Assessment of Heavy Metals on Occupationally Exposed Workers from Hair Analysis

The study evaluated heavy metal exposure in 35 automotive workshop workers and 32 traffic services officers in Bandung by analyzing hair samples for mercury, chromium, lead, and arsenic, and compared them to a control group of 43 healthy individuals. It found that chromium, lead, and arsenic concentrations were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group, with values of 0.88, 10.7, and 0.051 mg/kg, respectively, compared to 0.27, 4.52, and 0.045 mg/kg in the control group. Mercury levels were higher in traffic officers but lower in workshop workers compared to the control group. The study concluded that occupational exposure significantly affected heavy metal concentrations in hair, although mercury levels were also influenced by environmental factors and lifestyle.