Hygiena 2021, 66(3):94-101 | DOI: 10.21101/hygiena.a1740

Pilot study of arsenic and toxic elements content in the hair of children living in the vicinity of brown coal mining and incineration operations

Eva Rychlíková¹, David Šubrt¹, Hana Smolíková¹, Ivan Beneš¹, Eva Hrdličková¹, Pavlína Brožová¹, Pavel Knedlík¹, Slavomír Adamec¹, Vladimír Bencko², Milan Tuček²

¹ Zdravotní ústav se sídlem v Ústí nad Labem, Ústí nad Labem, Česká republika

² Univerzita Karlova, 1. lékařská fakulta, Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie a Všeobecná fakultní nemocnice, Praha, Česká republika

Objectives: The goal of the study was to ascertain the eventuality and extent of arsenic and toxic metal content in the hair of children living in the immediate vicinity of mining and incineration operations. Such exposure can be caused by polymetallic ores from abandoned mining complexes.

Methodology: In the project of the Czech Science Foundation from 2017 to 2019 we collected a total of 260 hair samples children aged 9 years from 2 municipalities in the Sokolov coal basin and 5 from the Most coal basin. The ICP/MS and TMA analyses searched for Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sb, Sn, V, and Zn content. Sampling of hair was complemented by a questionnaire. The results were statistically evaluated and compared with values quoted in the literature. Arsenic and heavy metals were monitored in sedimented particles and PM₁₀.

Results: The results of hair analyses did not differ between the sexes. There were statistically significant differences in Cd and V content between samples from the Sokolovská and Mostecká coal basins. Biomonitoring was complemented by monitoring of sedimented dust in 10 sites and PM₁₀ in two locations, including analyses of arsenic and heavy metals. The results did not exceed limit values.

Conclusion: Results of hair analyses are partially comparable to the data provided by the Monitoring System of Health Status of the National Institute of Public Health. Most of the selected elements were under LOQ. Median concentrations in the Most coal basin: As 0.11; Be 0.03; Cd 0.19; Co 0.08; Cr 0.56; Cu 13.6; Hg 0.09, Mn 1.88; Ni 1.93; Pb 0.78; Sb 0.212; Se 0.12; Sn 0.82; V 0.12; Zn 171.0. Median concentrations in the Sokolov coal basin: As 0.04, Be 0.01; Cd 0.04; Co 0.05; Cr 0.37; Cu 9.78; Hg 0.09; Mn 0.69; Ni 1.37; Pb 0.68; Sb 0.05; Se 0.71; Sn 0.99; V 0.05; Zn 144.3 mg/kg.

Keywords: exposure to toxic elements, children, coal mining

Received: December 2019; Revised: December 2, 2019; Accepted: July 28, 2021; Published: September 24, 2021  Show citation