Concentration of Lead, Cadmium, and Mercury in Scalp Hair, Cerebellum, Cerebrum, Heart, Kidney, Liver, Lung and Spleen from Autopsy Subjects : Relationship between Scalp Hair and Internal Organs

Chung, Jong Hak; Kim, Chang Yoon; Sakong, Joon; Lee, Joong Jung; Jeon, Man Joong; Lee, Seong Kuk; Kwak, Jeung Sik; Park, Sung Hwa

Abstract

This study was conducted to measure the lead, cadmium and mercury levels in the scalp hair, cerebellum, cerebrum, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen of the 60 Korean autopsy subjects and assess the relationship among those samples. The mean lead level in the scalp hair was 12.29+/-12.51 microgram/g and no significant difference was detected in lead concentrations between the two sexes. Among the internal organ tissues the cerebrum contained the highest level of lead. This is followed by the cerebellum, spleen and liver respectively. After which the kidney and lung showed a close similarity at relatively low concentrations and the heart contained the lowest concentration. There was also no significant variation found between sexes in a comparison of lead in the internal organ tissues. The concentrations of cadmium in kidney were 127.33+/-89.36 microgram/g and considerably higher than those in the other internal organs. The liver contained the next highest level of cadmium. In both sexes, the consistent difference was noted in the cadmium concentrations of the kidney, heart and spleen. Yet female cadmium level was higher than the male's. The concentrations of mercury in the kidney and liver were 1.26+/-2.89 microgram/g, 0.59+/-0.54 microgram/g and considerably higher than those in the other internal organs. The mean mercury level in the scalp hair was 1.29+/-0.64 microgram/g and no marked difference was noted in both sexes. The lead concentration in the spleen increased with advancing age, though not statistically significance, and most of the internal organ tissues that were examined showed no evidence of increased lead concentration with age. The kidney, cerebrum, spleen and cerebellum showed increased cadmium concentrations with age. Also as well as the internal organ tissues that were examined showed no evidence of increased mercury concentration with age. The lead concentrations in the liver and lung were higher in the urban area than in the rural area, but the lead concentration in the kidney was higher in the rural area. No difference was noted in tissue cadmium and mercury concentrations as to the area of residence either. The physical workers had greater concentrations of lead in cerebellum than did housewives or the unemployed. Yet no difference was noted in the other tissues between the two groups. In the cerebellum, cerebrum, heart, and spleen, the physical workers had greater concentrations of cadmium than students or mental workers. Also physical workers had greater concentrations of cadmium in lung than housewives or the unemployed. In contrast to lead and cadmium, both the housewives and the unemployed had higher concentrations of mercury in cerebellum and cerebrum than physical workers, but there was no difference was noted in the other tissues between the two groups. In the lead concentration, there was no statistically significant correlation between the scalp hair and examined internal organ tissues. There was a close relationship between lead levels in cerebellum and cerebrum (r=0.465, p<0.01), as well as a relationship between the cerebellum and the kidney(r=0.300, p<0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between the cadmium levels in the scalp hair and in the examined internal organ tissues. Positive correlations were found between the cadmium concentrations in the cerebellum and the cerebrum(r=0.5543, p<0.01), heart(r=0.480, p<0.01), kidney(r=0.376, p<0.01) and spleen(r=0.408, p<0.01). Also positive correlation was found between in the cerebrum and the heart(r=0.377, p<0.01), kidney(r=0.484, p<0.01), liver(r=0.265, p<0.05), lung(r=0.458, p<0.01) and spleen (r=0.483, p<0.01). There was also no statistically significant correlation between the mercury levels in the scalp hair and in the examined internal organ tissues. Positive correlation was found between the mercury concentrations in the cerebellum and cerebrum(r=0.760, p<0.01), heart(r=0.270, p<0.05), liver(r=0.425, p<0.01), lung (r=0.488, p<0.01) and spleen (r=0.534, p<0.01), and also positive correlation was found between in the cerebrum and heart(r=0.376, p<0.01), liver(r=0.350, p<0.01), lung(r=0.554, p<0.01) and spleen (r=0.489, p<0.01). Various epidemiological studies reported usefulness and reliability of using scalp hair as a monitor of a environmental pollutants. In this study, there was statistically significant correlation of lead, cadmium and mercury levels in most of the tissues that were examined, but there was no statistically significant correlation between the lead, cadmium and mercury levels in the scalp hair and most of examined internal organ tissues. The findings of this study would suggest that it is still uncertain to using scalp hair as a biological monitoring.