ISSN:
1432-1076
Keywords:
Zinc
;
Hair
;
North Rhine-Westphalia
;
Atomic absorption spectrophotometry
;
Children
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract Hair zinc levels were estimated by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in 474 children, aged 3–7 years, from 11 kindergartens in a highly industrialized and polluted area (Duisburg) and 8 kindergartens in a rural area of North Rhine-Westphalia. The mean hair zinc level amounted to 118 μg/g, increasing between the 4th and 7th year of life. At all ages the values from the urban toddlers were lower than from rural toddlers, and in both regions they were higher in winter than in summer. Children with frequent upper respiratory tract infections (〉6 infections/year) showed significantly lower zinc hair values, independent of their age. Low hair zinc values (below 70 μg/g) were frequently found, raising the question as to whether this is a normal, age-related phenomenon, or whether it indicates a suboptimal zinc status of young children from North Rhine-Westphalia.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00442218
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