Hair concentrations of selenium in the Moldovan population

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: There is a substantial body of evidence indicating that the ecosystems in the Republic of Moldova contain a significant amount of selenium. However, little is known regarding the levels of this essential element in the hair of the country's population.

AIM: To assess hair concentrations of selenium in the population of the Republic of Moldova.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study. Hair samples were collected from 301 participants aged 1–94 years. The data were presented and analyzed by gender and across the following age-groups: under 18, 18–44, 45–59 and 60+ years old. Determination of hair selenium concentration was carried out by fluorimetric method using Fluorat 02-5M fluorimeter (Lumex, Russia). Hair sample GBW 09101b was used as a reference standard. The statistical software package SPSS 23.0 was used for data processing. Normal distribution of the continuous variables was tested using Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests with Lilliefors significance correction. Mann–Whitney tests were used for comparing selenium concentrations while Kruska-Wallis tests were used for selenium concentrations across age-groups.

RESULTS: Selenium concentrations in the hair of the population of Moldova ranged between 148 and 5000 µg/kg with arithmetic mean (М)=697 µg/kg, 95% confidence interval CI: 636–758 µg/kg, standard deviation (SD)=538 µg/kg, geometric mean (G)=598 µg/kg, median (Me)=584 µg/kg. The average values of selenium concentration in the hair of the women (M=659 µg/kg, G=565 µg/kg) were significantly lower than those among the men (M=769 µg/kg, G=666 µg/kg), p=0.004. Geometric means of selenium concentrations increased with age (540→585→601→741 µg/kg), p = 0.026.

CONCLUSION: This is the first study providing the evidence on hair concentration of selenium among the residents of Moldova. The results are congruent with earlier findings from the neighboring Odesa region of Ukraine with similar biogeochemical conditions. Significant gender differences in the concentration of selenium were observed. Moreover, hair concentration of selenium increased with age.

About the authors

Marina V. Kapitalchuk

Shevchenko State University of Pridnestrovie

Email: marinakapitalchuk@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2618-0823
SPIN-code: 6294-7877

Cand. Sci. (Biol.)

Moldova, Republic of, Tiraspol'

Nadezhda A. Golubkina

Federal Scientific Vegetable Center

Email: segolubkina45@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1803-9168
SPIN-code: 9284-3454

Dr. Sci. (Agriculture)

Russian Federation, Moscow region, Odintsovo, VNIISSOK

Ivan P. Kapitalchuk

Shevchenko State University of Pridnestrovie

Author for correspondence.
Email: ivankapital54@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-2448-7493
SPIN-code: 3798-3233

Cand. Sci. (Geography)

Moldova, Republic of, Tiraspol'

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