Hair–Metal Binding

Environ Health Perspect. 1974 August; 8: 191–199.

PMCID: PMC1474933

Articles

Hair–Metal Binding^*

Thomas A. Hinners, Willie J. Terrill, Jane L. Kent, and Anthony V. Colucci

^*Presented in April 1974 at the Biochemische Analytik (München) and the American Chemical Society National Meeting (Los Angeles).

This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.

Abstract

Extensive ambient extraction of several metals from human hair compromises some assumptions concerning the binding of metals to hair and the biochemical process of metal incorporation into hair. Hair metal concentrations can reveal metal intoxications and metal deficiencies.

The scalp hair selected for investigation included specimens of different colors from both sexes for various donor ages and from different geographic exposure areas. The hair samples were washed by agitation for 30 min with a 1% solution of sodium lauryl sulfate in a pH 7.2 buffer, rinsed repeatedly with deionized water, and oven-dried at 110°C before 2-g portions were taken for extraction and digestion. Extraction involved agitation of the washed hair samples for 21 hr with 40 ml of 1% nitric acid at room temperature (23°C). The extracted hair was digested in order to quantitate the amount of metal that was not extracted. Metal measurements were made by conventional flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. Potential interferences were investigated.

Extraction varied between 82 and 100% for Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Zn, Cd, and Pb. Removal of Fe, Ni, and Cu was 33–54%. Anatomical location, binding chemistry, biochemical incorporation, and mass screening are discussed.

Full text

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (1.7M), or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References.

Images in this article

FIGURE 1.
on p.192

FIGURE 2.
on p.194

FIGURE 3.
on p.194

Click on the image to see a larger version.

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

Strain, WH; Steadman, LT; Lankau, CA, Jr; Berliner, WP; Pories, WJ. Analysis of zinc levels in hair for the diagnosis of zinc deficiency in man. J Lab Clin Med. 1966 Aug;68(2):244–249. [PubMed]
Reinhold, JG; Kfoury, GA; Ghalambor, MA; Bennett, JC. Zinc and copper concentrations in hair of Iranian villagers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1966 Apr;18(4):294–300. [PubMed]
FORSHUFVUD, S; SMITH, H; WASSEN, A. Arsenic content of Napoleon I's hair probably taken immediately after his death. Nature. 1961 Oct 14;192:103–105. [PubMed]
Hambidge, KM; Rodgerson, DO. Comparison of hair chromium levels of nulliparous and parous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1969 Feb 1;103(3):320–321. [PubMed]
Klevay, LM. Hair as a biopsy material. I. Assessment of zinc nutriture. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Mar;23(3):284–289. [PubMed]
Hammer, DI; Finklea, JF; Hendricks, RH; Shy, CM; Horton, RJ. Hair trace metal levels and environmental exposure. Am J Epidemiol. 1971 Feb;93(2):84–92. [PubMed]
Yamaguchi, S; Matsumoto, H; Matsuo, S; Kaku, S; Hoshide, M. Relationship between mercury content of hair and amount of fish consumed. HSMHA Health Rep. 1971 Oct;86(10):904–909. [PubMed]
Hambidge, KM; Baum, JD. Hair chromium concentrations of human newborn and changes during infancy. Am J Clin Nutr. 1972 Apr;25(4):376–379. [PubMed]
Kopito, L; Byers, RK; Shwachman, H. Lead in hair of children with chronic lead poisoning. N Engl J Med. 1967 Apr 27;276(17):949–953. [PubMed]
Petering, HG; Yeager, DW; Witherup, SO. Trace metal content of hair. I. Zinc and copper content of human hair in relation to age and sex. Arch Environ Health. 1971 Sep;23(3):202–207. [PubMed]
Klevay, LM. Hair as a biopsy material. II. Assessment of copper nutriture. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Sep;23(9):1194–1202. [PubMed]
Klevay, LM. Hair as a biopsy material. 3. Assessment of environmental lead exposure. Arch Environ Health. 1973 Apr;26(4):169–172. [PubMed]
Bate, LC. Adsorption and elution of trace elements on human hair. Int J Appl Radiat Isot. 1966 Jul;17(7):417–423. [PubMed]
Schroeder, HA; Nason, AP. Trace metals in human hair. J Invest Dermatol. 1969 Jul;53(1):71–78. [PubMed]
Klevay, LM. Hair as a biopsy material. Am J Clin Nutr. 1970 Apr;23(4):377–378. [PubMed]
Flynn, A; Fratianne, RB; Hill, OA, Jr; Pories, WJ; Strain, WH. Malversation in hair analyses. Am J Clin Nutr. 1971 Aug;24(8):893–895. [PubMed]
Hambidge, KM; Franklin, ML; Jacobs, MA. Hair chromium concentration: effects of sample washing and external environment. Am J Clin Nutr. 1972 Apr;25(4):384–389. [PubMed]
Lockeretz, W. On the lead content of human hair (1871-1971). Science. 1973 Jun 8;180(90):1080–1080. [PubMed]
Hambidge, KM; Franklin, ML; Jacobs, MA. Changes in hair chromium concentrations with increasing distances from hair roots. Am J Clin Nutr. 1972 Apr;25(4):380–383. [PubMed]
McBean, LD; Mahloudji, M; Reinhold, JG; Halsted, JA. Correlation of zinc concentrations in human plasma and hair. Am J Clin Nutr. 1971 May;24(5):506–509. [PubMed]
Schroeder, HA; Nason, AP. Trace-element analysis in clinical chemistry. Clin Chem. 1971 Jun;17(6):461–474. [PubMed]
Bradfield, RB; Yee, T; Baertl, JM. Hair zinc levels of Andean Indian children during protein-calorie malnutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 1969 Oct;22(10):1349–1353. [PubMed]
Harrison, WW; Yurachek, JP; Benson, CA. The determination of trace elements in human hair by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Clin Chim Acta. 1969 Jan;23(1):83–91. [PubMed]
Sorenson, JR; Melby, EG; Nord, PJ; Petering, HG. Interferences in the determination of metallic elements in human hair. An evaluation of zinc, copper, lead, and cadmium, using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Arch Environ Health. 1973 Jul;27(1):36–39. [PubMed]
BATE, LC. THE USE OF ACTIVATION ANALYSIS IN PROCEDURES FOR THE REMOVAL AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TE SURFACE CONTAMINANTS OF HAIR. J Forensic Sci. 1965 Jan;10(1):60–72. [PubMed]
Forslev, AW. "Nondestructive" neutron activation analysis of hair. J Forensic Sci. 1966 Apr;11(2):217–232. [PubMed]
GARN, SM. Types and distribution of the hair in man. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1951 Mar;53(3):498–507. [PubMed]
Taylor, JE; Yan, JF; Wang, JL. The iron(3)-catalyzed oxidation of cysteine by molecular oxygen in the aqueous phase. An example of a two-thirds-order reaction. J Am Chem Soc. 1966 Apr 20;88(8):1663–1667. [PubMed]
STRAIN, WH; LANKAU, CA., Jr ZINC-65 IN HUMAN HAIR. Nature. 1964 Oct 31;204:490–491. [PubMed]
STRAIN, WH; BERLINER, WP; LANKAU, CA, Jr; MCEVOY, RK; PORIES, WJ; GREENLAW, RH. RETENTION OF RADIOISOTOPES BY HAIR, BONE AND VASCULAR TISSUE. J Nucl Med. 1964 Sep;5:664–674. [PubMed]
Liappis, N; Hungerland, H. Quantitative study of free amino acids in human eccrine sweat during normal conditions and exercise. Am J Clin Nutr. 1972 Jul;25(7):661–663. [PubMed]
Jaworowski, Z; Bilkiewicz, J; Kostanecki, W. The uptake of 210Pb by resting and growing hair. Int J Radiat Biol Relat Stud Phys Chem Med. 1966;11(6):563–566. [PubMed]
MYERS, RJ; HAMILTON, JB. Regeneration and rate of growth of hairs in man. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1951 Mar;53(3):562–568. [PubMed]
KAGI, JH; VALLEE, BL. Metallothionein: a cadmium and zinc-containign protein from equine renal cortex. II. Physico-chemical properties. J Biol Chem. 1961 Sep;236:2435–2442. [PubMed]
Piras, R; Vallee, BL. Procarboxypeptidase A-carboxypeptidase A interrelationships. Metal and substrate binding. Biochemistry. 1967 Jan;6(1):348–357. [PubMed]