OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE AMONGST LOCOMOTIVE SHED WORKERS AND WELDERS USING NEUTRON-ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF SCALP HAIR

Elemental analysis of scalp hair of locomotive shed workers and indust rial welders was used to study occupational exposure. Instrumental neu tron activation analysis (INAA) was used for the determination of 17 e lements, Ba, Br, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mn, Na, P, Sb, Sc, Se, Th and Zn. Most elements show normal distribution at 95% confidence level . Further statistical significance was tested by correlation coefficie nt and regression coefficients (r(2)). Comparison of mean elemental co ntents of the subjects with controls shows a significant enhancement o f Ca, Cr, Fe, Co, Na, Sc and Th, but declining trends for Br, Cu, P, S b and Zn in locomotive shed workers. In the case of welders; Ba, Co, C u, K, Mn, Sc and Sb show enhancement whereas Br, Cr, Hg, Se, Th and Zn exhibit depletion. Elemental contents have been correlated with possi ble sources of origin. Comparison of mean elemental data for the prese nt population around Nagpur city matches well with the reported data f or Bombay and Delhi. Comparative data from other countries are also pr esented. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science B.V.