The Interaction Between Concentration of Heavy Metal-Trace Elements and Non-Smoking Status of Adolescents in Sinop...

This study was experimentally conducted between 2017 and 2018 in order to determine the interactions of heavy metals and non-smoking status of adolescents in Sinop Province (Turkey). In this regard, the students of Sarı Saltuk Anatolian High School students in Sinop Province were examined. The research data was obtained using a questionnaire, including questions about sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status of the adolescences. Afterwards, 0.5 g of hair samples from 40 female students who accepted to participate to the research was collected and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MSMS), and the obtained data were evaluated using SPSS (version 22.0) statistical program. At the end of the study, the Mg, Cr, Co, and Zn elements of the non-smoking girls were found to be slightly higher than the normal range of hair, and the high concentration of Cd element was related to the contamination by passive smoking. Besides, it was determined that the elements which showed the highest positive correlation in hair samples taken from the children of smokers were Ca/Cd, Al/Fe, Mg/Cr, Na/Fe, Al/Cd, and Al/Na, respectively. As the nursing approach, it is thought that trainings aiming to prevent smoking and quitting smoking are extremely important.