Hair, Nail, Tooth and Bone Analysis

ToF-SIMS analytical techniques for characterizing human hair surfaces using Ga+ and primary ion sources have been compared.84 Similar hair fingerprints were obtained with both ion sources. With the Cg0 ion source, on average, secondary ion intensities between two and three orders of magnitude higher than the Ga+ primary ion source were observed.84 

Karpas, M. Zoriy, C. Pickhardt and J. S. Becker, Int. ). Mass Spectrom., 261,199 (2007). Reproduced by permission of Elsevier. 

Anomalously high Ca concentrations in hair samples (up to 8285 (xgg-1) which correlate with high P concentrations (up to 4720 jxg g-1) from a group of women from Rio de Janeiro were detected by ICP-MS measurements.87 These abnormal hair compositions were related to endocrinological pathologies affecting calcium/bone metabolism. Very low Ca concentrations were observed in older women and were related to senile osteoporosis.87 

Since 1960, it has been demonstrated by various analytical procedures that high concentrations of arsenic were present in Napoleon s hair.88 Multi-element analysis of two specimens of Napoleon s hair by ICP-MS after mineralization in concentrated nitric acid resulted in arsenic concentrations (42.1 and 37.4(xgg-1) about 40 times higher than normal values, confirming the hypothesis of a significant exposure to arsenic. However, mercury (3.3. and 4.7(xgg 1), antimony (2.1 and 1.8(xgg 1) and lead (229 and 112p,gg-1) were also detected at elevated levels. The elevated concentrations of Sb and Hg are in agreement with the data already known about the therapeutic treatments given to Napoleon (calomel and tartar emetic are compounds of mercury and antimony, respectively).88 

Ingested arsenic is known to be not only excreted by urine, but also to be stored in sulfydryl rich tissue like hair, nails or skin. A method of extracting arsenic species from hair and nail samples has been developed for the analysis of the total arsenic concentration, inorganic As ( ) and As 

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