Hair Chromium Concentration: Effects of Sample Washing and External Environment

The study investigated the effects of hair washing procedures and external environmental factors on hair chromium content. It found that both organic (hexane-ethanol) and detergent washing methods were effective and produced similar results. Hair shampoos only removed loosely adherent external contamination and did not affect chromium tightly bound in the hair shaft, unlike hair lighteners. External environmental chromium rarely contributed to the chromium in the hair shaft, and exceptions could be identified with a proper history during sample collection. The study concluded that the chromium in the hair shaft after standard washing was endogenous, reflecting the individual's chromium nutritional status.