Trace element content in fingernails and hair of a nonindustrialized US control population

Abstract

The concentrations of 17 elements in the nail and hair of 117 subjects from a nonindustrialized environment were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). A new method of statistical treatment that allows for more meaningful use of detection limit values was used to process the concentration data. Geometric means and standard errors are presented for each element, along with a summary of the effects of age, sex, and treatment on the concentration of each element. For nails, these data represent the first comprehensive study for several important elements. Correlations for each element between hair and nail were determined. With few exceptions, concentrations of nonessential trace elements were positively correlated in hair and nail, whereas concentrations of essential elements showed no correlations. The factors affecting concentrations and control levels must be considered in studying alterations in disease states.

Determination of Selected Heavy Metal Levels in Scalp Hair and Fingernail Samples from Dental Laboratory Technicians

“…Other researchers reported that there was no correlation between nails vs. hair for the levels of Ni [32], and no correlation for other metals including Co and Cr in hair and nails samples [35].…”

Relationship of Lead and Cadmium to Essential Elements in Hair, Teeth, and Nails of Environmentally Exposed People

“…Hair: ;nited States (Iyengar et al, 1991(Iyengar et al, , 1978Katz and Katz, 1992;Paschal et al, 1989;Vance et al, 1988;Tuthill, 1996). Italy (Perrone et al, 1996;Caroli et al, 1992Caroli et al, , 1994Piccini et al, 1996;Contiero and Folin, 1994).…”

“…Poland (GlenH -Haduch et al, 1997;Owczarczak, 1988;Struz ak WysokinH ska and Kot, 1987). Nails: ;nited States (Vance et al, 1988;Garland et al, 1993;Iyengar et al, 1978;Chaudhary et al, 1995). Germany (Wilhelm et al, 1994).…”

Organic Elemental Composition in Fingernail Plates Varies between Sexes and Changes with Increasing Age in Healthy Humans

“…Organic elements are carbon, sulfur and nitrogen, whereas inorganic elements are trace metals and electrolytes [6] . Most literature on elemental analysis of fingernails concerns trace elements [e.g., [7][8][9][10][11][12], whereas scarce literature refer to organic elements of fingernails. Available data consider nitrogen and sulfur content of fingernails in specific age groups like infants or in disease states [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21] .…”