Human hair as a marker of pollution by chemical elements emitted by a thermoelectric power plant

Abstract A preliminary study was undertaken to assess the risk posed to the environment and health of residents by trace elements released by fuel combustion in the thermoelectric power plant of Pian de’ Gangani (Montalto di Castro, Latium, Italy). In this context, analysis of human hair can be considered as an advantageous approach to monitor the exposure of population to the adverse effects of the power plant, which is now fully operative. To this purpose 92 healthy children (aged 9–10 years) were selected from two primary schools of Montalto di Castro and Pescia Romana. The young age of the donors guarantees that the effects of cosmetic treatment and occupational exposure on the representativeness of data are minimized. Hair samples were collected, washed and digested as prescribed by already well-established procedures. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) were employed for the determination of the trace and minor elements of interest (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, Sb, Se, Tl, V and Zn). The entire analytical procedure was checked for both measurement precision and accuracy by using the Certified Reference Material BCR No. 397 Human Hair. The mean values obtained were (in μg g −1 ): As, 0.159±0.044; Ca, 393±187; Cd, 0.047±0.055; Co, 0.040±0.038; Cr, 0.704±0.208; Cu, 12.0±10.3; Fe, 12.1±10.8; Mg, 40.6±27.7; Mn, 0.383±0.296; Ni, 0.868±1.331; P, 141±138; Pb, 1.64±1.63; Sb, 0.041±0.058; Se, 0.430±0.135; Tl, 0.001±0.001; V, 0.185±0.158; and Zn, 177±173. These experimental figures can be assumed to be the baseline values prior to the full operation of the power plant. Within the next 4–5 years it is planned to conduct a similar study with a new group of subjects, comparable for age, sex, style of life and exposure mode, to the present ones so as to detect possible trends in the bioaccumulation of the above elements.