Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence

David E.B. Fleming; Samantha L. Crook; Colby T. Evans; Michel N. Nader; Manuel Atia; Jason M.T. Hicks; Ellen Sweeney; Christopher R. McFarlane; Jong Sung Kim; Erin Keltie; Anil Adisesh

doi:10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109491

Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence

David E.B. Fleming, Samantha L. Crook, Colby T. Evans, Michel N. Nader, Manuel Atia, Jason M.T. Hicks, Ellen Sweeney, Christopher R. McFarlane, Jong Sung Kim, Erin Keltie, Anil Adisesh

Résultat de recherche: Article › examen par les pairs

16 Citations (Scopus)

Résumé

Arsenic is a toxic metalloid which has been associated with a wide range of health effects in humans including skin abnormalities and an elevated risk of skin, bladder, kidney, and lung cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The measurement of arsenic concentration in nail clippings is often used in population studies as an indicator of arsenic exposure. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an emerging technique for measuring arsenic in nail clippings. In the current study, single toenail clippings from 60 Atlantic Canadian participants were assessed for arsenic using a new portable XRF approach. A mono-energetic portable XRF system using doubly curved crystal optics was used to measure each clipping for a total of 900 s. Energy spectra from each clipping were analyzed for arsenic characteristic X-rays to provide a normalized arsenic signal. The same clippings were then analyzed for arsenic concentration using a “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nail clipping arsenic concentrations measured by ICP-MS ranged from 0.030 μg/g to 2.57 μg/g, with a median result of 0.14 μg/g. Portable XRF results for arsenic were compared against ICP-MS arsenic concentrations, with a linear equation of best fit determined between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of r = 0.77 was found from the 59 nail clippings returning an ICP-MS arsenic concentration above the limit of quantitation. When the comparison was limited to the 20 clippings having an XRF normalized signal at least twice as large as the associated uncertainty of measurement, the correlation coefficient was r = 0.89. With the selection of an arsenic concentration of 0.1 μg/g as a cut-off value between “exposed” and “non-exposed” individuals, the XRF method provided a test sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 81%. The corresponding positive predictive value was 88% and the negative predictive value was 65%. The portable XRF technique used in this study shows promise as a means of assessing arsenic concentration in toenail clippings.

Langue d'origine	English
Numéro d'article	109491
Journal	Applied Radiation and Isotopes
Volume	167
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109491
Statut de publication	Published - janv. 2021

Note bibliographique

Funding Information:
We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, and Health Canada. The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada. Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF (2018-03902) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Funding Information:
We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer , and Health Canada . The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada . Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF ( 2018-03902 ) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada .

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Radiation

PubMed: MeSH publication types

Journal Article

ODD de l’ONU

Cette action contribue à la réalisation des objectifs de développement durable suivants

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10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109491

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title = "Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence",

abstract = "Arsenic is a toxic metalloid which has been associated with a wide range of health effects in humans including skin abnormalities and an elevated risk of skin, bladder, kidney, and lung cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The measurement of arsenic concentration in nail clippings is often used in population studies as an indicator of arsenic exposure. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an emerging technique for measuring arsenic in nail clippings. In the current study, single toenail clippings from 60 Atlantic Canadian participants were assessed for arsenic using a new portable XRF approach. A mono-energetic portable XRF system using doubly curved crystal optics was used to measure each clipping for a total of 900 s. Energy spectra from each clipping were analyzed for arsenic characteristic X-rays to provide a normalized arsenic signal. The same clippings were then analyzed for arsenic concentration using a “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nail clipping arsenic concentrations measured by ICP-MS ranged from 0.030 μg/g to 2.57 μg/g, with a median result of 0.14 μg/g. Portable XRF results for arsenic were compared against ICP-MS arsenic concentrations, with a linear equation of best fit determined between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of r = 0.77 was found from the 59 nail clippings returning an ICP-MS arsenic concentration above the limit of quantitation. When the comparison was limited to the 20 clippings having an XRF normalized signal at least twice as large as the associated uncertainty of measurement, the correlation coefficient was r = 0.89. With the selection of an arsenic concentration of 0.1 μg/g as a cut-off value between “exposed” and “non-exposed” individuals, the XRF method provided a test sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 81%. The corresponding positive predictive value was 88% and the negative predictive value was 65%. The portable XRF technique used in this study shows promise as a means of assessing arsenic concentration in toenail clippings.",

author = "Fleming, {David E.B.} and Crook, {Samantha L.} and Evans, {Colby T.} and Nader, {Michel N.} and Manuel Atia and Hicks, {Jason M.T.} and Ellen Sweeney and McFarlane, {Christopher R.} and Kim, {Jong Sung} and Erin Keltie and Anil Adisesh",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, and Health Canada. The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada. Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF (2018-03902) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Funding Information: We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer , and Health Canada . The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada . Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF ( 2018-03902 ) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada . Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020",

year = "2021",

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doi = "10.1016/j.apradiso.2020.109491",

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T1 - Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence

AU - Fleming, David E.B.

AU - Crook, Samantha L.

AU - Evans, Colby T.

AU - Nader, Michel N.

AU - Atia, Manuel

AU - Hicks, Jason M.T.

AU - Sweeney, Ellen

AU - McFarlane, Christopher R.

AU - Kim, Jong Sung

AU - Keltie, Erin

AU - Adisesh, Anil

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, and Health Canada. The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada. Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF (2018-03902) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Funding Information: We would like to thank the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow's Health (Atlantic PATH) participants who donated their time, personal health history and biological samples to this project. We would also like to thank the Atlantic PATH team members for data collection and management. The data used in this research were made available by the Atlantic PATH study, which is the Atlantic Canada regional component of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow's Health funded by the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer , and Health Canada . The views expressed herein represent the views of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada . Support for this work was also provided by a Discovery Grant awarded to DEBF ( 2018-03902 ) by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada . Publisher Copyright: © 2020

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N2 - Arsenic is a toxic metalloid which has been associated with a wide range of health effects in humans including skin abnormalities and an elevated risk of skin, bladder, kidney, and lung cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The measurement of arsenic concentration in nail clippings is often used in population studies as an indicator of arsenic exposure. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an emerging technique for measuring arsenic in nail clippings. In the current study, single toenail clippings from 60 Atlantic Canadian participants were assessed for arsenic using a new portable XRF approach. A mono-energetic portable XRF system using doubly curved crystal optics was used to measure each clipping for a total of 900 s. Energy spectra from each clipping were analyzed for arsenic characteristic X-rays to provide a normalized arsenic signal. The same clippings were then analyzed for arsenic concentration using a “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nail clipping arsenic concentrations measured by ICP-MS ranged from 0.030 μg/g to 2.57 μg/g, with a median result of 0.14 μg/g. Portable XRF results for arsenic were compared against ICP-MS arsenic concentrations, with a linear equation of best fit determined between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of r = 0.77 was found from the 59 nail clippings returning an ICP-MS arsenic concentration above the limit of quantitation. When the comparison was limited to the 20 clippings having an XRF normalized signal at least twice as large as the associated uncertainty of measurement, the correlation coefficient was r = 0.89. With the selection of an arsenic concentration of 0.1 μg/g as a cut-off value between “exposed” and “non-exposed” individuals, the XRF method provided a test sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 81%. The corresponding positive predictive value was 88% and the negative predictive value was 65%. The portable XRF technique used in this study shows promise as a means of assessing arsenic concentration in toenail clippings.

AB - Arsenic is a toxic metalloid which has been associated with a wide range of health effects in humans including skin abnormalities and an elevated risk of skin, bladder, kidney, and lung cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The measurement of arsenic concentration in nail clippings is often used in population studies as an indicator of arsenic exposure. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an emerging technique for measuring arsenic in nail clippings. In the current study, single toenail clippings from 60 Atlantic Canadian participants were assessed for arsenic using a new portable XRF approach. A mono-energetic portable XRF system using doubly curved crystal optics was used to measure each clipping for a total of 900 s. Energy spectra from each clipping were analyzed for arsenic characteristic X-rays to provide a normalized arsenic signal. The same clippings were then analyzed for arsenic concentration using a “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Nail clipping arsenic concentrations measured by ICP-MS ranged from 0.030 μg/g to 2.57 μg/g, with a median result of 0.14 μg/g. Portable XRF results for arsenic were compared against ICP-MS arsenic concentrations, with a linear equation of best fit determined between the two variables. A correlation coefficient of r = 0.77 was found from the 59 nail clippings returning an ICP-MS arsenic concentration above the limit of quantitation. When the comparison was limited to the 20 clippings having an XRF normalized signal at least twice as large as the associated uncertainty of measurement, the correlation coefficient was r = 0.89. With the selection of an arsenic concentration of 0.1 μg/g as a cut-off value between “exposed” and “non-exposed” individuals, the XRF method provided a test sensitivity of 76% and a specificity of 81%. The corresponding positive predictive value was 88% and the negative predictive value was 65%. The portable XRF technique used in this study shows promise as a means of assessing arsenic concentration in toenail clippings.

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Assessing arsenic in human toenail clippings using portable X-ray fluorescence

Résumé

Note bibliographique

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

PubMed: MeSH publication types

ODD de l’ONU

Accès au document

Autres fichiers et liens

Empreinte numérique

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