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Published on: September 26, 2016
Age-dependent baseline variations in electron spin resonance signals of fingernails
Samayeh Azariasl1,2,3, Hiroshi Yasuda1
1Department of Radiation Biophysics, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine (RIRBM), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Purpose:
Dosimetry technique using fingernails coupled with electron paramagnetic/spin resonance (EPR or ESR) spectroscopy has gained attention for its potential in radiation dose assessment. This technique detects radiation-induced signals (RIS) within keratin in fingernail; however, variations in background signals (BGS) complicate dose assessments. This study aimed to improve the accuracy of fingernail dosimetry and further develop universal protocols by systematically analyzing BGS intensities in relation to donor ages.
Materials And Methods:
Fingernail samples collected from 12 donors of different ages (11-64 years) were analyzed using an X-band ESR spectrometer before and after water treatment. Selected samples were irradiated with X-rays (160 kV, 6.3 mA) at 5 Gy and 10 Gy, then treated and measured to examine the BGS and RIS intensities.
Results:
Water treatment significantly reduced BGS intensities of all fingernail samples, decreasing the intra-individual variation from 1.2-8% to 0.2-2.8% and the inter-individual variation from 94% to 36%. A declining trend of post-water-treatment BGS intensity with age was observed, with a notable difference between children and adults. The BGS of toenails showed characteristics similar to those of fingernails. The post-treatment BGS intensities in the irradiated samples were slightly higher than those in the unirradiated ones.
Conclusion:
This study presented a large variability in the initial BGS intensities of fingernails between children and adults and the potential of toenails as a control sample in fingernail dosimetry. These findings highlight the importance of further comprehensive studies on individual-based fingernail dosimetry and its universal protocols.
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