Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium and lead in human hair and typical foods in eleven Chinese cities

- Arsenic, Cd and Pb concentrations in hair and food samples from 11 Chinese cities were evaluated.
- Food contaminant concentrations were at the national maximum allowable levels.
- Males in the age group 50-65 years had highest hair As, Cd and Pb concentrations.
- Hair contaminant concentrations were higher in rural areas than urban areas.
- Variation in hair contaminant concentrations cannot be explained satisfactorily by food intake.

Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) were determined in 384 human hair samples and 445 purchased food samples from 11 cities in China. The mean concentrations of hair As, Cd and Pb were 0.23, 0.062 and 2.45 mg kg−1, respectively. The As, Cd and Pb concentrations in different foods were lower than the national maximum allowable contaminant levels. By comparison, males had higher hair As concentrations but lower Cd concentrations than females. When the interaction effects of gender and age were considered, males had the higher hair As, Cd and Pb concentrations in the 51-65 year-old age group. Residents of rural areas had higher hair As, Cd and Pb concentrations than people living in urban areas. Further analysis indicates that hair As, Cd and Pb concentrations and their changes with biological and environmental factors cannot be satisfactorily explained by the estimated intakes from purchased food.

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