67 research outputs found
Toxic metals in toenails as biomarkers of exposure: A review
This work was supported by FIS grants PI12/00150, PI17CIII/00034, PI18/00287 (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, State Secretary of R + D + I and European Union (ERDF/ESF, "Investing in your future") ) , P42ES010349 and P30ES009089 (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) .Toenails have been used as biomarkers of exposure to toxic metals, but their validity for this purpose is not yet
clear and might differ depending on the specific agent. To evaluate this issue, we reviewed the literature on: a)
the time-window of exposure reflected by toenails; b) the reproducibility of toenail toxic-metal levels in repeated
measures over time; c) their relationship with other biomarkers of exposure, and; d) their association with potential
determinants (i.e. sociodemographic, anthropometric, or lifestyle characteristics) or with sources of
exposure like diet or environmental pollution.
Thus, we performed a systematic review, searching for articles that provided original data for levels of any of
the following toxic metals in toenails: aluminum, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, mercury, nickel, lead, thallium
and uranium.
We identified 88 articles, reporting data from 67 different research projects, which were quite heterogeneous
with regard to population profile, sample size and analytical technique. The most commonly studied metal was
mercury. Concerning the time-window of exposure explored by toenails, some reports indicate that toenail
cadmium, nickel and lead may reflect exposures that occurred 7–12 months before sampling. For repeated
samples obtained 1–6 years apart, the range of intraindividual correlation coefficients of aluminum, chromium
and mercury was 0.33–0.56. The correlation of toxic metal concentrations between toenails and other matrices
was higher for hair and fingernails than for urine or blood. Mercury levels were consistently associated with fish
intake, while other toxic metals were occasionally associated with specific sources (e.g. drinking water, place of
residence, environmental pollution, and occupation). The most frequently evaluated health endpoints were
cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and central nervous system diseases.
Available data suggest that toenail mercury levels reflected long-term exposures and showed positive associations
with fish intake. The lack of standardization in sample collection, quality control, analytical techniques
and procedures – along with the heterogeneity and conflicting results among studies – mean it is still difficult to conclude that toenails are a good biomarker of exposure to toxic metals. Further studies are needed to draw solid
conclusions about the suitability of toenails as biomarkers of exposure to toxic metals.FIS (Instituto de Salud Carlos III, State Secretary of R + D + I) PI12/00150
PI17CIII/00034
PI18/00287FIS (European Union (ERDF/ESF, "Investing in your future") PI12/00150
PI17CIII/00034
PI18/00287
United States Department of Health & Human Services
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA
NIH National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) P42ES010349
P30ES00908
Microglial activation occurs in the absence of anxiety-like behavior following microembolic stroke in female, but not male, rats
The Impact of Candle Burning During All Saints’ Day Ceremonies on Ambient Alkyl-Substituted Benzene Concentrations
Social defeat induces depressive-like states and microglial activation without involvement of peripheral macrophages
Environmental influences on reproductive health: the importance of chemical exposures
Chemical exposures during pregnancy can have a profound and life-long impact on human health. Due to the omnipresence of chemicals in our daily life, there is continuous contact with chemicals in food, water, air and consumer products. Consequently, human biomonitoring studies show that pregnant women around the globe are exposed to a variety of chemicals. In this review, we provide a summary of current data on maternal and fetal exposure as well as health consequences from these exposures. We review several chemical classes including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phenols, phthalates, pesticides, and metals. Additionally, we discuss environmental disparities and vulnerable populations, and future research directions. We conclude by providing some recommendations for prevention of chemical exposure and its adverse reproductive health consequences
Recommended from our members
Peat Fires and Air Quality: Volatile Organic Compound and Particulates
Proceedings of 'Scientific Sustainable Holistic Accessible', the International Symposium on Disaster Reduction on Coasts, Clayton, Victoria, Australia, 14-16 November 2005
Abstract not available
Sex specific influence on the relationship between maternal exposures to persistent chemicals and birth outcomes
- …