COPPER, IRON, MANGANESE, AND ZINC CONTENT OF HAIR FROM 2 POPULATIONS OF RHESUS-MONKEYS

The concentrations of the elements copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese ( Mn), and zinc (Zn) in hair of caged (in Maryland) and free-ranging (in Puerto Rico) rhesus monkey populations were determined. Significant c hronological age-related decreases were evident for the trace elements Mn and Zn in both populations (P less than or equal to 0.01) and for Cu and Fe in free-ranging monkeys (P less than or equal to 0.005). The only overall gender difference was higher hair Mn concentration in fr ee-ranging males than in females (P <0.03). There were no significant differences in hair Cu, Fe, or Mn related to pregnancy status. Hair Zn was lower in samples from pregnant than from nonpregnant monkeys from the caged monkeys (P less than or equal to 0.05), but did not differ in the free-ranging monkeys. Comparison of the two populations reveale d that hair Zn levels were significantly higher in caged vs free-rangi ng animals (P <0.001). We attribute this higher hair Zn in the caged m onkeys to contact and ingestion of Zn from their galvanized enclosures . Hair iron levels were significantly higher (P <0.001) in free-rangin g monkeys, possibly as a result of Fe-rich soil ingestion from their e nvironment. These data support continued investigation of the use of h air as an indicator of the exposure of large groups or populations to potentially high levels of specific minerals, and the use of nonhuman primates as models for the study of trace element deficiency and/or to xicity in humans.