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 <10 mg, and methods often are adapted to account for small sample masses on a case-by-case basis. Analytical data must be collected according to accepted protocols for sample preparation, analysis, and quality control. TE has established protocols and a Quality Assurance program, uses methods based on those of the CDC, FDA, EPA, and USGS; and participates in national and international proficiency testing programs to ensure accurate, precise, and defensible data. TE has very strong links to the Cancer Population Sciences (CPS) Program. TE is an internationally-recognized center for low-level analysis of chemical elements and their compounds in biological tissues. TE has provided services for 27 other US academic institutions over the past funding cycle and fulfills a unique niche in providing state-of-the-art analytical services in trace elemental analysis. Over the last funding cycle, TE has run 6,721 samples for 12 NCCC Members from all 4 NCCC Programs (CPS [1], CBT [1], ICI [2], and TEC [8]). Funded NCCC Members have represented 15% (10) of Total Users, and we are requesting only 3% of the Total TE Budget from CCSG support. One focus of the CPS Program is early life exposure to arsenic, and TE is integral to the determination and speciation of arsenic for this project. This work has directly informed state and national public health policy. For example, the US FDA announced a proposed limit for inorganic arsenic in infant cereal of 100 ppb in 2016. For the TEC Program, TE provided a method for measuring iron nanoparticles in animal tissue. TE has contributed to CBT investigators monitoring the therapeutic effects of platinum. TE is demonstrably an essential, efficient and high-impact resource that continues to play a pivotal role in NCCC research.
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