Method of determination of low copper concentration in human hair and nails

• Published in: Journal of analytical chemistry (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 68; no. 4; pp. 360 - 367
• Main Authors: Herman, Malgorzata, Przybylowicz, Agnieszka, Florek, Ewa, Piekoszewski, Wojciech
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht SP MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica 01.04.2013; Springer
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Chemical properties; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composition; Copper; Hair; Identification and classification; Methods; Nails (Anatomy); Poland; copper; hair; GF-AAS; nails; normal level
• ISSN: 1061-9348; 1608-3199
• DOI: 10.1134/S1061934813040060

A graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry ( GF-AAS ) method was developed for the determination of copper in selected alternative materials. The method is characterised by a low limit of detection, good accuracy and satisfactory precision, while the duration of a single measurement is approximately 80 s. It allowed an application of the developed method to determine copper in small samples of hair and nails with equipment available in most analytical laboratories. The developed GF-AAS method was successfully applied to routine analyses using samples collected from healthy humans. The study has shown similar concentration of copper in fingernails and toenails collected from women and men, which was 2–3 times lower than concentration of this element in hair of both genders. The correlation between concentration of copper in nails and hair allows one to use hair, fingernails and toenails as invariable materials for the evaluation of chronic exposure to copper.