Determination of elements in hair samples BY ICP-MS

In this thesis, total accumulation values of Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Sr and Zn for the people living in Osmangazi and Gebze districts of Bursa and Kocaeli provinces, respectively, were determined by analyzing were determined by analyzing hair samples which were collected form those people. Hair samples were collected from 60 volunteers over 18 years of age who have been living in Bursa and Kocaeli regions for at least 5 years. In this study, specifically male individuals without hair color were preferred to reveal environmental factors, occupation and age effects. The collected samples were analyzed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) after prewashing, drying and open digestion. The average concentrations of Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Sr and Zn in hair samples collected in Bursa were found to be 0,150 µg/g, 0,367 µg/g, 0,102 µg/g, 0,098 µg/g, 11,8 µg/g, 0,85 µg/g and 226 µg/g, respoectively. The average concentrations of Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Sr and Zn in hair samples collected from Kocaeli were found to be 0,196 µg/g, 0,652 µg/g, 0,016 µg/g, 0,124 µg/g, 10,1 µg/g, 1,28 µg/g and 217 µg/g, respectively. The statisitcal data evaluation was performed for the data obtained by the analysis. The concentration levels of the elements investigated in this study, were found to be within the accepted normal limits. Therefore, the results obtained in this study showed that the individuals whose hair samples were analyzed were not recently exposed to the levels that may create any health hazard for the investigated elements (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Cu, Sr and Zn).