First European campaign to measure pesticide exposure through hair analysis
Human exposure to pesticides is mainly through food via the consumption of fruit, vegetables and cereals contaminated by pesticide residues.
What is known about human exposure to PFAS?
Perfluoroalkyl PFAS are used in many everyday consumer products, such as
Exposure to PFAS: What are the health risks?
The high bioaccumulation of perfluoroalkyls (PFAS) has been demonstrated in Arctic animals such as polar bears, seals, bald eagles, birds and fish. There is great concern about the pollution of the environment (water, air, soil) by PFAS and their impact on health. Due to their heavy use, only PFOA and PFOS have health effects reported in the scientific literature, unlike other PFAS, which have not been the subject of many toxicological studies.
Plastic pollution and health risks
Today, it is difficult to escape from phthalates, the compounds used in the manufacture of most plastics: flooring, food packaging, toys, medical devices, etc.
Endocrine disruptors: plastic in the hair
Innovation for some, toxic for others, where does the danger of plastic come from, its impact on human health and why is it vital to act to eliminate plastic from our daily lives?
Exposure to PCBs: What are the situations at risk?
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are synthetic molecules used in many industrial applications until they were banned due to their toxicity and their very persistent nature in the environment.
Exposure to Hazardous Chemical Agents and Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction Agents: An analysis kit to prevent occupational diseases
In France, more than 10% of working people are exposed to carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) chemicals in the course of their professional activities. Measuring exposure enables the level of exposure to be assessed and is an essential tool for the prevention of occupational diseases and occupational health.
Exposure to plasticisers : What are the health risks for children?
What are plasticisers?
Tools for measuring occupational exposure to Hazardous Chemical Agents and Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction chemicals
EXPOZOM proposes a simple and economical way to measure exposure to Hazardous Chemical Agents and Carcinogenic, Mutagenic or Toxic to Reproduction chemicals and to reduce the risk of occupational diseases in companies.
Chronic exposure to pesticides: Permethrin
"Biocides" products are pesticides that are authorised for use by the general public.
What influence do hair treatments have on the results of a hair analysis?
The application of cosmetic products on the hair (shampoo, detangling cream, colouring) does not modify the hair structure. These cosmetic products do not interfere with the substances sought because the analysis techniques used are selective and specific.
What are the risks of taking a hair sample?
Hair removal is not invasive, i.e. there is no incision in the skin. It is performed using a pair of scissors to cut the hair as close as possible to the scalp.
Why do a hair analysis?
Chronic diseases have environmental and dietary origins, but are also related to our lifestyles. Preventing these diseases requires limiting exposure to the toxic substances to which the body is exposed.
What influence does natural hair colour have on the results of a hair analysis?
Hair colour is related to the presence of melanin in the hair shaft. Hair analysis is carried out with selective and specific instruments, i.e. they only detect the signal of the substances sought. Melanin does not interfere with the signal measured for the substances of interest.
Is it possible to carry out an analysis when you have no hair?
People who are bald, have significant baldness or shave their hair do not have enough material to collect a sufficient amount of hair to perform an analysis.
What are the benefits of hair analysis?
Compared to other biological matrices such as blood or urine, hair analysis has many benefits:
How does the hair analysis work?
The hair analysis consists of two steps:
What can be analysed in the hair?
Due to the incorporation of the various substances in the bloodstream into the hair structure, it is possible to analyse the body's functional markers and exposure markers for substances that have been absorbed by the body.
Should I wash my hair before the test?
Air pollution and hair treatments can deposit the desired substances on the outer surface of the hair. Washing the analysed hair strand with suitable solvents removes much of this contamination.
How long does the hair bear the traces of exposure to pollution?
Biomarkers and pollutants embedded in the hair structure are protected by the hair scales (epidermis). For this reason, all substances present in the hair are protected from external aggressions (UV light, washing, etc.).
What is the structure and composition of hair?
Hair has a complex structure. It is made up of 90-95% keratin, a protein that is the main component of the dander (hair, nails, horns, feathers, beaks). The colour of hair is produced by melatonin, a natural dye.
Why is the amount of pollutant in the hair related to the level of exposure?
Hair is a very good source of information about exposure to environmental pollution. Significant exposure to a pollutant results in an increase in its concentration in the blood. It also results in the incorporation of pollutants and their metabolites into the hair at higher levels.
How long after exposure should I wait to have a hair analysis?
Hair grows on average 1 cm per month. The root of a hair is about 1/2 cm deep in the scalp. This 5 mm segment is not accessible during hair collection and it will take at least 15 days after exposure for the traces of exposure to be present in the collected hair. It is therefore recommended to wait at least 1 month after the exposure date to perform a hair analysis.
What is the time span of the EXPOZOM hair analysis?
Each centimetre of hair analysed provides information on exposure to environmental pollutants over a period of one month. By default, the analyses proposed by EXPOZOM are based on the study of a 3-centimetre long hair strand (proximal segment, closest to the scalp) and cover a period of one quarter (90 days).