AGE AND SEX DEPENDENCE OF SELECTED TRACE-METALS IN SCALP HAIR OF URBAN-POPULATION OF PAKISTAN

Concentrations of ten metals (Ag, Al, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Sr, Ca and M g) in scalp hair of urban donors from the city of Lahore, Pakistan wer e determined by the nitric acid/perchloric acid digestion based method by ICP-AES. The age and sex dependence of metal levels was investigat ed for the age groups 10-47 and 7-55 years, for females and males, res pectively. In total 45 female and 42 male samples were analysed in tri plicate. The maximum concentration in the male group was that of Fe, b etween 45 and 330 mg/kg, followed by Sr between 4.5 and 109 mg/kg. On average, the following order of metal concentration in male hair was o bserved: Ca > Mg > Fe > Sr > Al > Cu > Mn > Cr > Ag > Cd. For female s amples Cu was found to have a maximum concentration (210 mg/kg) follow ed by Fe (170 mg/kg) and Sr (140 mg/kg). In this group the concentrati on order was: Ca > Mg > Cu > Fe > Sr > Al > Mn > Ag/Cr > Cd. A metal t o metal correlation study showed that different metals were mutually c orrelated in male and female hair. Regression equations illustrated a distinct dependence of metal concentrations on the age of donors. The data are compared with corresponding data reported in the literature.