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HelpTest ID ASNA Arsenic, Nails
Useful For
Detection of nonacute arsenic exposure
Special Instructions
Method Name
Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS)
Reporting Name
Arsenic, NailsSpecimen Type
NailContainer/Tube: Hair and Nails Collection Kit (T565)
Specimen Volume: 0.5 g
Collection Instructions:
1. Prepare and transport specimen per the instructions in the kit or see Collecting Hair and Nails for Metals Testing in Special Instructions.
2. Clippings should be taken from all 10 fingernails or toenails.
Additional Information: If known, indicate source of nails (fingernails or toenails).
Specimen Minimum Volume
0.1 g
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Nail | Ambient (preferred) | |
| Frozen | ||
| Refrigerated | ||
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.
Reference Values
0-15 years: not established
≥16 years: 0.0-0.9 mcg/g of nails
Day(s) Performed
Monday; 3 p.m.
Report Available
2 daysPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Medical Laboratories in Rochester
Test Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. This test has not been cleared or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
82175