An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya
This study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fing...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Chemistry |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5102599 |
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| author | Aiman M. Bobaker Intisar Alakili Elrashied E. Elkhidir Sukiman B. Sarmani Zaher Mundher Yaseen |
| author_facet | Aiman M. Bobaker Intisar Alakili Elrashied E. Elkhidir Sukiman B. Sarmani Zaher Mundher Yaseen |
| author_sort | Aiman M. Bobaker |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fingernails were also evaluated. This cross-sectional study involved 127 farmers and 25 high school teachers living in the same geographical area as the farmers (served as the control group). Fingernail samples of the participants were collected, treated, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for As, Cd, and Pb contents after microwave acid digestion. Results of this study indicated that the concentration levels of the investigated heavy metals in fingernail samples of both participating farmers and control group were in order of Pb > Cd > As. Also, the results showed that As, Cd, and Pb levels in the farmers’ fingernails were found to be higher than in the control group by about 9-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively. This difference for all heavy metals analyzed was found to be statistically significant P<0.05. As a conclusion, the results of this study clearly indicated that Libyan farmers have been exposed to high levels of toxic heavy metals as a result of their agricultural activities compared with the general population living in the same geographical area as farmers, which, in turn, pose a high risk to their health. Thus, toxicological, epidemiological, and clinical studies for the Libyan farmers are strongly recommended. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b72184d8e12a459382dd336d6eeabf53 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2090-9071 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-b72184d8e12a459382dd336d6eeabf532025-02-03T01:07:05ZengWileyJournal of Chemistry2090-90712022-01-01202210.1155/2022/5102599An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in LibyaAiman M. Bobaker0Intisar Alakili1Elrashied E. Elkhidir2Sukiman B. Sarmani3Zaher Mundher Yaseen4Chemistry DepartmentChemistry DepartmentDepartment of Agricultural EconomicsUniversity of Kuala Lumpur Jalan Sultan IsmailDepartment of Earth Sciences and EnvironmentThis study aims to assess the concentration levels of heavy metals, which are associated with health hazards: arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) among Libyan farmers using fingernails as a biomarker. Factors that may contribute for accumulation of these toxic heavy metals in the farmers’ fingernails were also evaluated. This cross-sectional study involved 127 farmers and 25 high school teachers living in the same geographical area as the farmers (served as the control group). Fingernail samples of the participants were collected, treated, and analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for As, Cd, and Pb contents after microwave acid digestion. Results of this study indicated that the concentration levels of the investigated heavy metals in fingernail samples of both participating farmers and control group were in order of Pb > Cd > As. Also, the results showed that As, Cd, and Pb levels in the farmers’ fingernails were found to be higher than in the control group by about 9-, 5-, and 2-fold, respectively. This difference for all heavy metals analyzed was found to be statistically significant P<0.05. As a conclusion, the results of this study clearly indicated that Libyan farmers have been exposed to high levels of toxic heavy metals as a result of their agricultural activities compared with the general population living in the same geographical area as farmers, which, in turn, pose a high risk to their health. Thus, toxicological, epidemiological, and clinical studies for the Libyan farmers are strongly recommended.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5102599 |
| spellingShingle | Aiman M. Bobaker Intisar Alakili Elrashied E. Elkhidir Sukiman B. Sarmani Zaher Mundher Yaseen An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya Journal of Chemistry |
| title | An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya |
| title_full | An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya |
| title_fullStr | An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya |
| title_short | An Investigation for Heavy Metals’ Contamination in Farmers’ Fingernails: Case Study in Libya |
| title_sort | investigation for heavy metals contamination in farmers fingernails case study in libya |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2022/5102599 |
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