Human Exposure to Heavy Metals Over the Last 100 Years
February 2024
in “
Research Square (Research Square)
”
TLDR People today have lower levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and iron in their hair than people did 100 years ago.
The study analyzed 61 hair samples to evaluate the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in humans over the last 100 years, comparing 28 samples from individuals who lived a century ago to 33 contemporary samples. Using a triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer, the researchers found that concentrations of arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and iron (Fe) were significantly higher in the historical samples, with median concentrations of these metals decreasing by 95%, 94%, 85%, and 69%, respectively. However, there were no significant differences in the levels of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) between the two groups, suggesting a reduction in exposure to As, Pb, Cd, and Fe over the past century.
