Skip to main content
Log in

Trace elements in hair of healthy children sampled by age and sex

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Hair trace element (TE) (Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Br, Rb, Sr, Pb) levels from 336 healthy subjects were measured by the Proton-Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) method. The subjects were divided in three groups: 157 full-term neonates (75 male and 82 female), 86 children (41 male and 45 female) ages 6 to 11 yr, and 93 adolescents (51 male and 42 female) 11 to 16 yr old. Cu, Zn, Cr, and Br show an increase from birth to 8 yr and then decrease. Fe, Mn, and Sr strongly decrease up to 8 yr and then remain almost stable. Sex differences are present in Fe, Zn, and Br of children and in Cu, Cr, and Br of adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L. M. Klevay, B. R. Bistrian, R. Fleming, and C. G. Neumann, Hair analysis in clinical and experimental medicine,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 46, 233–236 (1987).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R. S. Rivlin, Misuse of hair analysis for nutritional assessment.Am. J. Med. 75, 489–493 (1983).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. E. S. Di Pietro, D. L. Phillips, D. C. Paschal, and J. W. Neese, Determination of trace elements in human hair,Biol. Trace Elements Res. 22, 83–100 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. I. Lombeck, M. Wilhelm, D. Hafner, K. Roloff, and F. K. Ohnesorge, Hair zinc of young children from rural and urban areas in North Rhine-Westphalia, Federal Republic of Germany,Eur. J. Pediatr. 147, 179–183 (1988).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. P. S. Gentile, M. J. Trentalange, and M. Coleman, The relationship of hair zinc concentrations to height, weigth, age, and sex in the normal population.Pediatr. Res. 15, 123–127 (1981).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. R. Di Toro, M. Galdo Capotorti, G. Gialanella, M. Miraglia del Giudice, R. Moro, and L. Perrone, Zinc and copper status of allergic children,Acta Paediatr. Scand. 76, 612–617 (1987).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. L. Perrone, G. Gialanella, R. Moro, Y. X. Zhang, F. Rea, V. Giordano, and R. Di Toro, Zinc status in some chronic childhood diseases, inContributions to Infusion Therapy, vol. 27,Infantile Nutrition—An update, R. Di Toro, ed., Karger, Basel, pp. 115–131 (1991).

    Google Scholar 

  8. S. B. Deeming and C. W. Weber, Hair analysis of trace minerals in human subjects as influenced by age, sex, and contraceptive drugs,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 31, 1175–1180 (1978).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Schuhmacher, J. L. Domingo, J. M. Llobet, J. Corbella, and J. B. Marti, Chromium, copper, and zinc concentrations in hair of school children from Southern Catalonia Spain,Trace Elements Med. 10, 21–26 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  10. R. Moro, G. Gialanella, Y. X. Zhang, L. Perrone, and R. Di Toro, Trace Elements in full-term neonate hair,J. Trace Elem. Electrolytes Health Dis. 6, 27–31 (1992).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. K. Okamoto, M. Morita, H. Quan, T. Uehiro, and K. Fuwa, Preparation and certification of human hair powder reference material,Clin. Chem. 31, 1593–1597 (1985).

    Google Scholar 

  12. K. M. Hambidge and J. D. Baum, Hair chromium concentrations of human newborn and changes during infancy,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 25, 376–379 (1972).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. G. Saner, T. Dagoglu, and T. Özden, Hair manganese concentrations in newborns and their mothers,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 41, 1042–1044 (1985).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Perrone, L., Moro, R., Caroli, M. et al. Trace elements in hair of healthy children sampled by age and sex. Biol Trace Elem Res 51, 71–76 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790149

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02790149

Index Entries

Navigation