The western part of the Republic of Kazakhstan is where gas and oil are mined, which causes numerous ecological problems due to environmental pollution. Meanwhile, high prevalence of goiter is observed in the region. This study aimed at identifying levels of trace elements in hair of children with goiter living in West Kazakhstan. The research included 159 school children, 6 to 12 years of age, with the body mass index of 14 up to 20 kg m-2. Thyroid ultrasonography was  used to measure the thyroid volume and the ellipsoid model was used for calculations. Trace elements were determined by ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry) using a spectrometer NexION 300D (Perkin Elmer Inc., USA). The study demonstrated that the iodine content in the hair of children corresponded to an adequate iodine status, but excess values for boron (up to 32.29%) and silicon (21.44%) were identified in children with goiter as compared with the control group. A decrease in the indicators for cadmium (down by 37.38%), manganese (26.48%), lead (47%) and vanadium (15.5%) was observed in comparison to children with normal volume of the thyroid gland. Results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that the volume of the thyroid gland was positively correlated to the concentrations of copper and silicon in hair and negatively, although less strongly,  correlated to the vanadium concentration.  Thus, children with goiter had higher levels of boron and silicon in hair as well as reduced levels of cadmium, manganese, lead and vanadium. Thyroid volume was positively correlated to the concentration of copper and silicon in the hair but negatively, although less strongly, correlated to the hair vanadium content.

23.2.2018