Table 2.
Descriptive statistics for the observed trace elements (TE) contents in fingernails (research study-group (RES)), expressed as µg/g; values reported in the literature are presented for comparison purposes.
| RES Group (µg/g) | Literature Data | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Exposed Individuals [74] | Healthy Centenarians [75] | |||||||||||
| Min-Max | M | SD | Md | Min-Max | M | SD | Md | Min-Max | M | SD | Md | |
| Al | 3.57–54.61 | 18.93 | 14.22 | 14.42 | 12.00–137.00 | 36.00 | 22.00 | 32.00 | - | - | - | - |
| As | 0.07–0.30 | 0.12 | 0.06 | 0.11 | 0.07–1.09 | 0.27 | 0.19 | 0.22 | - | - | - | - |
| Ba | 0.11–2.21 | 0.64 | 0.73 | 0.31 | 0.28–3.99 | 1.34 | 1.35 | 0.89 | 0.94–22.92 | 5.10 | 3.92 | 3.85 |
| Cd | 0.002–0.06 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01–0.44 | 0.11 | 0.18 | 0.06 | 0.004–0.19 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Co | 0.003–0.04 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01–0.12 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.01–0.64 | 0.10 | 0.10 | 0.07 |
| Cr | 0.25–0.93 | 0.61 | 0.20 | 0.60 | 0.22–3.20 | 1.16 | 1.05 | 0.76 | 0.08–2.51 | 0.82 | 0.44 | 0.82 |
| Cu | 2.66–7.40 | 4.67 | 1.32 | 4.83 | 4.20–17.00 | 8.40 | 3.50 | 7.60 | 2.02–8.53 | 3.71 | 0.99 | 3.55 |
| Fe | 7.31–49.84 | 24.01 | 13.25 | 20.06 | 12.00–189.00 | 42.00 | 30.00 | 37.00 | 16.52–692.00 | 154.40 | 124.80 | 116.70 |
| Hg | 0.12–0.85 | 0.42 | 0.20 | 0.42 | 0.03–0.31 | 0.12 | 0.098 | 0.098 | - | - | - | - |
| Li | 0.005–0.18 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.02 | 0.01–0.25 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.05 | 0.02–2.07 | 0.31 | 0.32 | 0.23 |
| Mn | 0.04–2.93 | 0.58 | 0.79 | 0.17 | 0.19–3.30 | 0.90 | 0.75 | 0.65 | 0.21–15.40 | 3.09 | 2.18 | 2.62 |
| Ni | 0.09–2.98 | 0.93 | 1.04 | 0.36 | 0.14–6.95 | 1.65 | 2.20 | 0.84 | 0.02–3.67 | 0.95 | 0.85 | 0.66 |
| Pb | 0.07–1.73 | 0.38 | 0.38 | 0.30 | 0.27–4.75 | 1.38 | 1.14 | 1.06 | 0.13–9.61 | 1.86 | 1.81 | 1.33 |
| Sb | 0.008–0.13 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.01–0.13 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.04 | - | - | - | - |
| Se | 0.60–1.03 | 0.803 | 0.13 | 0.80 | 0.62–1.53 | 0.94 | 0.21 | 0.93 | 0.24–0.70 | 0.44 | 0.11 | 0.44 |
| Sn | 0.01–1.20 | 0.33 | 0.36 | 0.17 | 0.11–2.56 | 0.63 | 0.51 | 0.48 | - | - | - | - |
| Sr | 0.07–2.24 | 0.48 | 0.53 | 0.27 | 0.17–1.39 | 0.43 | 0.21 | 0.39 | 1.40–18.50 | 6.20 | 2.47 | 5.80 |
| Ti | 3.68–6.75 | 5.14 | 0.77 | 5.15 | 0.94–16.10 | 4.46 | 5.01 | 2.71 | - | - | - | - |
| V | 0.05–0.38 | 0.120 | 0.07 | 0.10 | 0.02–0.48 | 0.08 | 0.05 | 2.71 | - | - | - | - |
| Zn | 88.65–219.31 | 144.10 | 39.15 | 137.34 | 80.00–191.00 | 120.00 | 29.00 | 116.00 | 93.00–326.00 | 148.00 | 36.00 | 138.00 |
Note: Min = minimum; Max = maximum; M = mean; SD = standard deviation; Md = median; Al = aluminum; As = arsenic; Ba = barium; Cd = cadmium; Co = cobalt; Cr = chromium; Cu = copper; Fe = iron; Hg = mercury; Li = lithium; Mn = manganese; Ni = nickel; Pb = lead; Sb = antimony; Se = selenium; Sn = tin; Sr = strontium; Ti = titanium; V = vanadium; Zn = zinc.