Quantitative trace element analysis of human nails with external beam PIXE

External beam PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) analysis with a proton beam of 2.4 MeV was used to study trace element concentrations in human nails. The suitability of PIXE analysis regarding nail samples without any pretreatment besides washing was investigated. The main emphasis has been on the ability to obtain absolute concentration values and a new accurate method for nail sample standardization has been developed. Concentration values for the elements Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, and Pb were determined from human nail samples. A comparison was made with nail samples taken from different fingers and toes to monitor intraindividual variation, and nails of different healthy individuals to get a view of the interindividual differences. The concentrations were also measured in relation to time in order to observe any possible short-term changes. The results are compared with the previous studies reported in the literature. The nail analysis is also compared to hair analysis in terms of detection limits, number of elements determinable, and standardization of the results.     

Simultaneous measurement of the trace elements Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum and their reference ranges by ICP-MS

The goal of this article was to establish reference ranges of the concentration of trace elements in human serum and to compare these results with those reported by other authors. We describe the sample preparation and measurement conditions that allow the rapid, precise, and accurate determination of Al, As, B, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Rb, Se, Sr, and Zn in human serum samples (n=110) by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Accuracy and precision were determined by analyzing three reconstituted reference serum samples by comparison with other methods and by the standard addition procedure. The advantages of the ICP-MS method include short time of analysis of the elements mentioned, low detection limit, high precision, and high accuracy. Disadventages include a high risk of contamination due to the presence of some of the elements of interest in the environment, the relatively delicate sample handling, and the high cost of the equipment.     

Assessment of X-ray fluorescence capabilities for nail and hair matrices through zinc measurement in keratin reference materials

BackgroundNovel and emerging biomarkers of zinc status are being developed to help study and address zinc deficiency around the world. Two potential biomarkers, nail and hair, involve the measurement of zinc from easily accessible keratin-based components of the body. Portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a relatively new approach to the assessment of zinc in nail or hair, and has a number of compelling advantages compared with other techniques. The aim of the current study was to test the ability of XRF to measure zinc in keratinized reference materials (RMs) designed to simulate nail and hair.MethodsFour Keratin Matrix RMs were prepared and characterized for numerous trace elements by the New York State Department of Health’s Wadsworth Center. The Keratin Matrix RMs consisted of powdered samples of caprine (goat) horns pooled from several animals. Concentrations of zinc, as assessed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), were similar to what would be expected from human nail or hair tissues. Repeat measurements of the RMs were made using a portable XRF system. The XRF zinc results were compared with the ICP-MS zinc concentrations. Three different approaches to quantifying the zinc content by XRF were performed: (1) zinc signal to total signal ratio, (2) zinc signal to sulfur signal ratio, and (3) system output zinc concentration.ResultsThe portable XRF results from a given RM were found to be consistent across repeat trials under all three approaches to XRF quantitation. Precision, calculated as the relative standard deviation of repeat measurements ranged from an average result of 0.8 % (using the system output zinc concentration method) to 6.1 % (using the zinc signal to sulfur signal ratio method). Measurement of the RMs provided XRF zinc results which scaled well with ICP-MS zinc concentration, particularly when using the XRF zinc to total and system zinc concentration methods. A Bland-Altman plot showed that the XRF system zinc concentration output exceeded the ICP-MS zinc concentration by, on average, 10.2 % ± 1.2 %.ConclusionOverall, both accuracy and precision of measurement were found to be promising for portable XRF, provided appropriate conversions to concentration are introduced. The results of this study indicate that portable XRF is an effective and dependable method of assessing zinc concentration in keratinized tissue RMs. This will have implications for the future use of portable XRF to monitor zinc status in humans through measurements of nail and hair.     

Hydration of human nails investigated by NIR-FT-Raman spectroscopy.

The human nail, although it is usually stable against outer influences, becomes soft and flexible after soaking in water. Frequent washing increases brittleness of nails. Hydration of nails is thought to be the most important factor influencing the physical properties of nails and possibly acts through changes in keratin structure. Here NIR-FT-Raman has been used to examine molecular structural changes of intact moisten nails. Raman spectra were obtained both in vitro from nail samples and in vivo before and after soaking in water. The water uptake of normal nail samples during the first 15 min was reflected in the increasing intensity ratio of the nu(OH)/nu(CH(2)) bands. A saturating effect appeared soon after 10 min which is explained by a defined water holding capacity. R(nu) representation of the low frequency range of the Raman spectra showed that mainly bound water is found both in dry and in wet nails. This implies water-protein interaction. Protein backbone vibration at 932 cm(-1) indicating alpha-helical proteins increased in intensity in the wet nails. The nu(S-S) which is sensitive to changes in conformation of proteins showed a 4% higher intensity. Additional protein-water interactions could lead to a slight change of the dihedral angle of the C-S-S-C bonds and to geometric changes in coiling behavior of the alpha-helical protein. Suggesting a separation between matrix proteins and fiber proteins giving them a greater freedom of flexibility. The in vivo spectra detected from the distal part of the nail resembled spectra in vitro. Raman spectra of the proximal part of the nail showed that it was fully saturated with water. The proximal part of the nail did not show changes in water content and protein structure during nail moisturizing in the Raman spectra. Our results suggest that the softening of the nail following hydration may be due to changed matrix protein molecular structure induced by water.     

Trace element contamination in feather and tissue samples from Anna’s hummingbirds

Trace element contamination (17 elements; Be, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, Ba, Hg, Tl, and Pb) of live (feather samples only) and deceased (feather and tissue samples) Anna's hummingbirds (Calypte anna) was evaluated. Samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS; 17 elements) and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (Hg only). Mean plus one standard deviation (SD) was considered the benchmark, and concentrations above the mean + 1 SD were considered elevated above normal. Contour feathers were sampled from live birds of varying age, sex, and California locations. In order to reduce thermal impacts, minimal feathers were taken from live birds, therefore a novel method was developed for preparation of low mass feather samples for ICP-MS analysis. The study found that the novel feather preparation method enabled small mass feather samples to be analyzed for trace elements using ICP-MS. For feather samples from live birds, all trace elements, with the exception of beryllium, had concentrations above the mean + 1 SD. Important risk factors for elevated trace element concentrations in feathers of live birds were age for iron, zinc, and arsenic, and location for iron, manganese, zinc, and selenium. For samples from deceased birds, ICP-MS results from body and tail feathers were correlated for Fe, Zn, and Pb, and feather concentrations were correlated with renal (Fe, Zn, Pb) or hepatic (Hg) tissue concentrations. Results for AA spectrophotometry analyzed samples from deceased birds further supported the ICP-MS findings where a strong correlation between mercury concentrations in feather and tissue (pectoral muscle) samples was found. These study results support that sampling feathers from live free-ranging hummingbirds might be a useful, non-lethal sampling method for evaluating trace element exposure and provides a sampling alternative since their small body size limits traditional sampling of blood and tissues. The results from this study provide a benchmark for the distribution of trace element concentrations in feather and tissue samples from hummingbirds and suggests a reference mark for exceeding normal. Lastly, pollinating avian species are minimally represented in the literature as bioindicators for environmental trace element contamination. Given that trace elements can move through food chains by a variety of routes, our study indicates that hummingbirds are possible bioindicators of environmental trace element contamination.     

压力罐消解ICP-MS法同时测定全血中5种微量元素

为了建立同时测定全血中微量元素铬、锰、砷、镉、铅的电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)分析法,采用压力罐消解技术对全血样品进行消化,使用ICP-MS法对全血中的五种微量元素铬、锰、砷、镉、铅含量进行测定。结果显示,全血样品中所测定的5种微量元素浓度为0~0.20μg·mL-1时,线性关系良好,相关系数r>0.999,各元素相对标准偏差(RSD)均小于5.0%(n=6),加标回收率为88.4%~107.6%,本法对铬、锰、砷、镉、铅的最低检出浓度分别为0.60、1.4、0.70、0.048、0.18μg·L-1。表明运用ICP-MS同时检测全血中微量元素具有良好的准确度和精密度、灵敏度高、检出限低、元素之间的干扰少,方法高效可行。     

Portable X-ray fluorescence of zinc applied to human toenail clippings

Zinc is an essential trace element in humans. Zinc deficiency can result in a range of serious medical conditions which include effects on growth and development, the immune system, the central nervous system, and the gastrointestinal system. Diagnosis of zinc deficiency is often precluded by the lack of a noninvasive and reliable biomarker. Zinc concentration in nail is considered an emerging biomarker of zinc status in humans. Whether zinc in nail accurately reflects zinc status is beyond the scope of the current study, but is an important research question. The development of a portable method to quickly assess zinc concentration from a single nail clipping could be a useful advance. In this study, single toenail clippings from 60 individuals living in Atlantic Canada were measured for zinc using a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technique. These samples were obtained from the Atlantic PATH cohort, part of the largest chronic disease study ever performed in Canada. Each toenail clipping was measured using three 300 s trials with a mono-energetic portable XRF system. Results were then assessed using two different approaches to the XRF analysis: (1) factory-calibrated zinc concentrations were output from each trial, and (2) energy spectra were analyzed for the characteristic X-rays resulting from zinc. Following the measurement of zinc using the non-destructive portable XRF method, the same clippings were measured for zinc concentration using the “gold standard” technique of inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A linear equation of best fit was determined for the relationship between average XRF output zinc concentration and ICP-MS zinc concentration, with a correlation coefficient r = 0.60. Similarly, a linear equation of best fit was found for the relationship between a normalized XRF energy spectrum zinc signal and ICP-MS zinc concentration, with a correlation coefficient r = 0.68. Individual ICP-MS zinc concentrations ranged from 32 μg/g to 140 μg/g, with a population average of 85 μg/g. The results of this study indicate that portable XRF is a sensitive method for the measurement of zinc in a single nail clipping, and provides a reasonable estimation of zinc concentration. Further method development is required before portable XRF be considered a routine alternative to ICP-MS for the assessment of zinc in nail clippings.     

Trace element content in fingernails and hair of a nonindustrialized US control population

The concentrations of 17 elements in the nail and hair of 117 subjects from a nonindustrialized environment were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). A new method of statistical treatment that allows for more meaningful use of detection limit values was used to process the concentration data. Geometric means and standard errors are presented for each element, along with a summary of the effects of age, sex, and treatment on the concentration of each element. For nails, these data represent the first comprehensive study for several important elements. Correlations for each element between hair and nail were determined. With few exceptions, concentrations of nonessential trace elements were positively correlated in hair and nail, whereas concentrations of essential elements showed no correlations. The factors affecting concentrations and control levels must be considered in studying alterations in disease states.     

Matrix interferences in the analysis of digested biological tissues with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

To investigate the physiological roles or toxicity of trace or toxic elements, multielement analysis of limited quantities of samples in the biological tissues is required. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) suits this requirement, but spectral and nonspectral interferences are inevitable. We examined correction methods for the nonspectral interferences by analyzing signals of 21 elements in various concentrations of HNO₃ as well as five major elements (Na, K, P, Ca, and Cl). Using internal standards, the interferences caused by the major elements were corrected, but the interferences caused by HNO₃ were impossible to correct for elements with high ionization potentials. The analytical results using the standard addition method on 14 elements in standard reference materials and fresh brain tissues confirmed the accuracy of this method. Thus, we concluded that the standard addition method is useful to correct for the nonspectral interferences.     

Are fingernail lead levels a reliable biomarker of lead internal dose?

BackgroundPotentially toxic elements, such as lead, can bioaccumulate and alter human physiology. Human biomonitoring is an essential tool to evaluate chemical exposures in different biological matrices (blood, urine, saliva, nails, and hair). Of these biological matrices, nails are favorable for their ease of sampling, transport and storage. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlations between blood lead levels (BLL) and washed and non-washed fingernail lead levels (FLL) in 55 adults living in a lead-contaminated area.MethodVenous blood and fingernail (thumbs and forefingers) samples were collected. Nails from the left hand were washed with Triton X-100 (0.5 % m/v) and HNO₃ solution, while nails from the right hand were not submitted to the pre-analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry, and pairwise correlations were used to correlate lead concentrations between BLL and FLL; nails from fingers of the same hand and between washed and unwashed fingernails. Principal component analysis was performed and scatter diagrams were plotted to investigate correlations.ResultsA non-significant positive correlation was found between BLL and washed forefinger nails lead (r = 0.219, p = 0.112) and between BLL and thumbnail lead levels (r = 0.182, p = 0.191). Comparison of fingernails from the same hand (thumb and forefinger), showed that lead concentrations of non-washed nails varied widely, even on analyses of transversal fragments from the same nail. Lead levels in non-washed forefinger nails were not correlated with non-washed thumbnails (r = 0.169, p = 0.219). Conversely, washed thumb and forefinger nails were found to be correlated (r = 0.39, p = 0.003). Washed and non-washed nails were also found to be correlated (p < 0.0001).ConclusionIn conclusion, the results showed that non-washed nails are not a reliable biomarker for lead exposure. Although washing nails before analysis may reduce external contamination, the correlation of lead concentrations between fingers is poor for fingernail lead levels to serve as an internal dose biomarker to lead exposure. In addition, levels in washed nails were not significantly correlated with blood lead levels. Fingernail lead levels seem to serve as an indicator of lead exposure sources in contact with the individual, but not as a reliable biomarker of internal dose.     

Concentration of arsenic in groundwater,vegetables, human hair and nails in mining site in the Northern Thai Nguyen province,Vietnam: human exposure and risks assessment

This study was aimed to examine the risk of chronic arsenic (As) exposure for the residents living in Nui Phao, Thai Nguyen in the northern Vietnam. Groundwater, vegetables, human hair, and nail samples were collected from volunteers living in Nui Phao. The results revealed that 75% of the groundwater samples had As exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water guideline of 10 µg L^?1. The result of As concentration for most of the vegetable samples was greater than the WHO/FAO safe (0.1?mg kg^?1). The result of hair and nail samples in this study showed that 3.5 and 20% of the samples had As concentration exceeding the level of As toxicity in hair and nails, respectively. The result of health risks indicated that the potential health risk of As contamination is greater for groundwater than vegetables. The total hazard quotient (HQ) value through vegetables ingestion and drinking water exceeded 1.0 suggesting potential health risk for local residents. The calculation of potential carcinogenic risk through both consumption of vegetables and drinking water was low cancer risk in adults. Other food sources and the exposure pathways are needed to exactly assess health risks in this area.     

Comparison of Two In Vitro Extraction Protocols for Assessing Metals’ Bioaccessibility Using Dust and Soil Reference Materials

The bioaccessibility of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc in four National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standard reference materials and two Canadian dust samples as determined using the Solubility/Bioavailability Research Consortium (SBRC) in vitro procedure ranged from a low of 1.8% for chromium in standard reference material NIST 2711 to a high of 95.2% for cadmium in NIST 2584. The SBRC data were compared to data generated using a modified EN-71 Toy Safety protocol conducted at two different laboratories. Results for the two extraction methods compared well with differences between the means (SBRC vs. modified EN-71) generally less than 10% for the majority of the metals. These differences between the two extraction methods were negligible compared to variability caused by (a) the inherent heterogeneity of typical house dust samples and (b) differences in ICP-MS analytical approaches employed in the different laboratories. Results indicate that the modified EN-71 method is useful and appropriate as a relatively simple, rapid, and reproducible screening test for estimating metals’ bioaccessibility in soil and dust samples.     

Trace Elements Concentration in Nails and Association with Airway Inflammation in Adolescents

Asthma is a multifactorial disease and its severity varies with the inflammatory status of the patient. It has been hypothesized that deficiency of trace elements has an important role in the etiology of asthma. The aim of the study was to evaluate the concentration of trace elements in nails of adolescents with different degrees of airway inflammation. We assessed the prevalence of active and severe asthma in adolescents (n?=?106) through the ISAAC questionnaire. Subjects were allocated into two different groups according to the value of fraction exhaled nitric oxide (Fe_NO) measured. Also, nail specimens were collected in order to determine the concentration of accumulated trace elements (Cu, Zn, Mn, Se) by ICP-MS. It was performed Student’s t test to evaluate statistical differences between inflammatory groups considering normally distributed data. On the other hand, when data presented non-normal distribution, Mann-Whitney U test was utilized. Spearman coefficients were calculated to investigate correlations between Fe_NO and mineral concentrations. Exhaled NO was increased in male subjects. We found association between active asthma and elevated exhaled NO. There was no significant difference in Cu (4.40 vs. 4.52), Zn (84.66 vs. 79.48), Mn (0.59 vs. 0.76), and Se (0.18 vs. 0.19) concentrations (μg/g) among distinct Fe_NO groups as well as was not observed correlation between exhaled NO levels and any element. Deficiency of trace elements in nails were not associated with increased Fe_NO.     

Concentrations of selected trace elements in human milk and in infant formulas determined by magnetic sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

Magnetic sector field inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was applied to the reliable determination of the 8 essential trace elements cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se), and vanadium (V) as well as the 7 nonessential and toxic elements silver (Ag), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), scandium (Sc), and titanum (Ti) in 27 transitory and mature human milk samples and in 4 selected infant formulas. This advanced instrumentation can separate spectral overlaps from the analyte signal hampering significantly the determination of many trace elements by conventional ICP-MS. Moreover, superior detection limits in the picogram per liter range can be obtained with such magnetic sector field instruments. Therefore, this is the first study to report the concentrations of the elements Ag, Au, Pt, Sc, Ti, and V in human milk and in infant formulas. Concentrations of Ag (median: 0.41 μg/L; range: <0.13–42 μg/L) and Au (median: 0.29 μg/L; range 0.10–2.06 μg/L) showed large variations in human milk that might be associated with dental fillings and jewelry. Pt concentrations were very low with most of the samples below the method detection limit of 0.01 μg/L. Human milk concentrations of Co (median: 0.19 μg/L), Fe (380 μg/L), Mn (6.3 μg/L), Ni (0.79 μg/L), and Se (17 μg/L) were at the low end of the corresponding reference ranges. Concentrations of Cr (24.3 μg/L) in human milk were five times higher than the high end of the reference range. For Al (67 μg/L), As (6.7 μg/L), and V (0.18 μg/L), most of the samples had concentrations well within the reference ranges. All elemental concentrations in infant formulas (except for Cr) were approximately one order of magnitude higher than in human milk.     

Arsenic speciation in human urine reference materials using high-performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric detection.

Six arsenic compounds including arsenocholine, arsenobetaine, dimethylarsinic acid, methylarsonic acid, arsenous acid and arsenic acid were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a Hamilton PRP-X100 anion-exchange column using isocratic elution and detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). This analytical procedure was applied to the speciation of arsenic compounds in human urine. The influence of urine matrix on the separation of arsenic compounds was evaluated and the determination of arsenic compounds was not hampered by the ArCl interference which has often been encountered in ICP-MS. Three human urine reference materials, SRM 2670 normal level, SRM 2670 elevated level and Lyphocheck urine metal control 1, were analyzed with respect to arsenic compounds by HPLC-ICP-MS. The results were found to be in good agreement with the certified total arsenic concentration in the reference materials. Six arsenic compounds were detected. Arsenobetaine was found to be present in all of the investigated human urine reference materials.     

Determination of trace elements in porcine brain by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry,electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry,and instrumental neutron activation analysis

Methods have been developed for the analyses of trace metals in various areas of porcine brains, (temporal, parietal, frontal cortex, both right and left hemispheres). Determinations were carried out using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The elements investigated were Li, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, and Pb by ICP-MS and Cu, Cd, and Mn by ETAAS. For determination by ICP-MS, a method of standard additions calibration coupled with internal standards was used, and for ETAAS, standard additions calibrations were prepared. The accuracy of all methods was determined using NIST and IAEA certified reference material. A small number of pig brains were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis for Cr, Co, Cs, Fe, Rb, Se, Sc, Sb, and Zn using the comparator method of analysis. Four separate NIST standard reference materials have been used to examine the validity of the comparator method.     

甲真菌病患者甲微生物群分析

目的研究甲真菌病患者甲微生物群的构成,为进一步阐明甲真菌病的发病机制提供线索。方法本研究共纳入47例甲真菌病患者及7例健康志愿者。取患者病甲的甲屑进行真菌镜检及培养鉴定;提取患者病甲、患者对侧健甲及健康人甲的DNA,对真菌rDNA ITS区及细菌16S rDNA V3-V4区PCR扩增,分析微生物群构成,并进行α多样性、β多样性、Simper分析及Spearman相关性分析。结果甲真菌病患者病甲的微生物群构成与对侧健甲及健康人甲存在差异。患者病甲的真菌菌群的丰富度高于对侧健甲。患者对侧健甲细菌菌群的多样性高于病甲及健康人甲,且患者对侧健甲细菌菌群的构成与患甲和健康人甲均有部分重叠。结论患者对侧健甲的细菌菌群构成具有由健康人甲向患者病甲转变的趋势。且在患者病甲的微生物群中,某些真菌和细菌菌属可能具有相关性。     

Incidence of dermatophytes and cyclohexamide resistantfungi on healthy children hairs and nails in nurseries

In order to estimate the prevalence of dermatophytes and other fungi on healthy children hairs and nails, 92 hair samples and 85 nail samples (groups of 10 finger nails from each child) were collected from 5 nurseries (children aged 9 months up to 4 years) in Assiut city. From hair samples 22 species were collected, Trichophyton (2 species) and Microsporum (2 species) were the only recovered dermatophytes in addition to well known keratinophilic genus Chrysosporium (4 species). From nail samples, 18 species were identified, Trichophyton was represented by 4 species, Microsporum, 2 species and Chrysosporium, 4 species. Also, several other saprophytes and cycloheximide resistant fungi were isolated. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

不同黄秋葵花中总黄酮的提取和含量测定

通过对超声波法、水浴法、水浴超声波法、水浴微波法四种不同方式辅助提取黄秋葵花中总黄酮的方法进行比较,确定以水浴超声波法辅助提取测定黄秋葵花中总黄酮效果较好.采用紫外可见分光光度法,以芦丁为标准品,样品总黄酮在0.00 ～0.067 mg/mL范围内线性良好,其回归方程为y=12.046x-0.0015,R2 =0.9993.采用水浴超声波法辅助提取、硝酸铝显色法测定11个湘葵品系的样品花中总黄酮含量,结果表明：在11种黄秋葵花样品中,湘葵3号的花中总黄酮含量最高,为5.29％,湘葵8号的花中总黄酮含量最低,为1.70％.上述研究结果为黄秋葵的质量评价及今后的产业化研究提供新思路.     

Essential metals profile of the hair and nails of patients with laryngeal cancer

Trace elements have an impact on numerous physiological processes. The monitoring of their levels in the organism allows you to detect not only their deficiencies, but also several illnesses. The aim of this study was to compare the levels of essential elements (calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese) in hair, nails and serum of both patients with laryngeal cancer and healthy people. The determination of six metals was performed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The concentration of essential elements in hair and nails of the control group was statistically significantly higher than in the group of patients with laryngeal cancer. In the case of serum, differences were found between the patients and controls in respect of the level of three metals. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) revealed the strong and similar clustering behavior of essential elements in hair and nails. The metals did not correlate between two alternative materials. The present study indicated that, using the level of essential elements in hair and nails as a basis, it is possible to distinguish cancer patients from healthy people. The alternative materials are independent of homeostasis and therefore seem to be more useful in the detection of diseases and mineral deficiencies in human than the classical biological materials, such as blood.