Elemental content of anagen hairs in a normal Caucasian population studies with proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE).

The study analyzed the elemental content of anagen hair fibers from 103 healthy Caucasian individuals aged 10-69 using proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). The analysis focused on sulfur, zinc, calcium, and chlorine content in hair fibers collected from a site above the right ear. Results showed average sulfur content of 0.049 g/g, zinc content of 170 µg/g, calcium content of 330 µg/g, and chlorine content of 0.0033 g/g. No significant differences were found between sexes for sulfur and zinc. The study concluded that PIXE analysis is a valuable and efficient method for determining the elemental composition of hair fibers.