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Comments on total platinum concentration and platinum oxidation states in body fluids, tissue, and explants from women exposed to silicone and saline breast implants by IC-ICPMS.

Brook MA

Department of Chemistry, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street W., Hamilton, ON, Canada. mabrook@mcmaster.ca

The paper by Lykissa and Maharaj (Lykissa, E. D.; Maharaj, S. V. M. Anal. Chem. 2006, 78, 2925-2933) comes to two main conclusions: platinum is found at elevated levels in women who have received breast implants, and the platinum is present in unusual oxidation states. The authors make clear their view that these are very surprising and disturbing results, both because of the quantity of platinum found and the association between higher oxidation states of platinum and toxicity of various types (sensitization-contact dermatitis, carcinogencity, among others). However, the conclusions arrived at by the authors are unsupported by the Experimental Section of the paper and the data that are reported there, and contravene the well-established chemistry of platinum.

Published 1 August 2006 in Anal Chem, 78(15): 5609-11.
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