E.V. Lakarova, A.R. Grabeklis, A.V. Skalny

To improve monitoring system, watching influence of toxic metals on human health in unfaourable occupational and ecological conditions, indicator features of whole blood and hair was studied. Samples of these biosubstances were simultaneously taken from 263 chemical plant workers (men 25 to 58 years old, with the length of working no less than 1 year). Totally, there were collected 246 whole blood and 262 hair samples. The samples were subjected to multielement analysis by ICP-AES/ICP-MS method, 25 chemical elements were determined. The results of multielement analysis were considered in relation to occupational contact of the workers with chemical elements. The occupational contact was registered individually for each worker on the basis of personal medical/professional cards. Thus, 208 workers had occupational contact with Na, Pb, Mn, Ni, Cr, Be, Si, B, Zn in different combinations; 55 workers did not have occupational contact with elements and were used as control group. Hair was found to be most sensitive to load of toxic trace metals: Pb, Mn, Cr, Be, Ni. Occupational contact with macro elements (Na, P), trace metalloids (Si, B) and some other metals (Zn) was not reflected in hair. It was noted that for those elements, whose natural content in hair is relatively low, the effect of pollution is quite detectable. But for those elements, whose natural content in hair is high enough, much exceeding their income from the pollution, this effect becomes unseen. Whole blood relatively weekly indicated moderate occupational load of metals except Pb and Mn, but effectively reflected deficiencies of essential elements: I, Cr, and shifts in K/Na ratio, which are likely to be secondary effects of harmful occupational factors. Comparison of the content of essential elements in biosubstances taken from control group and from workers, contacting with toxic elements, showed that hair demonstrates higher content of several elements in the exposed workers, indicating increased elimination of these elements from the body under influence of the toxic load. In whole blood there were detected a significant decline in iodine, potassium in the exposed workers, and shift in K/Na ratio, which can indicate a trend to secondary insufficiency in these elements. Correlation analysis of whole blood and hair content of chemical elements showed positive correlations for Hg, Pb, P, Be, Mn, Sn, As, and negative - for Cr, V. Thus, monitoring of low-intensity exposure to toxic and conditionally toxic chemical elements is expedient to be made using hair analysis. However, general estimation of exogenous influence of chemical elements requires simultaneous investigation of two biosubstances: hair and whole blood.