STUDY OF THE CORRELATION OF TRACE-ELEMENTS IN CARPENTERS TOENAILS

Toenail samples were collected from 129 carpenters (average age 47). T he bone and blood lead data for these carpenters have shown a broad ra nge of lead-level exposure in this population. A total of 28 elements were measured in the sample set by a combination of instrumental neutr on activation analysis (INAA) and graphite furnace atomic absorption s pectrometry (GFAAS) methods. Of the elements measured, only Co, Cr, Fe , Na, Cd, Cu, F, and Ni were significantly correlated with lead. A sta tistical treatment of the overall data set, including principal compon ent analysis, was further applied in an attempt to correlate the eleme nts in the samples.