scholarly journals Evaluation of Trace Elements in the Nails and Hair of Farmers Exposed to Pesticides and Fertilizers

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (13) ◽  
pp. 79
Author(s):  
Zariyantey Abdul Hamid ◽  
Ismarulyusda Ishak ◽  
Syarif Husin Lubis ◽  
Nihayah Mohammad ◽  
Hidayatulfathi Othman ◽  
...  

Exposure to pesticides and fertilizers lowers the level of trace elements in the human body for several reasons. This study aimed to investigate the effect of pesticide exposure to the levels of trace elements of farmers in Bachok and Tumpat, Kelantan, Malaysia. This cross sectional study involved 89 farmers. Demographic data and information on the duration of the exposure to the pesticides and fertilizers, as well as personal protective equipment (PPE) practice habits, were determined through questionnaire. The levels of selenium, manganese, zinc, copper and chromium samples of fingernails, toenails and hair were determined through the use of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The levels of the trace elements were not influenced by gender, age and the period of exposure. Only the manganese levels found in the hair samples (r = 0.250) show a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) with the working period. PPE practice habit also have significant correlation (p < 0.05) with manganese level in fingernails (r = 0.530) and toenails (r = -0.353), zinc level in hair (r = -0.439) and chromium level in fingernails (r = -0.306). Exposure towards pesticide and fertilizer decreased the trace element level in nails and hair of farmers. Additionally, the level of trace elements can be influenced by health status, working period, dietary habit and PPE practices.

Author(s):  
Bhagavathami Meenaksh ◽  
Chitraa R. Chandran ◽  
Aravindhan Thathchari Ranganathan ◽  
Kavindapadi Venkateswaran Rama ◽  
Valarmathy Srinivasan

Background: This study aims to determine and compare the levels of trace elements copper, zinc, selenium and chromium in GCF and serum of patients with periodontitis and healthy individuals. Methods: This cross sectional study includes 24 study subjects recruited from the patients reporting to the Department of Periodontics , Tagore Dental College Chennai. All the selected patients were subjected to a clinical examination done by a single examiner. The estimation of trace elements Copper, Zinc, Selenium and Chromium in GCF and serum is performed using Perkin Elmer optima 5300 Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICPOES). Results: GCF and serum copper levels showed no significant difference in both periodontitis and healthy groups . Selenium levels tend to be the same in both groups. Serum zinc levels are more in periodontitis patients than healthy subjects (p less than 0.01). GCF chromium levels are found to be more in patients with periodontitis than healthy. Conclusions : More research is therefore needed to monitor the role of these trace elements C with an increased sample size to ascertain whether they are associated with a reduced risk of periodontitis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Dian Sarah Mutiara ◽  
Diana Sunardi ◽  
Esthika Dewiasty

Introduction: Neurodegenerative disease is the most problem in elderly. Amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation is the major cause of cognitive impairment. Zinc has an important role in antioxidant and Aβ accumulation process. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted involving 58 subjects of elderly in Jakarta. Subjects were recruited by consecutive sampling. Hair zinc level was measured by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICPS) and cognitive function assessed by abbreviated mental test (AMT). Data analysis was done by spearman rank correlation test and p-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: The mean of age was 65.4 ± 4.4 years old and 56.9% of subjects were female. The mean of hair zinc level was 123.23 ± 69.71 µg/gram hair and 32.8% subjects had hair zinc deficiency. There was 91.4% subjects had normal cognitive function. The study showed no correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly (p=0.871 ; r=-0.022).Conclusions: There was no correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly. Further research is expected to be performed with different level of cognitive function.Keywords: cognitive, elderly, hair zinc level, zinc.


BMJ Open ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. e005979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Li ◽  
Yongen Gu ◽  
Shanfa Yu ◽  
Yang Li ◽  
Jinglin Yang ◽  
...  

ObjectivesWe aimed to investigate suitable conditions of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and micronucleus (MN) as genotoxic biomarkers at different levels of occupational chromate exposure.DesignA cross-sectional study was used.Participants84 workers who were exposed to chromate for at least 1 year were chosen as the chromate exposed group, while 30 non-exposed individuals were used as controls.Main outcome measuresEnvironmental and biological exposure to chromate was respectively assessed by measuring the concentration of chromate in the air (CrA) and blood (CrB) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) in all participants. MN indicators, including micronucleus cell count (MNCC), micro-nucleus count (MNC), nuclear bridge (NPB) and nuclear bud (NBUD) were calculated by the cytokinesis-block micronucleus test (CBMN), while the urinary 8-OHdG was measured by the ELISA method and normalised by the concentration of Cre.ResultsCompared with the control group, the levels of CrA, CrB, MNCC, MNC and 8-OHdG in the chromate-exposed group were all significantly higher (p<0.05). There were positive correlations between log(8-OHdG) and LnMNCC or LnMNC (r=0.377 and 0.362). The levels of LnMNCC, LnMNC and log (8-OHdG) all have parabola correlations with the concentration of CrB. However, there was a significantly positive correlation between log (8-OHdG) and CrB when the CrB level was below 10.50 µg/L (r=0.355), while a positive correlation was also found between LnMNCC or LnMNC and CrB when the CrB level was lower than 9.10 µg/L (r=0.365 and 0.269, respectively).ConclusionsMN and 8-OHdG can be used as genotoxic biomarkers in the chromate-exposed group, but it is only when CrB levels are lower than 9.10 and 10.50 µg/L, respectively, that they can accurately reflect the degree of genetic damage.


Author(s):  
Thaís Karolina Lisboa de Queiroz ◽  
Karytta Sousa Naka ◽  
Lorena de Cássia dos Santos Mendes ◽  
Brenda Natasha Souza Costa ◽  
Iracina Maura de Jesus ◽  
...  

The main routes of lead (Pb) absorption are through the airways and orally, and through consumption of contaminated food and beverage, with Pb mainly being absorbed in the atmospheric particulate form. In 2012, a cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the Pb environmental exposure in two Amazonian districts, Dom Manuel (DMN) and Laranjal (CLA), located in Barcarena City, northern Brazil. CLA is located outside the industrial area of Barcarena (control population), whereas DMN is an old community located in the vicinity of industrial activities. A significant number of residents in these districts participated in an epidemiological inquiry and blood sampling. Total Pb blood levels were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean Pb blood level in people that live in DMN was 281.60 (98.73–570.80) μg·L−1, approximately nine times higher than the level found in CLA (32.77 μg·L−1). In these districts, the Pb blood levels showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) based on gender, schooling, residence time, and smoking. This is the first evidence of industrial environmental pollutant exposure in the Amazon.


Biomedicines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 354
Author(s):  
Federica Romano ◽  
Alexandra Castiblanco ◽  
Francesca Spadotto ◽  
Federica Di Scipio ◽  
Mery Malandrino ◽  
...  

Over the past decade, there has been growing interest in the association between macro and trace minerals in body fluids and systemic diseases related to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. Due to the paucity of data in the literature on periodontitis, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between mineral elements in saliva and periodontal status in patients with untreated and treated periodontitis compared to periodontally healthy controls. Salivary samples from 66 nonsmoker healthy patients (20 periodontally healthy, 24 untreated severe periodontitis and 22 treated severe periodontitis) were analyzed by using inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (ICP-MS). Significant increases in copper (Cu), sodium (Na), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) concentrations occurred in saliva of severe periodontitis subjects compared to periodontally healthy controls. No differences were detected between healthy controls and treated periodontitis patients apart from levels of zinc (Zn) and lithium (Li) that were found to be increased and reduced, respectively, in periodontitis group. Most subjects were correctly separated by cluster analysis into active periodontitis and periodontally healthy individuals. Treated periodontitis individuals were classified as healthy subjects. Based on these preliminary results, the assessment of salivary concentration of mineral elements might be useful in discriminating periodontal health and disease.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 27-32
Author(s):  
Reza Sharafati Chaleshtori ◽  
◽  
Zahra Jadi ◽  

Background: Consumers may be contaminated by various food intakes as one of the most important sources of organic and inorganic pollutants associated with agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and nitrate contaminations in watermelon and carrot samples and the associated risks to human health. Methods: In this cross sectional study, 108 samples of watermelon and carrot samples were collected randomly from the supermarkets in Kashan, Iran, from October 2017 to September 2018. Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and spectrophotometry were used to analyze Pb, Cd and nitrate in the collected samples, respectively. Results: The results showed that the carrot samples had the most concentrations of Pb, Cd and nitrate than those for watermelon (p<0.001). All of the samples except for some watermelons and carrots had lower contaminants than the permissible standard limits. The results of the target hazard quotient (THQ) and total THQ for the compounds were within the safe range (<1) and were not detected at harmful levels. The excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR) of Pb and Cd were in the safe and unsafe range, respectively. However, the total cancer risk was higher than the standard level and was; therefore, unsafe to the consumers. Conclusion: The study showed that the concentrations of the compounds in carrot and watermelon may potentially be hazardous to the health of Iranian consumers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Dian Sarah Mutiara ◽  
Diana Sunardi ◽  
Esthika Dewiasty

Background and Objectives : Neurodegenerative disease is the most problem in elderly. Amyloid β (Aβ) accumulation is the major cause of cognitive impairment. Zinc has an important role in antioxidant and Aβ accumulation process. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly.Methods : A cross sectional study was conducted involving 58 subjects of elderly in Jakarta. Subjects were recruited by consecutive sampling. Hair zinc level was measured by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer (ICPS) and cognitive function assessed by abbreviated mental test (AMT). Data analysis was done by spearman rank correlation test[DN1]  and p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results : The mean of age was 65.4 ± 4.4 years old and 56.9% of subjects were female. The mean of hair zinc level was 123.23 ± 69.71 µg/gram hair and 32.8% subjects had hair zinc deficiency. There was 91.4% subjects had normal cognitive function. The study showed no correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly (p=0.871 ; r=-0.022).Conclusion : There was no correlation between hair zinc level and cognitive function in elderly. Further research is expected to be performed with different level of cognitive function.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 2169
Author(s):  
Babulal Choudhary ◽  
Anurag Singh ◽  
Vishnu K. Goyal ◽  
Pramod Sharma ◽  
G. S. Totetja ◽  
...  

Background: Maintenance of normal levels of copper, selenium, and zinc play an important part in lessening the morbidities associated with thalassemia major. Levels of these elements have been found to be altered in this chronic transfusion dependent disease from all over the world, but with widely variable results.  Besides repeated blood transfusions and use of chelating agents, their levels in thalassemics are affected by genetic and dietary factors also, compelling us to undertake this study in our population. The Objectives of this study was to assessment of serum levels of zinc, copper and selenium in transfusion dependent beta thalassemics.  Methods: Cross sectional descriptive study conducted at Thalassemia Day-care Centre of a teaching hospital. Total 64 transfusion dependent thalassemics in the age group 3-18 years were subjected to serum levels of zinc, copper and selenium by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry technique.   Results: Four (6.25%) had hypozincemia, 15 (23.43%) hypocupremia and one (1.565%) had hypercupremia. Two (3.12%) had higher selenium levels (>190 µgm/l).Conclusions: In contrast to previous studies, hypocupremia has been found to be more prevalent than hypozincemia and hyposelenemia in our population. 


2016 ◽  
Vol 86 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 242-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genc Burazeri ◽  
Jolanda Hyska ◽  
Iris Mone ◽  
Enver Roshi

Abstract.Aim: To assess the association of breakfast skipping with overweight and obesity among children in Albania, a post-communist country in the Western Balkans, which is undergoing a long and difficult political and socioeconomic transition towards a market-oriented economy. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional study was carried out in Albania in 2013 including a representative sample of 5810 children aged 7.0 – 9.9 years (49.5% girls aged 8.4 ± 0.6 years and 51.5% boys aged 8.5 ± 0.6 years; overall response rate: 97%). Children were measured for height and weight, and body mass index (BMI) calculated. Cut-off BMI values of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) were used to define overweight and obesity in children. Demographic data were also collected. Results: Upon adjustment for age, sex, and place of residence, breakfast skipping was positively related to obesity (WHO criteria: OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3–1.9; IOTF criteria: OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.4–2.5), but not overweight (OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.9–1.3 and OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 0.9–1.4, respectively). Furthermore, breakfast skipping was associated with a higher BMI (multivariable-adjusted OR = 1.05, 95% CI = 1.02–1.07). Conclusions: Our findings point to a strong and consistent positive relationship between breakfast skipping and obesity, but not overweight, among children in this transitional southeastern European population. Future studies in Albania and other transitional settings should prospectively examine the causal role of breakfast skipping in the development of overweight and obesity.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Todoric Laidlaw ◽  
◽  
Ninoslav Mimica ◽  
Berislav Momcilovic ◽  
Jasna Jurasovic ◽  
...  

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