Human hair samples were collected from human residents in China (Shandong and Sichuan provinces), Myanmar (Yangon area), and Japan (Okayama City), and the concentration of elements in the hair was measured by ICP-MS. As a result, the following were found.
(1) The concentration of Al in the hair of people living in Sichuan Province was much higher in sick people than in healthy people.
(2) The concentrations of Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, and As in the hair of humans living in Shandong Province were 11.8, 2.6, 2.0, 1.2, and 3.0 times higher than those of Japanese, respectively. The concentrations of Al, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cd, and Pb in hair of humans living in Sichuan were 4.6, 3.0, 3.7, 2.3, 1.9, and 1.1 times higher than those of Japanese, respectively, while those of Cu were 0.4 and 0.7 times lower than those of Japanese in both Shandong and Sichuan. The Al concentrations in the hair samples from Shandong and Sichuan were more than twice as high as those from Okayama City.
(3) The concentrations of Al, Mn, and As in the hair samples from Myanmar were 5.7, 18.9, and 3.8 times higher than those of the Japanese, respectively, indicating very high concentrations.
