Reference Values on Children's Hair for 28 Elements (Heavy Metals and Essential Elements) Based on a Pilot Study in a...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Analytical Chemistry
• Pediatric Toxicology

Background:

• Hair element analysis serves as a biomarker for environmental exposure and essential nutrient status.
• Accurate interpretation of hair element concentrations requires established reference values.
• Previous studies lack comprehensive reference values for pediatric populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose provisional reference values for 28 elements in children's hair.
• To establish a baseline for interpreting hair element concentrations in a typical child population.
• To provide a foundation for environmental exposure assessment and nutritional status monitoring in children.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study analyzed 419 hair samples from children aged 3-12 years in the Mediterranean region.
• Element concentrations were measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS).
• Statistical analysis involved percentile-based approaches, considering and excluding outliers to establish reference values.

Main Results:

• Asymmetric distribution curves were observed for most elements, necessitating percentile-based analysis.
• Minimal significant differences in element concentrations were found based on sex or age.
• Provisional reference values were proposed using percentile tables and case-by-case analysis.

Conclusions:

• The proposed provisional reference values are based on a representative, non-contaminated child population.
• These values can aid researchers and physicians in assessing environmental exposure and essential element status in children.
• Further wider geographical studies are recommended for a more comprehensive dataset.