Sains Malaysiana 46(4)(2017): 605–613

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2017-4604-13

Neutron Activation Analysis and Assessment of Trace Elements in Fingernail from

Residents of Tokyo, Japan

(Analisis Pengaktifan Neutron dan Penilaian Unsur Surih dalam Kuku Penduduk

di Tokyo, Jepun)

B.S. WEE¹* & M. EBIHARA²

¹Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak Bumi Kenyalang, Malaysia

²Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Minami Ohsawa 1-1, Hachioji, 192-0397 Tokyo, Japan

Received: 28 June 2016/Accepted: 18 September 2016

ABSTRACT

We report herewith the study of fingernail clippings obtained from the residents of Tokyo, Japan. A total of 18 participants with no health problems and occupational exposure to metals were recruited to provide fingernails samples for this study. Through the use of instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), 18 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, S, Sb, Se, V, and Zn) were determined. The results showed that the toxic elements in the fingernails are in the lower range when compared to literature values. There were no chronic exposures to toxic elements such as As and Hg found. The level of Hg found is lower than that reported 20 years ago, possibly due to the strict regulation control in Japan on the release of Hg to the environment. The elements Se and Zn are found to be rather uniformly distributed among participants and are in agreement with results from other countries. There were no significant differences in elemental concentrations due to genders and smoking habits. The overall data from this study showed similar concentrations to those of healthy participants from other countries. Thus, the current data could represent the background level of elemental concentrations in fingernails of residents in Tokyo, which could serve as reference values for future study.

Keywords: Fingernail; neutron activation analysis; trace elements

ABSTRAK

Kajian ini melaporkan mengenai keratan kuku yang diperoleh daripada penduduk Tokyo, Jepun. Seramai 18 orang subjek yang tidak mempunyai masalah kesihatan dan pendedahan kepada logam telah direkrut bagi menyediakan sampel kuku dalam kajian ini. Melalui penggunaan instrumen analisis pengaktifan neutron (INAA), 18 unsur-unsur (Ag, Al, As, Ca, Cl, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, S, Sb, Se, V dan Zn) telah ditentukan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa unsur toksik dalam kuku berada dalam keadaan yang lebih rendah apabila dibandingkan dengan nilai daripada sumber rujukan. Tiada pendedahan kronik kepada unsur toksik seperti As dan Hg telah dijumpai. Didapati bahawa tahap Hg adalah lebih rendah daripada yang dilaporkan 20 tahun yang lalu, berkemungkinan disebabkan oleh kawalan peraturan yang ketat di Jepun dalam membebaskan Hg ke alam sekitar. Penyebaran unsur Se dan Zn juga didapati agak seragam dalam kalangan peserta dan keputusan ini juga sama seperti negara-negara lain. Tiada perbezaan yang signifikan dalam kepekatan unsur yang disebabkan oleh faktor jantina dan tabiat merokok. Keseluruhan data kajian ini telah menunjukkan kepekatan yang sama dengan subjek sihat dari negara lain. Oleh itu, data semasa dapat mewakili tahap latar belakang kepekatan unsur dalam kuku penduduk di Tokyo, yang boleh dijadikan sebagai nilai rujukan untuk kajian pada masa hadapan.

Kata kunci: Analisis pengaktifan neutron; keratan kuku; unsur surih

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*Corresponding author; email: swboon@unimas.my