Akira Imahori

MULTIELEMENT NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS OF HUMAN SCALP HAIR A LOCAL POPULATION SURVEY IN THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN AREA

Applying instrumental neutron activation analysis, multielement analysis of human hair was carried out to elucidate the levels of various trace element concentrations in hair of local population in the Tokyo metropolitan area. 202 hair samples were collected from the inhabitants classified by sex and five age groups. Using several combinations of irradiation time, cooling time and counting time, forty elements were quantitatively analyzed. The method of analysis for data including samples under detection limit is discussed, assuming that the frequanecy distribution of trace element contents in hair is log-normal.

Multielement analysis of the hair of mining industry workers

Scalp hair samples were collected from 75 zinc mine workers at the Nakadatsu Mine in Fukui Prefecture and were subjected to instrumental neutron activation analysis for determination of Cu, Cl, Mn, Ca, Au, Br, As, Na, K, Hg, Zn and Co concentrations. For determination of Cd, atomic absorption spectrophotometry was applied to approximately a half of the samples. The results were compared with the data of inhabitants of Suginami Ward in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Excessive concentration in the mean values of Zn, Cu, Mn and Hg was observed in the hair of the miners as compared with the Suginami residents. On the other hand, the mean concentrations of K and Cl in the hair of the miners were lower than those of the Suginami inhabitants.