Kintz Pascal, Ginet Morgane, Marques Nadine, Cirimele Vincent
Laboratoire ChemTox, Illkirch, France.
Forensic Sci Int. 2007 Aug 6;170(2-3):204-6. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2007.02.035. Epub 2007 Jul 12.
Since 1960, it has been demonstrated by various analytical procedures that high concentrations of arsenic were present in Napoleon's hair. Various authors, indicating that the detected arsenic levels are a consequence of external contamination, have challenged the results of these examinations. We have tested two strands of hair, referenced as Noverraz and Grand Maréchal Bertrand. Samples were incubated 6h in water at 90 degrees C, and arsenic speciation was carried out by HPLC-ICP/MS. The residue was injected on a cation-exchange PRP-X200 column that allows the detection of arsenobetaine and on an anion-exchange PRP-X100 column to test for the mineral forms. In these conditions, the inorganic species As(III), As(V) and their metabolites (DMA and MMA) were separated. Analysis of hair samples highlighted massive amounts of total arsenic (42.1 and 37.4ng/mg). Arsenical species found in the two samples of analyzed hair are distributed in the following: As(III) 31.1 and 44.7%; As(V) 66.3 and 53.2%; DMA 0.42 and 0.15%. Traces of MMA were detected, and 2% of the species could not be identified. These results prove that more than 97% of the arsenic found in the hair of Napoleon is in inorganic form, which is consistent with a chronic intoxication to arsenic.
自1960年以来，各种分析方法已证明拿破仑的头发中存在高浓度的砷。许多作者指出检测到的砷含量是外部污染的结果，对这些检测结果提出了质疑。我们测试了两缕头发，分别标记为Noverraz和Grand Maréchal Bertrand。将样品在90摄氏度的水中孵育6小时，然后通过HPLC-ICP/MS进行砷形态分析。将残留物注入阳离子交换PRP-X200柱以检测砷甜菜碱，并注入阴离子交换PRP-X100柱以测试矿物形态。在这些条件下，分离出了无机形态的As(III)、As(V)及其代谢物（DMA和MMA）。头发样本分析突出显示了大量的总砷（42.1和37.4纳克/毫克）。在所分析的两缕头发样本中发现的砷形态分布如下：As(III)分别为31.1%和44.7%；As(V)分别为66.3%和53.2%；DMA分别为0.42%和0.15%。检测到了痕量的MMA，并且有2%的形态无法识别。这些结果证明，在拿破仑头发中发现的砷超过97%是无机形态，这与慢性砷中毒相符。
