Monitoring Metals in Blood and Hair of the Population Living Near a Hazardous Waste Incinerator: Temporal Trend

The concentrations of As, Be, Cd, Cr, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Tl, and V were determined in hair of 96 school children and in blood of 144 adults living in the vicinity of a hazardous waste incinerator (HWI) (Constantí, Tarragona County, Catalonia, NE Spain). The results were compared with those obtained in previous (1998 and 2002) surveys performed in the same area. Data were analyzed in terms of age, sex, and specific place of residence. Current mean concentrations in hair ranged between not detected (ND) (As, Be, and Tl) and 1.31 μg/g for Cr. In blood, Be, Hg, Mn, Sn, and Tl levels were under the respective detection limits. The mean blood concentrations of the remaining elements ranged from 0.34 μg/dL for Cd, to 2.40 μg/dL for Pb. Significant differences in hair and blood in relation to gender were only noted for Pb in blood. In general terms, metal concentrations in hair and blood from subjects living in Tarragona County are lower than most levels reported for other countries in recent years.