Reliability of low mass toenail samples as biomarkers of chronic metal exposure

Background Toenails are a promising matrix for chronic metal exposure assessment, but there are currently no standard methods for collection and analysis. Questions remain about sample mass requirements and the extent to which metals measured in this matrix are representative of chronic body burden. Objective This study proposes a method to maximize sample conservation for toenail metals analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). We demonstrate the reliability of an ~25 mg toenail sample (typically 1–2 clippings) for metals analysis and evaluate the intra-individual variability of multiple metals in this matrix over time in men from the Gulf Long-term Follow-up (GuLF) Study. Methods Toenail samples from 123 GuLF Study participants were collected at two visits 3 years apart and analyzed for 18 elements using ICP-MS. Participants with samples exceeding 200 mg at the first visit ( n = 29) were selected for triplicate sub-sample analysis. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance ( W ) was used to assess sub-sample reliability and Spearman’s correlation coefficients ( ρ ) were used to evaluate fluctuations in elemental concentrations over time. Results Results were not reported for Cd, Co, Mo, Sb, and V (detected in <60% of the samples). There was strong agreement among triplicate samples (Kendall’s W : 0.72 (Cu)–0.90 (Cu)) across all elements evaluated, moderate correlations of elemental concentrations (Spearman’s ρ : 0.21–0.42) over 3 years for As, Ca, Cr, Fe, Pb, Mn, and Zn, and strong correlations (>0.50) for Se, Cu, and Hg. Impact Statement This toenail reliability study found that a low-mass (~25 mg) toenail sample (1-2 clippings) is suitable for the determination of most elements using ICP-MS and helps to increase the analytical capacity of limited toenail biospecimens collected in cohort studies. The results highlight differences in the suitability of toenails for chronic metal exposure assessment by element and underscore the need to consider intra-person variability, especially when comparing results across studies. We also provide recommendations for analytical standardization and the partitioning of the total collected toenail sample into multiple analytic sub-samples for future studies using toenail biospecimen for multiple assays.