Application of Conventional and Microbeam Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence and Absorption for the Characterization of Human Nails

Katsikini, M.; Mavromati, A; Pinakidou, F.; Paloura, E. C.; Gioulekas, Dimitrios; Loannides, D; Erko, A.; Zizak, Ivo

doi:10.1166/jnn.2010.2615

Cited by 9 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…where ω i , g i , J i , and (μ/ρ) I,Eo , for i=Ca, Sr, are the fluorescence yields of the K shell, the emission probability of the K α line from the K series, the jump ratio for the K edge and the photoabsorption cross section for the K shell and for excitation energy E 0 , respectively (Janssens et al, 2000;Katsikini et al, 2010). Since the XRF spectra were recorded in air, the intensity of the Ca K α emission line was corrected for the sample to detector air-path absorption using the law of Beer-Lambert and the air's absorption coefficient.…”

Section: Xrf and Xafs Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

Detailed spectroscopic study of the role of Br and Sr in coloured parts of the Callinectes sapidus crab claw

Katsikini

2016

Journal of Structural Biology

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The exoskeleton of crustaceans consists mainly of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals and in many cases exhibits vivid colouration due to the presence of proteins rich in carotenoid chromophores. The exposure of aquatic animals in sea water results often in the incorporation of trace elements in their exoskeleton. The bonding configuration of Br and Sr trace elements in regions with different staining (white, orange and blue) of the exoskeleton of the Callinectes sapidus in crab claw are systematically investigated by a number of complementary spectroscopic techniques, including X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), X-ray fluorescence, Raman and visible light reflectivity spectroscopies. It is found that Sr substitutes for Ca and the Sr/Ca ratio is constant along the claw. In the orange region that includes the claw fingers, CaCO3 adopts a calcite-like structure, whereas in the blue and white regions, located in the palm of the claw, an aragonite-like structure dominates. On the other hand, Br, present only in the blue and orange stained parts of the claw, is bound to phenyl and/or phenol rings of amino acid residues, most probably to phenylalanine and/or tyrosine, of the chromophore protein.

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Section: Xrf and Xafs Spectroscopymentioning

confidence: 99%

Detailed spectroscopic study of the role of Br and Sr in coloured parts of the Callinectes sapidus crab claw

Katsikini

2016

Journal of Structural Biology

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“…[59] Synchrotron XRF imaging and XAS were applied to investigate illness-related changes in the elemental distribution and bonding environment of metals (Zn, Fe) in human nails. [62,63] In a recent X-ray absorption near edge fine structure spectroscopy (XANES) study on As speciation in human fingernails and hair from an As-affected area in Cambodia, Gault et al [64] reported that sulfur-coordinated arsenic was the dominant species in the bulk of the analysed samples with some addition of As III -O character. However the arsenic species distribution was not unambiguously determined.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of arsenic chemical speciation in human nail clippings

et al. 2014

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Environmental context. Chronic ingestion of arsenic leads to its accumulation in keratinous tissues, which can represent a risk factor for developing cancer. We use synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy to investigate chemical bonding of arsenic in the keratins from nail clippings of volunteers from areas in Atlantic Canada with low-to-moderate arsenic contamination of drinking water. The study helps our understanding of arsenic metabolism and its role in cancer development.Abstract. Drinking water aquifers in many areas of the world have naturally elevated levels of inorganic arsenic exceeding the World Health Organization limit. Arsenic concentrations in human nail clippings are commonly used as a biomarker of exposure to this toxic element. However, the chemical form of arsenic accumulated in nail tissues is not well determined. We employed synchrotron microprobe and bulk X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques to analyse the concentration and chemical speciation of arsenic in the finger-and toenail clippings of volunteers living in the vicinity of Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada. This area is known to have low-to-moderately elevated levels of arsenic in ground water. Arsenic species in clippings were represented by three main groups, distinguished by the As-K near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectra: (1) As III type, which can be fitted as a mixture of As bound to thiols, and also to oxygen or methyl groups, with a small contribution from As V species, (2) As V type, best represented by fitting arsenate in aqueous solution and (3) The As III þ As V mixture type. The high proportion (%) of sulfur-bound arsenic species most likely corresponds to binding between arsenic (in its trivalent and, to a lesser extent, pentavalent forms) and cysteine residues in the sulfur-rich fraction of keratin and keratin-associated proteins. Further work is needed to explore whether these chemical species could be used as toxicity biomarkers of human exposure to elevated levels of As in drinking water.

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“…This review has as its focus the measurement of trace elements in nails and nail clippings using pXRF techniques. As such, this paper will not attempt to review X-ray fluorescence of nail clippings performed with larger lab-based systems or using synchrotron radiation, although these types of approaches are important and have seen numerous applications (see, for example, [21][22][23][24] ). Likewise, this review will not consider in any depth pXRF studies, which have examined forensic and biological applications to a diverse range of materials such as nail polishes, 25,26 food and cosmetics, 27 horns and antlers, 28 and leeches.…”

Section: Early Work and Recent Workmentioning

confidence: 99%

The measurement of trace elements in human nails and nail clippings using portable X‐ray fluorescence: A review

Fleming

2021

X-Ray Spectrometry

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The copyright line for this article was changed on 24 June 2021 after original online publication.A variety of biomarkers are available for the assessment of human exposure to, and absorption of, trace elements. The measurement of trace elements in nail or nail clippings offers some benefits relative to other body sites. Typically, concentrations of elements are assessed in clippings, using high precision methods such as inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or instrumental neutron activation analysis. Over the last decade, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) has emerged as a novel method with potential advantages for the measurement of trace elements in nail and nail clippings. This review paper examines early developments and recent work in the use of pXRF to measure elements such as As, Se, Mn, Zn, Cr, Pb, and Hg in nails and nail clippings. While initial pXRF studies were limited to the use of nail phantoms and nail clipping phantoms, more recent work has applied the pXRF method with real nail clippings and nails. Results have been promising, but a number of issues have emerged requiring additional attention. These relate to the analysis of X-ray spectra, selection of X-ray beam for excitation, method validation and normalization, and practical aspects of study design. With consideration of these issues, pXRF offers significant potential to provide a straightforward, economical, and rapid measurement approach to help improve our understanding of trace element exposure and related health outcomes.

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Application of Conventional and Microbeam Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence and Absorption for the Characterization of Human Nails

Cited by 9 publications

References 21 publications

Detailed spectroscopic study of the role of Br and Sr in coloured parts of the Callinectes sapidus crab claw

Detailed spectroscopic study of the role of Br and Sr in coloured parts of the Callinectes sapidus crab claw

Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy analysis of arsenic chemical speciation in human nail clippings

The measurement of trace elements in human nails and nail clippings using portable X‐ray fluorescence: A review

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