Abstract
Toenail is metabolic end product of the skin, which can provide information about heavy metal accumulation in human cells. Slow growth rates of toenail can represent heavy metal exposure from 2 to 12 months before the clipping. The toenail is a non-invasive biomarker that is easy to collect and store and is stable over time. In this systematic review, the suitability of toenail as a long-term biomarker was reviewed, along with the analysis and validation of toenail and confounders to heavy metal. This systematic review has included 30 articles chosen from a total of 132 articles searched from online electronic databases like Pubmed, Proquest, Science Direct, and SCOPUS. Keywords used in the search included “toenail”, “biomarker”, “heavy metal”, and “drinking water”. Heavy metal in toenail can be accurately analyzed using an ICP-MS instrument. The validation of toenail heavy metal concentration data is very crucial; however, the Certified Reference Material (CRM) for toenail is still unavailable. Usually, CRM for hair is used in toenail studies. Confounders that have major effects on heavy metal accumulation in toenail are dietary intake of food and supplement, smoking habit, and overall health condition. This review has identified the advantages and limitations of using toenail as a biomarker for long-term exposure, which can help future researchers design a study on heavy metal exposure using toenail.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support given by Universiti Putra Malaysia under Geran Putra-Inisiatif Putra Siswazah (Vot number: 9399834) and the Ministry of Education Malaysia (MyPhD Scholarship).
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©2015 by De Gruyter
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Toenail as a biomarker of heavy metal exposure via drinking water: a systematic review
- An overview of indoor air quality and its impact on respiratory health among Malaysian school-aged children
- Genotoxic assessment of calcium hypochlorite and Strychnos potatorum Linn. seeds—two commonly used water purifying agents
- Assessing exposure of young children to common endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the home environment: a review and commentary of the questionnaire-based approach
- Increased hospital admissions associated with extreme-heat exposure in King County, Washington, 1990–2010
- Organophosphate pesticides exposure among farmworkers: pathways and risk of adverse health effects
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Toenail as a biomarker of heavy metal exposure via drinking water: a systematic review
- An overview of indoor air quality and its impact on respiratory health among Malaysian school-aged children
- Genotoxic assessment of calcium hypochlorite and Strychnos potatorum Linn. seeds—two commonly used water purifying agents
- Assessing exposure of young children to common endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the home environment: a review and commentary of the questionnaire-based approach
- Increased hospital admissions associated with extreme-heat exposure in King County, Washington, 1990–2010
- Organophosphate pesticides exposure among farmworkers: pathways and risk of adverse health effects