The coordination environment of copper in hair can be altered by treatment products.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the coordination environment of copper in hair is affected by the shampoo used.


METHODS
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to discriminate between mixed oxygen/nitrogen and mixed oxygen/sulphur coordination of copper after treatment with two different shampoos.


RESULTS
Copper with mixed oxygen/nitrogen coordination could be converted to mixed oxygen/sulphur coordination by treating with the appropriate shampoo, but this was not reversible with the products tested, although copper was removed from hair at very high pH values.


CONCLUSIONS
Commercial hair treatment products can have a profound effect on the copper coordination environment in hair, and this must be taken into account in any attempt to use hair as a health marker.
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep, 2 Nang Lin Chi Road, Soi Suan Plu, Sathorn, Bangkok, Thailand.
N
N
Worasith
B A
BA
Goodman
D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis*; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans
D003300:Copper
chemical analysis; copper coordination; hair treatment; spectroscopy