matthews and Riley 1970) as well as polarographic methods (Jones and Lee 1976).…”

Gold

“…In human liver and pig liver, gold concentrations are 0.72 mg kg À1 and 0.43 mg kg À1 , respectively (Chen et al 2000). Human hair (0.08 -0.06 mg kg À1 ) and reference hair (0.205 mg kg À1 ) also contain trace amounts of gold, but the Au concentration in the hair of goldsmiths (1.445 mg kg À1 ) is much higher than that of the reference (Batzevich 1995, Caroli et al 1998). Gold contents in the parkinsonian brain are 0.12 mg kg À1 wet weight for the putamen and 0.80 mg kg À1 for the substantia nigra, although Au is concentrated in the neuromelanian (1.11 mg kg À1 ), which contains chelating groups in the pigment, arising from glutathione or cysteine (Zecca et al 1994).…”

Variations in the level of some trace elements in hair of participants in the Italian expeditions in Antarctica

“…1,2 Also the exposure to toxic elements of goldsmith workers and the study of pollution by chemical elements emitted by a thermoelectric power plant as monitored through hair analysis were investigated by Caroli and his team. [3][4][5] In the framework of the Italian National Programme of Research in Antarctica (Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide, PNRA) a pilot study was undertaken to measure possible changes of trace elements in human hair of participants in the Antarctic expeditions which might be useful to monitor health conditions of personnel sojourning in Antarctica. A previous study by Caroli and his team showed that there were significant differences between some element concentrations obtained before and after the expedition.…”