title: Metals detected by ICP/MS in wound tissue of war injuries without fragments in Gaza.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The amount and identity of metals incorporated into "weapons without fragments" remain undisclosed to health personnel. This poses a long-term risk of assumption and contributes to additional hazards for victims because of increased difficulties with clinical management. We assessed if there was evidence that metals are embedded in "wounds without fragments" of victims of the Israeli military operations in Gaza in 2006 and 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies of "wounds without fragments" from clinically classified injuries, amputation (A), charred (C), burns (B), multiple piercing wounds by White Phosphorus (WP) (M), were analyzed by ICP/MS for content in 32 metals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Toxic and carcinogenic metals were detected in folds over control tissues in wound tissues from all injuries: in A and C wounds (Al, Ti, Cu, Sr, Ba, Co, Hg, V, Cs and Sn), in M wounds (Al, Ti, Cu, Sr, Ba, Co and Hg) and in B wounds (Co, Hg, Cs, and Sn); Pb and U in wounds of all classes; B, As, Mn, Rb, Cd, Cr, Zn in wounds of all classes, but M; Ni was in wounds of class A. Kind and amounts of metals correlate with clinical classification of injuries, exposing a specific metal signature, similar for 2006 and 2009 samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of toxic and carcinogenic metals in wound tissue is indicative of the presence in weapon inducing the injury. Metal contamination of wounds carries unknown long term risks for survivors, and can imply effects on populations from environmental contamination. We discuss remediation strategies, and believe that these data suggest the need for epidemiological and environmental surveys.
authors.affiliation: Dept Biology, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. paolamanduca@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sobhi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skaik
authors.forename: Nafiz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abu-Shaban
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Abu-Shaban
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbieri
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Giani
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manduca