[The content of selected trace elements and heavy metals in the hair of children from Chorzów].

Hair zinc, copper, lead and cadmium concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry in children aged 10-11 years. The studied children, 30 boys and 39 girls, lived in the most polluted district of the town of Chorzów. The mean Zn content in the hair of the children was 173.86 micrograms/g. Girls had significantly higher levels of Zn in their hair than boys (182.32 and 154.11 micrograms/g respectively, p = 0.02). The mean Cu concentration in the hair of the children was 12.57 micrograms/g. For girls, the mean Cu concentration was significantly higher than for boys (13.53 and 11.77 micrograms/g). The mean Pb content in the hair of children was 4.41 micrograms/g. Boys had almost twice the level of Pb in their hair than girls (6.15 and 3.57 micrograms/g respectively, p = 0.002). The mean Cd concentration in hair of children was 0.53 micrograms/g). For boys the mean Cd concentration was not significantly higher than for girls (0.91 and 0.44 micrograms/g).