Mierzyńska, Z.; Niemirska, M.; Zgonina, K.; Bieńkowski, T.; Hryniów, K.; Świder, P.; Pawlak, K. Multi-Elemental Analysis of Hair and Fingernails Using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED XRF) Method Supported by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS). Molecules2024, 29, 773.
Mierzyńska, Z.; Niemirska, M.; Zgonina, K.; Bieńkowski, T.; Hryniów, K.; Świder, P.; Pawlak, K. Multi-Elemental Analysis of Hair and Fingernails Using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED XRF) Method Supported by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS). Molecules 2024, 29, 773.
Mierzyńska, Z.; Niemirska, M.; Zgonina, K.; Bieńkowski, T.; Hryniów, K.; Świder, P.; Pawlak, K. Multi-Elemental Analysis of Hair and Fingernails Using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED XRF) Method Supported by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS). Molecules2024, 29, 773.
Mierzyńska, Z.; Niemirska, M.; Zgonina, K.; Bieńkowski, T.; Hryniów, K.; Świder, P.; Pawlak, K. Multi-Elemental Analysis of Hair and Fingernails Using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (ED XRF) Method Supported by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP MS). Molecules 2024, 29, 773.
Abstract
This work compares the multi-element analysis of human hair and nails using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) with an easy, fast, cheap, non-destructive method using energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (EDX-RF). The ICP-MS-based method was more sensitive (over 30 elements could be quantified) and costly (requiring more time, sample, and chemicals). The EDX-based method required laboratory and certified reference materials made of hair for instrument calibration. It was less sensitive (16 elements could be quantified: S, Si, Ca, Br, Fe, Cu, Cr, Mg, Si, K, Mn, Ni, Zn, Se, Sr, Pb), but it allowed to replace troublesome grinding with the dissolution of keratin-based material with alkalic agent (tetramethylammonium hydroxide, TMAH) and formation of stable for days pellets. The method is simple, enables automation, and, due to the modification of wells in the autosampler of the EDX system by immersion of home-designed inserts, it requires smaller amounts of biological material and binder (down to 70 mg instead of 500 mg required by commercially available instrument) to perform analysis. It was concluded that the EDX-based method offers complementary selectivity and sensitivity to ICP-MS with the possibility of the reuse of the sample for further analysis.
Keywords
metal determination; hair; nails; pellets formation; solubilization of keratin; ED-XRF; ICP-MS
Subject
Chemistry and Materials Science, Medicinal Chemistry
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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