Skip to main content
Log in

Trace elements in human fingernails: Measurement by proton-induced X-ray emission

  • Physical Methods Section
  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The method of proton particle-induced X-ray emission (proton PIXE) has been employed to study the trace element composition of human fingernails. The samples were colleted from 51 subjects randomly selected from a working community of about 500 adults and they were analyzed by the thick-target external beam technique of the PIXE method. The samples were exposed to the proton beam as 1-mm thick pellets and irradiated with 2 MeV protons having 20 nA beam intensity. For 40 μC irradiations, the concentration of fourteen elements, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr and Pb, were measured by comparison with a calibration obtained from the NBS orchard leaf standard (SRM 1571). Some anomalous cases have been revealed from this study and they are attributed to environmental factors. The frequency distributions of the elements are presented and the results compared with available data.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. E. J. UNDERWOOD, Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition, 4th ed. Academic Press, New York, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  2. A. S. PRASAD (Ed.), Trace Elements in Human Health and Diseases, Vol. 1, 2, Academic Press, New York 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  3. D. A. PHIPPS, Metals and Metabolism, Oxford University Press, 1976.

  4. E. I. HAMILTON, IAEA, Techn. Rep. Ser. No. 197, 1980, p. 39.

    Google Scholar 

  5. H. C. HOPPS, Sci. Total. Environ., 7 (1977) 71.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. W. MAENHAUT, L. DE REU, H. A. VAN RINSVELT, J. CAFMEYER, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 168 (1980) 557.

    Google Scholar 

  7. J. L. CAMPBELL, IEEE Trans. Nucl. Sci., NS 26 (1979) 1363.

    Google Scholar 

  8. R. L. WALTER, R. D. WILLIS, W. F. GUTKNECHT, J. M. JOYCE, Anal. Chem., 46 (1974) 843.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. N. F. MANGELSON, M. W. HILL, K. K. NIELSON, J. F. RYDER, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 142 (1977) 133.

    Google Scholar 

  10. V. VALKOVIC, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 142 (1977) 151.

    Google Scholar 

  11. United States Environmental Protection Agency Report No. EPA-600/4-79-049, August, 1979.

  12. Proc. Int. Symp. on Nuclear Activation Techniques in the Life Sciences, IAEA, Vieanna, 1972.

  13. Proc. Int. Symp. on Nuclear Activation Techniques in the Life Sciences, IAEA, Vienna, 1978.

  14. M. HUSAIN, M. KHALIQUZZAMAN, M. ABDULLAH, I. AHMED, A. H. KHAN, Int. J. Appl. Radiation Isotopes, 31 (1980) 527.

    Google Scholar 

  15. A. H. KHAN, M. KHALIQUZZAMAN, M. B. ZAMAN, M. HUSAIN, M. ABDULLAH, S. AKHTER, J. Radioanal. Chem., 57 (1980) 157.

    Google Scholar 

  16. A. A. KATSANOS, A. XENOULIS, A. HADJIANTONIOU, R. W. FINK, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 137 (1976) 119.

    Google Scholar 

  17. A. H. KHAN, M. KHALIQUZZAMAN, M. HUSAIN, M. ABDULLAH, A. A. KATSANOS, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 165 (1979) 253.

    Google Scholar 

  18. M. KHALIQUZZAMAN, M. B. ZAMAN, A. H. KHAN, Nucl. Instr. Methods, 181 (1981) 209.

    Google Scholar 

  19. H. K. HERGLOTZ, L. S. BIRKS (Eds), X-ray Spectrometry, Mercel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1978, p. 123.

    Google Scholar 

  20. A. H. KHAN, Private Communication, 1982.

  21. M. KHALIQUZZAMAN, S. T. LAM, D. M. SHEPPARD, L. G. STEPHENS-NEWSHAM, Report, UAE NPL-1104, 1983.

  22. G. V. IYENGAR, W. E. KOLLMER, H. J. M. BOWEN, The Elemental Composition of Human Tissues and Body Fluids, Verlag Chemie, Weinheim, New York, 1978.

    Google Scholar 

  23. V. VALKOVIC, Trace Element Analysis, Taylor & Francis Ltd., London, 1975, p. 107.

    Google Scholar 

  24. H. SMITH, Trace Element Metabolism in Animals, Livingston, 1970. p. 549.

  25. E. KANABROCKI, L. I. CASE, L. A. GRAHAM, T. FIELDS, Y. T. OESTER, E. KAPLAN, Nucl. Med., 9 (1968) 478.

    Google Scholar 

  26. I. D. HAMMER, J. F. FINKLEA, R. H. HENDRICKS, C. M. SHY, J. Epidemiol., 93 (1971) 84.

    Google Scholar 

  27. IAEA Report CVD/73.4, Trace Elements in Relation to Cardiovascular Diseases, Vienna, 19–23 February, 1973 and Geneva (WHO), 2–6 April, 1973.

  28. L. D. McBEAN, M. MAHLOUGH, J. G. REINHOLD, J. A. HALSTED, Am. J. Clin. Nutrition, 24 (1971) 505.

    Google Scholar 

  29. C. A. GONZALEZ, H. HERNANDEZ-ARREOR-TUA, J. B. GUZMAN, J. R. F. MORA, Rev. Invest. Salud Publica, 32 (1972) 82.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. B. L. VALLEE, D. D. ULMER, W. E. C. WACKER, Arch. Industr. Health, 21 (1960) 132.

    Google Scholar 

  31. W. OELSCHLAGER, Umschau, 70 (1970) 45.

    Google Scholar 

  32. J. A. COOPER, J. C. LANGFORD, Proc. on Trace Substances in Environ. Health, University of Missouri, 1972, p. 13.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

This research received financial support from the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, under the research contract RC/2536/RBl.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Biswas, S.K., Abdullah, M., Akhter, S. et al. Trace elements in human fingernails: Measurement by proton-induced X-ray emission. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 82, 111–124 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02227334

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02227334

Keywords

Navigation