Trace Elements (TE)

Project Summary/Abstract: Trace Elements The chemistry of inorganic elements is linked inextricably with the study of cancer. This is especially true for our catchment area, given the high level of inorganic element exposures typical of “the Granite State”. Whether studying known carcinogens, such as arsenic, the potential antagonistic effects of elements, such as selenium,

or the therapeutic uses of platinum or iron nanoparticles, there is a clear need for both routine and advanced trace element analytical methods to support NCCC research. The Trace Elements (TE) Shared Resource provides access to low-level inorganic elemental analysis to all four research programs within the Cancer

Center. TE uses state-of-the-art ICP-MS instruments to quantify multiple elements and, when coupled with chromatography, multiple contaminant compounds (species) in a variety of biological and environmental media. Cutting-edge ICP-MS instrumentation (e.g., triple-quadrupole ICP-QQQ) provides rapid, interference-

free analysis of established and emerging contaminants and macro- and micro-nutrient elements. The breadth of sample types handled by TE spans water, soil, sediment, invertebrates, fish and animal tissues and organs, cell lysates, human hair, toenail, blood, urine, placenta, foodstuffs, and beverages. The ability to handle such a

broad array of sample types is a unique feature of TE. In some cases, the sample mass available for analysis is