An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya

This study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fing...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemistry 2022-06, Vol.2022, p.1-12
Main Authors: Bobaker, Aiman M., Alakili, Intisar, Elkhidir, Elrashied E., Sarmani, Sukiman B., Yaseen, Zaher Mundher
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acid digestion
Acids
Agriculture
Arsenic
Biomarkers
Body fluids
Cadmium
Case studies
Epidemiology
Farmers
Hair
Health aspects
Health hazards
Heavy metals
High schools
Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
Lead
Mass spectrometry
Medical research
Medicine, Experimental
Metal industry
Nails (Anatomy)
Questionnaires
Toxicology
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Summary:This study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fingernails were also evaluated. This cross-sectional study involved 127 farmers and 25 high school teachers living in the same geographical area as the farmers (served as the control group). Fingernail samples of the participants were collected, treated, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for As, Cd, and Pb contents after microwave acid digestion. Results of this study indicated that the concentration levels of the investigated heavy metals in fingernail samples of both participating farmers and control group were in order of Pb > Cd > As. Also, the results showed that As, Cd, and Pb levels in the farmers’ fingernails were found to be higher than in the control group by about 9-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively. This difference for all heavy metals analyzed was found to be statistically significant P
ISSN:2090-9063
2090-9071
DOI:10.1155/2022/5102599