scholarly journals Beethoven’s death—the result of medical malpractice?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Reiter ◽  
Thomas Prohaska
Keyword(s):  
Lead Exposure ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Medical Knowledge ◽  
Subsequent Treatment ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Time Line ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Average Lead

SummaryTwo different strands of hair taken from Beethoven’s head after his death were examined for heavy metals using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser ablation-ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma–mass spectroscopy). The results revealed the presence of small lead particles on the surface of Beethoven’s hairs and fluctuating lead levels in hair medulla along the length of the hair due to alternating lead exposure, with an average lead exposure of 100 times the normal value. The time-line attached to the peaks of these fluctuating values correlate with the pneumonia treatment and the paracenteses performed, including the subsequent treatment of the procedure wounds. While the administration of lead-containing drugs and treatments had been proven to resolve the pneumonia, it had simultaneously caused massive liver failure, accelerated by pre-existing cirrhosis. The question as to whether Beethoven’s death was a case of malpractice can only be answered from a forensic point of view ex ante, since the state of the medical knowledge of the time has to be taken into account.

scholarly journals Follow-Up of Elevated Blood Lead Levels and Sources in a Cohort of Children in Benin

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8689
Author(s):  
Shukrullah Ahmadi ◽  
Barbara Le Bot ◽  
Roméo Zoumenou ◽  
Séverine Durand ◽  
Nadine Fiévet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lead Exposure ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Blood Lead ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Blood Lead Levels ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Potential Sources ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Sub Saharan

Lead exposure is associated with poor cognitive development in children. Very few studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have studied blood lead levels (BLLs) and non-gasoline sources of exposure in children. Data from a birth cohort in Benin (2011–2013) suggested that 58% of 1-year-old children had BLLs > 50 ug/L. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of elevated BLLs (>50 µg/L and >100 µg /L) among 425 of these children at 6 years of age in 2016–2018 and to compare BLLs between age 1 and 6 years, and study sources of lead at age 6 years. BLLs were analysed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression and quantile regressions were used to study potential sources of lead. The prevalence of BLLs > 50 µg/L in children was 59.5% (Geometric Mean (GM) 56.4 µg/L, 95% CI: 54.1–58.7) at 6 years of age compared to 54.8% (GM 56.5 µg/L, 95% CI: 53.4–59.6) at 1 year of age. The prevalence of children with BLLs > 100 µg/L decreased from 14.4% at 1 year of age to 8.2% at 6 years of age. After adjustment for all other covariates, consumption of peanuts more than once per month was significantly associated with a 22.0% (95% CI: 4.6, 42.5) increment in BLLs at age 6 years compared with no consumption. Consumption of bushmeat killed by lead bullets at age 6 years was associated with an increase in the higher percentiles of BLLs (P75) compared with the absence of this source. Other potential sources of lead associated with BLLs with marginal significance were consumption of rice, paternal occupational exposure, and the presence of activity with the potential use of lead. This prospective cohort confirms the persistently high prevalence of elevated BLLs in children residing in a rural region in the south of Benin, as well as the presence of multiple and continuous sources of lead. These results highlight the need for prevention programs to reduce and eliminate lead exposure in children.

scholarly journals Cadmium and Lead Levels in Blood and Arsenic Levels in Urine among Schoolchildren Living in Contaminated Glassworks Areas, Sweden

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7382
Author(s):  
Kristoffer Mattisson ◽  
Eva Tekavec ◽  
Thomas Lundh ◽  
Emilie Stroh
Keyword(s):  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Inorganic As ◽  
Plasma Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Lead Levels ◽  
Blood And Urine Samples ◽  
Cadmium And Lead

The Kingdom of Crystal, an area in southern Sweden famous for its many glassworks, is historically heavily burdened by pollution from this industry. Glass crust containing cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As) has been deposited around the area and used as filling. The purpose of this study was to monitor whether the high levels of metals in the contaminated soil were reflected in blood and urine among school children in this area. Blood and urine samples were collected from 87 children in 2017. The levels of cadmium (Cd-B) and lead (Pb-B) found in blood were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The speciation of As in urine (As-U) was performed by ion chromatography. The geometric mean of Cd-B and Pb-B among the children were 0.09 μg/L and 9.9 μg/L respectively. The geometric mean of inorganic As (AsIII and AsV) with metabolites in urine was 6.1 μg/L and 6.94 μg/g creatinine. Children in the study area had blood levels of Pb and Cd that correspond to levels generally found in Swedish children. The levels of inorganic As and its metabolites in urine were low and in the same magnitude as other children in Europe and the U.S.

scholarly journals Analysis of Mineral and Heavy Metal Content of Some Commercial Fruit Juices by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Dehelean ◽  
Dana Alina Magdas
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Fruit Juices ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Plasma Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Admissible Limit

The presence of potentially toxic elements and compounds in foodstuffs is of intense public interest and thus requires rapid and accurate methods to determine the levels of these contaminants. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is a powerful tool for the determination of metals and nonmetals in fruit juices. In this study, 21 commercial fruit juices (apple, peach, apricot, orange, kiwi, pear, pineapple, and multifruit) present on Romanian market were investigated from the heavy metals and mineral content point of view by ICP-MS. Our obtained results were compared with those reported in literature and also with the maximum admissible limit in drinking water by USEPA and WHO. For Mn the obtained values exceeded the limits imposed by these international organizations. Co, Cu, Zn, As, and Cd concentrations were below the acceptable limit for drinking water for all samples while the concentrations of Ni and Pb exceeded the limits imposed by USEPA and WHO for some fruit juices. The results obtained in this study are comparable to those found in the literature.

scholarly journals Determination of some metals in the commonly consumed dairy products randomly collected from the market in Alexandria - Egypt, with an emphasis on toxicity, permissible limits and risk assessment

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahar Issa ◽  
Doaa Genina ◽  
Maha Al Mazroua ◽  
Safaa Abdel Rahman ◽  
Marwa M Fawzi
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Products ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Raw Milk ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Random Samples ◽  
White Cheese ◽  
Quantitative Analyses

The aim of this research was to evaluate the possible contamination by heavy metals of 30 random samples of raw milk and four other dairy products (pasteurized milk, white cheese, yellow cheese, and yoghurt), that were purchased from the three different regions in Alexandria, Egypt namely; (Eastern, Central and Western Alexandria). Each sample was homogenized, powdered, and mineralized in a microwave oven. Quantitative analyses of Al, Se, Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb were performed using an inductively coupled plasma-mass (ICP-MS) spectrometry. Western Alexandria samples had the highest recorded levels in Pb, Cd and Cu (7.421 ppm, and 0.673 ppm, and 5.013 ppm) consecutively. Highest levels detected for Al and Se were detected in samples collected from Eastern Alexandria (2.74 ppm and 0.093 ppm) successively. Zn (31.64 ppm) showed the highest concentration in a sample purchased from Central Alexandria. Further investigations of the levels of metals in bigger number of milk samples from different zones of Alexandria, Egypt are necessary, both to examine this problem from the toxicological, clinical, and epidemiological point of view and, to assess the exposure risk.

Single Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry: Investigating Nonlinear Response Observed in Pulse Counting Mode and Extending the Linear Dynamic Range by Compensating for Dead Time Related Count Losses on a Microsecond Timescale

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingo Strenge ◽  
Carsten Engelhard
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Nonlinear Response ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Dead Time ◽  
Inorganic Nanoparticles ◽  
Linear Dynamic Range ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Icp Ms ◽  
Plasma Mass Spectrometry

<p>The article demonstrates the importance of using a suitable approach to compensate for dead time relate count losses (a certain measurement artefact) whenever short, but potentially strong transient signals are to be analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Findings strongly support the theory that inadequate time resolution, and therefore insufficient compensation for these count losses, is one of the main reasons for size underestimation observed when analysing inorganic nanoparticles using ICP-MS, a topic still controversially discussed.</p>

Fast Turn-around Failure Analysis of Metal Interconnection Using FIB and LA ICP-MS

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zixiao Pan ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Fuhe Li
Keyword(s):  
Failure Analysis ◽  
Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽  
Structural Damage ◽  
Focused Ion Beam ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Chemical Contamination ◽  
Inductively Coupled ◽  
Minimal Sample ◽  
Icp Ms

Abstract This paper introduces our effort in failure analysis of a 200 nm thick metal interconnection on a glass substrate and covered with a passivation layer. Structural damage in localized areas of the metal interconnections was observed with the aid of focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sectioning. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (LA ICP-MS) was then applied to the problematic areas on the interconnection for chemical survey. LA ICP-MS showed direct evidence of localized chemical contamination, which has likely led to corrosion (or over-etching) of the metal interconnection and the assembly failure. Due to the high detection sensitivity of LA ICP-MS and its compatibility with insulating material analysis, minimal sample preparation is required. As a result, the combination of FIB and LA ICP-MS enabled successful meso-scale failure analysis with fast turnaround and reasonable cost.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document