[Neutron activation analysis of human hair--multivariate analysis of factors influencing on trace element contents in hair-- (author's transl)].

As a part of IAEA research project, "Activation analysis of hair as an indicator of contamination of man by environmental trace element pollutants", a survey was carried out to elucidate the levels of various trace element concentrations in hair of local population in the Tokyo Metropolitan areas, by applying instrumental neutron activation analysis. A total of 202 scalp hair samples were collected from the inhabitants classified by sex and five age classes. Irradiation was made in the Rikkyo University 100 kW TRIGA MARK-II reactor. Using several combinations of irradiation time, cooling time and counting time, forty elements were determined. The relationship between several trace element contents in hair and such factors as sex, age class, hair treatment, smoking habit and dental treatment, was analyzed by using the method of multiple regression. It was shown that (1) Hair treatment had a predominant effect on the contents of bromine, magnesium and calcium in hair, (2) Aging and smoking contributed increasing mercury content in hair, and hair treatment acted reversely.