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Development and characterization of reference materials for trace element analysis of keratinized matrices
Mina W Tehrani1,2,3, Karl X Yang1,2, Patrick J Parsons4,5
1Laboratory of Inorganic and Nuclear Chemistry, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, PO Box 509, Albany, NY, 12201, USA.
Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
|February 6, 2020
Summary
New reference materials made from caprine horn support biomonitoring of toxic metals in keratinized tissues like hair and nails. These materials aid in calibrating methods for analyzing past human exposure to environmental contaminants.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
- Toxicology
Background:
- Traditional biomonitoring for toxic metal exposure uses blood and urine.
- Non-traditional biospecimens like hair and nails offer insights into past exposures and easier collection.
- Developing reliable reference materials is crucial for accurate biomonitoring.
Purpose of the Study:
- To produce and characterize caprine horn reference materials (NYS RMs 18-01 to 18-04) for elemental analysis.
- To establish commutability of these materials with human nails for specific elements.
- To develop and validate an ICP-MS/MS method for determining elements in keratinized tissues.
Main Methods:
- Production and characterization of four caprine horn reference materials.
- Elemental analysis of 17 elements using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
- Commutability testing using ICP-MS/MS and ICP-optical emission spectrometry; method validation against human hair CRMs.
Main Results:
- Four caprine horn reference materials were produced and characterized for 17 elements.
- Commutability was established for 8 elements (Ba, Ca, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb, Sr, Zn) between caprine horn RMs and human nails.
- The developed ICP-MS/MS method showed good accuracy and repeatability (<25%) for keratinized tissues.
Conclusions:
- Caprine horn reference materials are suitable for calibrating and validating methods for toxic metal biomonitoring in keratinized tissues.
- The developed ICP-MS/MS method is effective for analyzing multiple elements in hair and nail samples.
- Addressing challenges like contamination and matrix effects is key for reliable inorganic mass spectrometry in biomonitoring.
