Heavy Metal Accumulation in Dust and Workers’ Scalp Hair as a Bioindicator for Air Pollution from a Steel Factory

Abstract

Air pollution is the emission of undesirable substances into the atmosphere such as gases, dust, heavy metals and fumes that could be harmful to the health or comfort of humans and animals [1]. One of the most critical pollutants is heavy metals. Unlike other pollutants, these metals are not degraded and persist for a long time in the environment [2]. Anthropogenic activities such as steel and iron industry, mining, cement, paper, leather and paint manufacturing, smelting procedures, traffic and agriculture activities are the most dangerous sources of heavy metals distribution in the environment [3]. Indoor and outdoor industrial air pollutants in the workplace negatively affect the health of workers [4]. Harmful pollutants such as gases, vapours, fumes and smoke may be produced during the melting, moulding, mould drying, furnace preheating, electric arc furnace processes and cooling in the iron and steel industry [5, 6]. Outdoors, the concentration of pollutants is lower compared with the level in the indoors of the industry due to fine size of emitted particulates [7]. In a furnace,

Quantification of Some Heavy Metals in Hair of Dairy Cows Housed in Different Areas from Sicily as a Bioindicator of Environmental Exposure—A Preliminary Study

“…Yang et al [ 15 ] found higher Fe content (476–51180 mg/kg) in female free-ranging capybara hair with respect to the values measured in all groups of cows enrolled in the present study. Salih and Aziz [ 2 ] detected a concentration of Fe in the scalp hair of workers in a steel factory in Iraq of 128.32 mg/kg, which was similar to the values detected in the current study for groups 2 and 4, while in an unpolluted rural site it was 50.98 mg/kg, which was similar to group 5 but higher respect to the remaining groups.…”

“…Industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural production have become permanent sources of extraneous chemicals for living organisms [ 1 ]. Heavy metals are considered one of the most critical pollutants [ 2 , 3 ] that contaminate the environment as a consequence of anthropogenic or natural activities (i.e., soil erosion, natural weathering of the earth’s crust, mining, industrial effluents, urban runoff, sewage discharge, use of fertilizers, insect control agents or diseases applied to crops, and atmospheric deposition) [ 4 , 5 ]. Despite their essential role in coenzymes, metals may show toxic effects in excess amounts and persist for a long time in the environment [ 2 , 5 ].…”

“…Heavy metals are considered one of the most critical pollutants [ 2 , 3 ] that contaminate the environment as a consequence of anthropogenic or natural activities (i.e., soil erosion, natural weathering of the earth’s crust, mining, industrial effluents, urban runoff, sewage discharge, use of fertilizers, insect control agents or diseases applied to crops, and atmospheric deposition) [ 4 , 5 ]. Despite their essential role in coenzymes, metals may show toxic effects in excess amounts and persist for a long time in the environment [ 2 , 5 ]. It has been demonstrated that heavy metals may interfere with physiological systems due to their ability to bind with protein sites [ 4 , 6 ].…”

“…Moreover, hair sampling is non-invasive and collected samples do not require refrigeration [ 10 ]. Since the concentration of minerals in hair is higher than in other tissues, the distribution of metals in this biological matrix reflects the concentration in the whole body over a longer period [ 2 , 12 ]. Furthermore, while urine and blood give a picture of short-term exposure to toxic elements, metal contents in hair express a long-term exposure of animals to toxic metals reflecting the over-time exposure change [ 2 ].…”

Estimation of Air Velocity for Levitation of Microparticles for Air Quality Control

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Affection of microparticles and bioaerosols on human health receives has seen important interest in recent years [1][2][3][4]. Arising from industrial zones, motor vehicles, or living activities, these particles float and are inhaled, causing negative effects on human health [3][4][5][6][7]. Studying to reduce these affects, beside examining the origin, moving laws, and distribution of microparticles in various regions, their direct filtration is also crucial for a cleaner indoor environment.

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