Home
HelpTest ID ASNA Arsenic, Nails
Reporting Name
Arsenic, NailsUseful For
Detection of nonacute arsenic exposure in nail specimens
Specimen Type
NailNecessary Information
Indicate source of nails (fingernails or toenails), if known.
Specimen Required
Supplies: Hair and Nails Collection Kit (T565)
Specimen Volume: 0.2 g
Collection Instructions:
1. Prepare and transport specimen per the instructions in the kit or see Collecting Hair and Nails for Metals Testing.
2. Clippings should be taken from all 10 fingernails or toenails.
Specimen Minimum Volume
0.05 g
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail | Ambient (preferred) | ||
| Frozen | |||
| Refrigerated | |||
Reference Values
0-15 years: Not established
≥16 years: <1.0 mcg/g of nails
Day(s) Performed
Tuesday
Test Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
82175
Clinical Information
Arsenic circulating in the blood will bind to protein by formation of a covalent complex with sulfhydryl groups of the amino acid cysteine. Keratin, the major structural protein in hair and nails, contains many cysteine residues and, therefore, is one of the major sites for accumulation of arsenic. Since arsenic has a high affinity for keratin, the concentration of arsenic in nails is higher than in other tissues.
Several weeks after exposure, transverse white striae, called Mees' lines, may appear in the fingernails.
Interpretation
Nails grow at a rate of approximately 0.1 inch/month. Nail keratin synthesized today will grow to the distal end in approximately 6 months. Thus, a nail specimen collected at the distal end represents exposure of 6 months ago.
Nail arsenic above 1.0 mcg/g dry weight may indicate excessive exposure. It is normal for some arsenic to be present in nails, as everybody is exposed to trace amounts of arsenic from the normal diet.
The highest hair or nail arsenic observed at Mayo Clinic was 210 mcg/g dry weight in a case of chronic exposure that was the cause of death.
Clinical Reference
1.Hindmarsh JT, McCurdy RF. Clinical and environmental aspects of arsenic toxicity. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 1986;23(4):315-347
2.Strathmann FG, Blum LM: Toxic elements. In: Nader R, Horwath AR, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:chap 44
Method Description
The metal of interest is analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.(Unpublished Mayo method)
Report Available
2 to 8 daysReject Due To
All specimens will be evaluated at Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.NY State Approved
NoMethod Name
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Cautions
No significant cautionary statements.