Application of double focusing sector field ICP-MS for multielemental characterization of human hair and nails. Part II. A study of the inhabitants of northern Sweden

Double-focusing sector-field, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry was used for the determination of 71 elements in scalp hair and fingernail samples from an urban population group living in the north-east of Sweden. Samples (n = 114 for hair and n = 96 for nails) were taken from subjects wi thout known occupational exposure to metals. From these results, concentrat ion ranges were calculated and compared with published intervals. Statistic al analysis was used to elucidate differences according to sex, age and smo king habit. It was found that significant correlations exist between differ ent elements in hair and nails, as well as between hair and nail concentrat ions for several elements. Strong positive correlation for Hg, Cd, Pb, Sb a nd Bi levels between these media confirms that both can be used for exposur e assessment for these elements. Several examples on the use of distributio n patterns for the rare-earth elements (REE) and of Pb isotope ratios for a ssessment of exposure are given. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.