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Comparative Metal Distribution in Scalp Hair of Pakistani and Irish Referents and Hypertensive Patients

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Abstract

The abnormal metabolism of metal ions plays an important role in health and disease conditions, and studies about them have been attracting significant interest. The aim of our study was to assess the heavy metals (cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn)) in scalp hair samples of 50 Irish and 78 Pakistani hypertensive patients of an urban population together with 50 Irish and 96 Pakistani non-hypertensive male subjects in the age group of 30–50 years. The concentrations of trace and toxic elements were measured by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrophotometer and atomic absorption spectrophotometer before microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked using certified reference materials, and by the conventional wet acid digestion method on the same certified reference materials and on real samples. The recovery of all the studied elements was found to be in the range of 97.5–99.7% in certified reference material. The results of this study showed that the mean values of cadmium, nickel, and lead were significantly higher in scalp hair samples of both Pakistani and Irish hypertensive patients than in referents (p < 0.001); whereas, the concentration of zinc was lower in the scalp hair samples of hypertensive patients of both genders. The deficiency of zinc and the high exposure of trace and toxic metals may be the risk factors associated with hypertension.

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Acknowledgment

Dr. Hassan Imran Afridi is grateful to Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan for providing the scholarships for the post doctoral research work. Dr. H.I. Afridi is also thankful to National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, Pakistan, for the grant of sabbatical leave.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Hassan Imran Afridi, Dermot Brabazon & Sumsun Naher

  2. National Center of Excellence in Analytical Chemistry, University of Sindh, Jamshoro, 76080, Pakistan

    Hassan Imran Afridi & Tasneem Gul Kazi

  3. Irish Separation Science Cluster, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

    Ekaterina Nesterenko

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  1. Hassan Imran Afridi
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Afridi, H.I., Brabazon, D., Kazi, T.G. et al. Comparative Metal Distribution in Scalp Hair of Pakistani and Irish Referents and Hypertensive Patients. Biol Trace Elem Res 143, 1367–1382 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-011-8985-1

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