What is Toxic Elements in Hair (e.g. lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, aluminium)?
Toxic elements such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and aluminium can be incorporated into growing hair, so hair analysis is sometimes used as a record of exposure over the period the hair grew. Hair testing for certain toxic metals — notably methylmercury and arsenic — has recognised utility in exposure assessment. However, hair concentrations are affected by external contamination, hair colour and treatment, washing, and growth rate, and do not reliably reflect body burden for all elements.