Abstract
To evaluate the damage to human hair by treatment with chlorine oxides, the mercapto (SH) groups in human hair were measured spectrophotometrically without dissolving the hair. The procedure used the reaction of 2, 2′-dithiodipyridine with a thiol giving the corresponding 2-thiopyridone, which is quantitated by measuring the absorbance at 343nm. By incubating human hair in a solution containing 2, 2′-dithiodipyridine at 60°C for 90min, a linear relationship was found between the concentration of hair and the absorbance of 2-thiopyridone, with a relative standard deviation of 6.3%. Hypochlorite decreased the concentration of SH groups in hair, while other chlorine oxides exhibited little effect.
