At the same time, scientific literature consistently emphasizes that hair and fur analysis is not a diagnostic tool, but rather an observational and comparative method, whose value depends on properly designed methodology, standardized sample preparation, and rigorous quality control of analytical data.
Hair and Fur as Biomarkers of Long-Term Exposure
Unlike samples such as blood or urine, hair and fur enable the assessment of elemental exposure over a longer time horizon. As hair grows, elements are gradually incorporated into its structure, allowing the analysis of exposure occurring over weeks or months rather than reflecting only short-term or transient conditions.
A comprehensive review of the methodology and applications of elemental hair analysis is presented in:
Pozebon D., Scheffler G.L., Dressler V.L. (2017), Elemental hair analysis: A review of procedures and applications, Analytica Chimica Acta, 992, 1–23
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2017.09.017
The authors indicate that hair can serve as a valuable matrix in environmental, clinical, and toxicological studies, provided that standardized and validated analytical procedures are applied.
Applications in Human Biomonitoring
Elemental analysis of hair has been widely used in population studies to assess the influence of environmental conditions, lifestyle, and regional factors on the elemental composition of the human body.
An example is a study conducted in a student population in Poland:
Izydorczyk G. et al. (2021) Hair mineral analysis in the population of students living in the Lower Silesia region (Poland) in 2019: Comparison with biomonitoring study in 2009 and literature data., Science of the Total Environment, 772, 145013
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935120313384
The authors demonstrated significant differences in hair elemental profiles between studies conducted in different years, confirming the usefulness of hair as a matrix for population-based and environmental comparisons.
In addition, segmental hair studies indicate that changes in exposure over time can be traced:
Gellein K. et al. (2008) Trace element profiles in single strands of human hair
Science of the Total Environment, 404(2–3), 487–492
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18286238/
Environmental and Veterinary Applications
Animal fur is widely used as an environmental bioindicator, particularly in studies involving livestock, companion animals, and wildlife. Its elemental composition may reflect local environmental conditions, feed quality, and exposure to potentially toxic elements.
An example of comparative studies conducted in animals sharing the same environment is:
Draghi S. et al. (2024) Use of Hair as Matrix for Trace Elements Biomonitoring in Cattle and Roe Deer Sharing Pastures in Northern Italy., Animals, 14(15), 2209
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152209
This study confirms that fur analysis enables comparison of elemental profiles between species and assessment of environmental impacts on animal organisms.
Importance of Standardization and Quality Control
The literature clearly indicates that the value of elemental analysis of hair and fur depends primarily on the quality of the analytical process rather than on the measurement technique alone.
Review and methodological studies emphasize that:
- there is no single universal hair washing procedure, making appropriate sample preparation crucial,
- different sample preparation procedures can significantly influence the final elemental profile,
- complete separation of external contamination from the internal signal may be difficult or impossible.
These issues are discussed in detail in:
Pozebon D., Scheffler G.L., Dressler V.L. (2017)
Elemental hair analysis: A review of procedures and applications
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2017.09.017
as well as in methodological studies examining the impact of sample preparation on elemental hair analysis results:
Pre-cleaning of hair is not beneficial in LA-ICP-MS studies of chronic metal exposure
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10414646/
The Role of Analytical Laboratories in B2B Projects
In scientific and research-and-development projects, analytical laboratories serve not only as measurement providers, but also as methodological partners responsible for:
- selecting appropriate analytical methods (e.g. ICP-OES),
- standardization and validation of sample preparation procedures,
- quality control and documentation of the analytical process.
Reference standards such as EPA Method 200.7 and ISO 11885 indicate that the reliability of ICP-OES results is based on work conducted within controlled analytical batches, systematic quality control, and methodological consistency, rather than on isolated single measurements.
Summary
Elemental analysis of hair and fur, performed using techniques such as ICP-OES, has well-established applications in human biomonitoring, environmental studies, veterinary research, and B2B projects. Its value does not arise from diagnostic claims, but from the ability to conduct comparable, long-term, and methodologically consistent analyses.
In this context, the quality of the entire laboratory process and informed collaboration between research teams and analytical laboratories play a key role.