Iron, copper, zinc and lead in hair from Sudanese populations of different age groups.

Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence was used for the analysis of hair samples from three different age groups of the Sudanese population. Hair samples were digested in a mixture of nitric and perchloric acids and the metals were then precipitated with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate. The variations of the Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb content of hair with age were investigated. The averages of the elemental concentrations in each age group were compared with the other age groups and with literature values. The correlation of each pair of elements in the hair samples was also investigated.