Bone lead variability in bone repository skeletal samples measured with portable x-ray fluorescence

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Biomarkers
• Toxicology

Background:

• Bone lead is a crucial biomarker for assessing chronic lead exposure.
• Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) provides a rapid, accessible method for measuring bone lead.
• Uncertainty exists regarding how low-energy XRF measurements vary across different bone sites and types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the consistency of bone lead measurements using portable XRF across five distinct skeletal sites.
• To determine if low-energy XRF techniques yield comparable results to previous methods.
• To assess the utility of portable XRF for quantifying cumulative lead exposure.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a handheld portable XRF device to measure bone lead concentrations.
• Analyzed bone samples from five sites: mid-tibial shaft, proximal tibia, distal tibia, ilium, and cranium.
• Compared bone lead measurements across the different skeletal locations.

Main Results:

• Bone lead measurements showed no significant differences across the five tested bone sites using portable XRF.
• Average bone lead concentration in repository samples was 21.6 ± 21.3 μg/g.
• The XRF detection limit was measured at 2.1 ± 0.5 μg/g.

Conclusions:

• Portable XRF is effective for measuring cumulative lead exposure across various bone types.
• While measurements are consistent, the tibia is the preferred site for comparative studies.
• This method enhances the accessibility of bone lead biomarker assessment for public health initiatives.