title: Trace element level in infant hair and diet, and in the local environment of the Moroccan city of Marrakech.
abstract: A sample of 573 infants (aged 0 to 12 months) from the Moroccan city of Marrakech was studied in order to determine the level of Pb and Al contaminations. Mean values of Pb and Al in children's hair were 6.6 and 9.5 microg/l, respectively. Age, gender, and parents' occupation influenced significantly Pb content but not Al content. Larger mean values were measured for Al compared with Pb. This finding can be explained by a higher level of Al available in both the infant diet (complementary feeding) and the local environmental factors (soil and drinking water). During weaning, beverages like tea, widely used in Morocco, represent an important source of Pb and Al contamination. Al content in drinking water is above the international standard.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of 'Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Sciences Semlalia, Marrakesh, Morocco.
authors.forename: Chadrame
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Souad
authors.forename: Zaida
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Farida
authors.forename: Lekouch
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nadra
authors.forename: Bureau
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: François
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bougle
authors.forename: Sedki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azeddine
mesh_terms: D000535:Aluminum / Q000032:analysis*; D002947:Cities; D004032:Diet; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D009018:Morocco; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D012987:Soil; D007854:Lead; D000535:Aluminum