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

Arsenic and other elements in hair, nails, and skin-scales of arsenic victims in West Bengal, India

Lead in Mammals

Relationship of lead and cadmium to essential elements in hair, teeth, and nails of environmentally exposed people.

Application of double focusing sector field ICP-MS for multielemental characterization of human hair and nails. Part I. Analytical methodology.

Cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in human fingernails.

Thirty-six Japanese quail (18 control birds, 18 lead-dosed birds) were used. The 18 quail were dosed with #4 lead weight that were orally inserted into the proventriculus. Delta-aminolevulunic acid dehydrase (ALAD) activity in erythrocytes in the dosed quail decreased 90% (p < 0.01) after one week as compared with the undosed quail. This inhibition of ALAD activity in erythrocytes indicates lead exposure. Radiographics were obtained at 0, 1, 4, 9, 22, and 32 days. The lead pellets remained in the gizzard and became smaller in 4 days. At day 22, after the lead treatment, in 8 quail of the treated quail 12, the lead pellets disappeared. At day 32, all lead pellets disappeared. These findings indicate that the ingested lead pellets are absorbed gradually in the intestine. The lead concentrations in the blood, liver, kidney, and femur of the lead-dosed quail were significantly higher than in the unclosed quail until the 6th week. At week 2, the lead concentration of the proventriculus, gizzard, gizzard contents, duodenum, small intestine, and cecum in the dosed quail was significantly higher. Lead concentration of feces was significantly higher at weeks 2 and 4 (p < 0.01). Throughout this study, no lead pellets were found in the feces.

The prevalence and retention of lead pellets in Japanese quail.

Lead was given to rats through drinking water containing 100 ppm lead acetate for 20 days. Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD) activity in erythrocytes was significantly lower (p < 0.05) at 20 days after Pb treatment. Erythrocytic ALAD activity was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in fasted rats than in fed rats with or without Pb pretreatment. Serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activities after 6 days of fasting were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in Pb pretreated rats than in other groups (Ph nontreated fed and fasted rats, and Pb pretreated fed rats). Long periods of fasting strongly enhanced these serum-enzymes elevations induced by lead. Maximum Pb concentrations and total amount in feces increased in rats fasted for 3 days regardless of Pb pretreatment. On the other hand, total amount of Pb in feces of rats fasted for 6 days were not significantly different from the other groups because their fecal volume decreased to about 1 % of fed rats. The Pb concentrations of liver, kidney, spleen, and femur increased significantly in Pb pretreated rats compared to in controls, but there were no significant differences between the fed and fasted rats.

Masatoshi Hayashi

Papers

Cadmium, lead, and zinc concentrations in human fingernails.

The prevalence and retention of lead pellets in Japanese quail.

Effects of fasting on distribution and excretion of lead following long-term lead exposure in rats.