Assessment of Typical Heavy Metals in Bangladeshi Tannery Workers’ Hair

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS) | Volume V, Issue IX, September 2020 | ISSN 2454–6186

 Assessment of Typical Heavy Metals in Bangladeshi Tannery Workers’ Hair

Md. Farhad Ali^1*, Nadim Khan² and Md Tanjid Ahmed Zahid^3
1Associate Professor, Institute of Leather Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.

^2,3Institute of Leather Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Corresponding Author*

Abstract: In Bangladesh the safety precaution and working condition of tannery workers are very disappointing. The tannery workers are always coming in contact with different chemical exposure and different heavy metals are inserting into their body organs. The aim of this study was to determine selected heavy metal levels including cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) in scalp Hair of tannery workers and find out the Relationship between the chromium concentration in workers hair and their working duration. Human hair sample of different tannery worker were collected from different tanneries in Bangladesh and samples of individual were analyzed for heavy metals (Cd, Cr and Pb) by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectro photometric technique (AAS). The results of replicate analysis shows the following mean concentrations in (mg/kg): Cd = 0.04± 0.085, Cr = 5.85 ± 0.8391, Pb = 1.3 ± 0.0465. Comparing with others study around the world, the result shows that the presence of chromium is in very large amount in Bangladeshi tannery workers hair, lead in relatively large amount and cadmium is in small amount.

I. INTRODUCTION

We recognize hair as a decorative part in our body. It can be defined as any of the fine thread like strands growing from the skin of humans, mammals, and some other animals. Here we discuss about human scalp hair. Hair has the advantage of long term memory as it come in direct contact with surroundings and behaves as a permanent recorder. A three-inch strand of human hair will give six month history of what is going on in the body since head hair grows at a rate of about a half an inch a month. Scalp hair is the metabolic end product that has a recognized ability to reflect the body metal burden. The quantification of trace elements in hair has been used for assessment of long-term environmental and occupational exposure to trace metal as well as metabolic status [1]. So by studying heavy metal in human hair, who are working in tannery industry will give us information about pollution level in tannery industry. Industrial pollution can cause widespread environmental problems through its impact on air quality, soil and food chain. According to an estimate 50% of pollution is caused by industry and heavy metal pollution has been associated with large and small scale industry. The pollutants generated in tannery industry contain high concentration of chromium which directly affects human health [2]. The determination of poison in human hair was first published in the 1850s when the presence of Arsenic was reported in the hair of a body exhumed after 11 years. Since then, several literatures have been published on the analysis of

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