Zn-K edge EXAFS study of human nails

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy at the Zn - K edge is applied for the study of the bonding geometry of Zn in human nails. The studied nail clippings belong to healthy donors and donors who suffer from lung diseases. Fitting of the first nearest neighboring shell of Zn reveals that it is bonded with N and S, at distances that take values in the ranges 2.00–2.04 Å and 2.23–2.28Å, respectively. Zn is four - fold coordinated and the ratio of the number of sulfur and nitrogen atoms (N_S/N_N) in the first coordination shell ranges from 0.52 to 1. The sample that belongs to the donor who suffers from lung fibrosis, a condition that is related to keratinization of the lung tissue, is characterized by the highest number of N_S/N_N. Simulation, using the FEFF8 code, of the Zn - K edge EXAFS spectra with models of tetrahedrally coordinated Zn with 1 (or 2) cysteine and 3 (or 2) histidines is satisfactory.