Correlation Between Arsenic Concentration in Fish and Human Scalp Hair of People Living in Arsenic-Contaminated and Noncontaminated Areas of Pakistan

The effects of arsenic (As) toxicity due to frequent consumption of arsenic-contaminated fish was estimated by the analysis of scalp hair of adult males, living near arsenic-contaminated area of Pakistan. For comparison purposes, scalp hair samples were also collected from the inhabitants of Hyderabad city consuming fish species with low levels of As, collected from Indus River. Concentration of As in scalp hair samples was analyzed by using hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry (HG AAS), after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The accuracy of the As measurement was tested simultaneously analyzing certified reference material. The concentration of As in muscle tissues of fish species were found in the range of 2.11 to 14.1 μg/g and 1.92 to 12.2 μg/g, collected from arsenic-contaminated and noncontaminated areas, respectively. Exposed subjects had significantly elevated levels of As in scalp hair samples (0.72–4.94 μg/g) as compared with referent subjects (0.21–1.484 μg/g; p