SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

P45
ARSENIC IN NAPOLEON'S HAIR: IS EXTERNAL CONTAMINATION A POSSIBLE SOURCE
I. Ricordel l , S. Pirnay*\ A. Marechal l , P. Chevallier, G. Meyer 3 , N. Milani, 1. Plesse l
I Laboratoire de toxicologie de la Prefecture de Police, 75012 Paris, France " 2 LURE 918980rsay France'
3 ' "
INSTN-CEA, 91190 GifNvette, France
Since the end of the 20 th century, forensic toxicology experts have extensively studied the precise cause of
Napoleon's death. Several toxicological studies have shown that there were significant concentrations of
arsenic in Napoleon's hair, leading to the suspicion that he was poisoned with arsenic. In our work, we
confirmed the presence of arsenic in the hair; however, the heterogeneity of the results between laboratories
and high level of arsenic found in Napoleon's hair encouraged us to question the interpretation of these
results. In a previous study by non-destructive X-ray fluorescence analysis, we could determine the
presence of arsenic at high concentration in Napoleon's system. Another complicating factor was that there
were no clinical symptoms of arsenic intoxication as reported by witnesses at that time. In this context, our
objective was to determine if an arsenic external contamination of Napoleon Bonaparte's hair may be a
plausible cause (only or associated with other factors) to explain arsenic rates of Emperor hair.
From aqueous solutions of arsenic, our protocol was to establish the quantity of arsenic capable of
penetrating the hair (cut extremity protected). For this purpose, we chose varied parameters: 1) the
composition of the aqueous solutions (5 different solutions), the time of contact with the hair (from 24 h to
I month), the color of the hair (blonde, brown, and black) and the ethnic origin of the hair. Arsenic
concentrations were determined on the hair, before and after four washes (five minutes successively with
water, acetone, water and water sonicate), and on the liquids of washing by atomic absorption spectrometry
in a pyrolytic oven with Zeemann correction (GTA 110 Zeemann, Varian®).
Major results show that: (a) Trivalent arsenic can penetrate and remain in the hair, (b) Washing the hair
induces the decrease of the arsenic rate, but a significant quantity of arsenic is still firmly fixed after
different treatments. (c) The time of immersion of the hair in a trivalent arsenic solution, does not change
the quantity of arsenic fixed on the capillary between 24 hours and 1 month, whatever its ethnic origin. (d)
The additives, likely used to prepare the disulfides bonds of the keratin for facilitating arsenic penetration,
do not significantly modifY the qualitative and quantitative arsenic binding, whatever the additive and the
ethnic origin ofthe hair.
In conclusion, our study confirms that arsenic can penetrate the hair through an external source as other
reports. Arsenic may remain at least partly fixed at high and toxic levels into the hair, even after full
washes. Although arsenic intoxication of Napoleon cannot be excluded, our data suggests that external
contamination from arsenic may provide an alternate explanation for the pres.ence of arsenic in the hair.
Keywords: Arsenic, Napoleon, external contamination.
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