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... First, hair may be the only trace evidence that is resistant to decay due to its high keratin content [3]. Second, non-invasive hair sampling is possible under close supervision, whilst hair samples can also be stored for long-term periods and transported with ease [1,4]. Most important, hair concentrates and stores chemical information contained within the circulatory system and, depending on its length, provides a retrospective or chronological profile of acute or chronic exposure to xenobiotics, including toxic metals [1,4]. ...
... Second, non-invasive hair sampling is possible under close supervision, whilst hair samples can also be stored for long-term periods and transported with ease [1,4]. Most important, hair concentrates and stores chemical information contained within the circulatory system and, depending on its length, provides a retrospective or chronological profile of acute or chronic exposure to xenobiotics, including toxic metals [1,4]. ...
This study aimed to assess the potential of a multidimensional approach to differentiate body hairs based on their physico-chemical properties and whether body hairs can replace the use of scalp hair in studies linked to forensic and systemic intoxication. This is the first case report controlling for confounding variables to explore the utility of multidimensional profiling of body hair using synchrotron synchrotron microbeam X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) for longitudinal and hair morphological region mapping) and benchtop methods, including attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) (complemented with chemometrics analysis), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) (complemented with heatmap analysis), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis (complemented by descriptive statistics) to profile different body hairs in terms of their elemental, biochemical, thermal, and cuticle properties. This multidimensional approach provided supportive information to emphasize the intricate and rather complex interplay between the organization and levels of elements and biomolecules within the crystalline and amorphous matrix of different body hairs responsible for the differences in physico-chemical properties between body hairs that are predominantly affected by the growth rate, follicle or apocrine gland activity, and external factors such as cosmetic use and exposure to environmental xenobiotics. The data from this study may have important implications for forensic science, toxicology and systemic intoxication, or other studies involving hair as a research matrix.
... Keratin is rich with sulfhydryl groups to which metal ions have a high binding affinity, thus resulting in the incorporation of metals into hair. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Elements in hair can be of either endogenous or exogenous origin. Endogenous elements incorporate in hair from the blood supply into keratinous matrix as hair grows, and they give us information about metal exposure of a person that can occur by industrial emission, environmental contamination (including cigarette smoking), occupational exposure, volcanic gasses, and emissions by coal-fired power plants. ...
... Endogenous elements incorporate in hair from the blood supply into keratinous matrix as hair grows, and they give us information about metal exposure of a person that can occur by industrial emission, environmental contamination (including cigarette smoking), occupational exposure, volcanic gasses, and emissions by coal-fired power plants. [4][5][6][7][8] Exogenous elements are bound to hair surface and reflect possible contamination due to external factors, such as dust particles, water used for washing hair, and cosmetic hair treatments, sweat, collection, and storage of hair samples. 1,4,5 The exogenous elements are the main limitation to using hair as an acceptable biological sample as they may affect analytical results and lead to misinterpretation of the results used for the assessment of element exposure and intake, health risk of toxic element exposure or metal intoxication. ...
... [4][5][6][7][8] Exogenous elements are bound to hair surface and reflect possible contamination due to external factors, such as dust particles, water used for washing hair, and cosmetic hair treatments, sweat, collection, and storage of hair samples. 1,4,5 The exogenous elements are the main limitation to using hair as an acceptable biological sample as they may affect analytical results and lead to misinterpretation of the results used for the assessment of element exposure and intake, health risk of toxic element exposure or metal intoxication. Having all this in mind, exogenous elements must be removed before analysis by adequate hair sample washing procedures while the hair structure should be preserved so that endogenous elements are unspoiled. ...
Human hair is a biological sample that is, unlike blood, noninvasively collected and can be used in the assessment of element intake. Before analysis, hair samples need to be washed to eliminate external contamination, for which no standard procedure exists. The present study evaluated the efficiency of different processes for washing hair samples (by non-ionic detergent, acids, solvents, and their mixtures), including ultrasonication before ICP-MS element (As, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Pb, Se, and Zn) analysis. All tested washing procedures using detergent or solvents were satisfactory, while nitric and hydrochloric acid solutions yielded to “released” and lost elements due to damaged hair (visible discolouration and hair impairment). The application of ultrasonication improved washing efficiency up to 10 %, depending on the tested element and washing procedure.
... (b) schematic of the diffracting cones with respect to the reflecting plane, the specimen, and the phosphor screen.Grain boundary composition was characterized by secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) due to its high sensitivity (~1 ppm), and more importantly, simplified sample preparation as compared to APT. SIMS is the mass spectrometry of ionized atoms or clusters that are emitted from the very top of the sample surface upon being bombarded with energetic primary particles as shown in the schematic,Figure 2.442 . The typical pulsed primary ion is Ga + with an energy range of 1-25 kV. ...
