title: Stable isotope composition of human fingernails from Slovakia.
abstract: Stable isotope composition of human fingernails has proven to be useful for documenting human dietary information and geographical patterns in archeological, forensic, anthropological and biological studies. Therefore, it is of interest to detect all factors influencing the stable isotopic composition in the certain regions in the world. Carbon and nitrogen isotope data of human fingernail keratin from 52 individuals from Slovakia were reported in this study. The online combustion and continuous flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometer Delta V Advantage was used for δ(13)C and δ(15)N analysis of fingernail keratin samples from 24 vegetarian and 28 omnivorous individuals. A group of people with frequent meat consumption showed enrichment in (13)C and (15)N isotopes in fingernails. A similar trend was observed with increasing seafood in an individual's diet. Moreover a significant difference was revealed between smokers and nonsmokers for both δ(13)C and δ(15)N values. These data were compared to previously published δ(13)C and δ(15)N fingernail values from across the globe. This study brings new information on the stable isotope signature of individuals from Slovakia and characterizes the Central European region for the first time. The stable isotope composition of fingernails is influenced by the frequency of meat and seafood consumption as well as smoking.
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics, Mlynská dolina F2, 842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia; State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovakia. Electronic address: zuzana.grolmusova@geology.sk.
authors.forename: Zuzana
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Grolmusová
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics, Mlynská dolina F2, 842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rapčanová
authors.affiliation: State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michalko
authors.affiliation: State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Čech
authors.affiliation: Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics, Department of Experimental Physics, Mlynská dolina F2, 842 48 Bratislava, Slovakia; State Geological Institute of Dionýz Štúr, Laboratory of Isotope Geology, Mlynská dolina 1, 817 04 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Veis
mesh_terms: D002247:Carbon Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry*; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D017747:Seafood / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes
keywords: Diet; Fingernail; Keratin; Smoking; Stable isotopes