In order to assess the degree of thallium exposure in a population living around a thallium emitting cement plant in a small city in North-West Germany thallium levels in 24 h urine samples of 1,265 subjects and in hair samples of 1,163 subjects were determined. Urinary thallium levels in two groups of subjects living in an urban and a rural area of West Germany were determined for reference. As compared to these subjects the population living around the cement plant exhibited obvious signs of increased thallium intake. The mean urinary thallium concentration was 2.6 μg/1 and ranged up to 76.5 pg/1. In contrast, the mean urinary thallium levels of the two reference groups were 0.2 and 0.4 μg/1, respectively. Hair thallium levels of the population living around the cement plant were also markedly increased (mean: 9.5 ng/g). The major route of the population's increased intake of thallium was found to be the consumption of vegetables and fruit grown in private gardens in the vicinity of the cement plant. As was shown by chemical analyses vegetables and fruit grown in these gardens were contaminated by thallium-containing atmospheric dust fall-out caused by emissions of the cement plant. The pulmonary route of uptake as well as other sources did not seem to play a significant role in the population's exposure to thallium. Polyneuritic symptoms, sleep disorders, headache, fatigue and other signs of psychasthenia were found to be the major health effects associated with increased thallium levels in urine and hair. No positive correlation was found between the thallium levels in hair and urine and the prevalence of skin alterations, hair-loss and gastro-intestinal dysfunctions.

Intake and health effects of thallium among a population living in the vicinity of a cement plant emitting thallium containing dust.

The concentrations of 28 elements in hair of three populations of non-occupationally exposed adults in the US (n=271) were determined. The 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles, and geometric means for these data were obtained to define reference intervals for these elements. The effects of various hair treatments, age, and sex on concentrations of 17 selected elements in hair were determined for these populations. Age had little effect on elemental concentrations. Males tended to have higher Cd and Pb levels, but lower Mg and Ti levels than females. Males using dandruff shampoo had significantly higher concentrations of Na, Se, and Ti than those using only regular shampoo and/or conditioners. Ba, Ca, Cu, Mg, Na, and Sr were all elevated in females using permanents or color treatments, compared to those using only dandruff shampoo, regular shampoo, and/or conditioners.

Determination of trace elements in human hair. Reference intervals for 28 elements in nonoccupationally exposed adults in the US and effects of hair treatments.

In one case of repeated ingestions of arsenic over a period of one year, the value of sectional toe nail analysis was investigated The arsenic determinations were performed by instrumental neutron activation analysis After subdividing the nail transversely into segments of 05 mm length, several maxima and minima of arsenic concentrations were found Taking the nail growth into consideration, these characteristics of curve correspond to the known dates of treatments and of dismissals from the hospital The results exclude an external arsenic contamination of the nail

Detection of repeated arsenical poisoning by neutron activation analysis of foot nail segments

In an accidental case of exposure to nickel carbonyl with a few persons weak symptoms of illness were observed. Rapid and simple methods of flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy were applied for the determination of nickel in urinary samples and in sections of bundled hairs. The measurements showed in some cases remarkable increased Ni values well above normal levels. The data obtained will be amply discussed and can be used in part for a rough estimation of the biological half life of inhaled Ni.

On nickel contents in urine and hair in a case of exposure to nickel carbonyl.

Unter verschiedenen Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Thallium als einem toxischen Element spielen die durch flammenlose Atomabsorptionsspektrometrie ermoglichten Mikrotechniken bei der Haar-Analyse eine bedeutsame Rolle. Anhand von zwei Fallen von Tl-Vergiftung wird uber die Laborverfahren, Techniken und die Instrumentierung berichtet, die sich als zweckmasig, schnell und empfindlich erweisen. Es werden Betrachtungen uber die Probenvorbereitung, uber Kontaminationsprobleme und uber die Kompensation spektraler Storungen mit einem Zweikanal-Spektrometer angestellt.

Zum forensischen Nachweis von Thallium in menschlichen Haaren durch flammenlose Atomabsorptionsspektrometrie

Es wird uber eine Methode berichtet, um eine Thalliumvergiftung und ihren Zeitpunkt in Abschnitten eines Kopfhaares bzw. Fusnagels durch Aktivierungsanalyse nachzuweisen. Die Abtrennung und Messung des Thalliums in den mit hoher n-Dosis bestrahlten Proben erfolgt durch Amalgamaustausch und Flussigszintillationszahlung des Tl-204. Bei Anwendung einer Neutronendosis von 2,59 · 1019 n/cm2 konnte eine zweimalige Thallium-Intoxikation im Einzelhaar nachgewiesen werden; die Erfassungsgrenze des Verfahrens liegt bei 10−4 μg bzw. 2–3 ppm Tl.

A. Fitzek

Papers

Nachweis von Thalliumvergiftungen durch Neutronenaktivierungsanalyse