Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) of zinc concentrations in scalp hair and fingernails samples of Algerian females with breast cancer

Abstract

In the present work, zinc levels were measured in scalp hair and fingernails in order to identify potential risk factors for breast cancer. The samples were collected from 40 Algerian breast cancer female patients and from 20 normal subjects matching the same age range. The concentration of zinc was analyzed using Instrumental neutron activation analysis technique (INAA). In scalp hair samples it was found in the range 119–792 μg/g for the normal subjects and in the range 82–806 μg/g for the patients, with an increase rate of 10.9%. The range of concentration of zinc in fingernails was found between 89 and 247 μg/g for normal subjects and between 75 and 276 μg/g for the patients with an increase rate of 2.5%. The influence of age on zinc concentration was also investigated. The obtained results show some consistency with those obtained by other groups.

Concentration of serum trace elements in leukemia and lymphoma: A case-control study

“…Nowadays, there are numerous techniques for the analysis of TEs. Electrochemical methods including atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP- MS), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and total X-ray reflection fluorescence (TXRF) are routinely used to trace up different TEs in biological samples [ 10 , [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] , [20] ]. The peripheral blood, serum, plasma, urine, hair and, nail are the biological samples that are used in TEs analysis [ 15 , 19 , 21 , 22 ].…”