Elemental contents in Napoleon's hair cut before and after his death: did Napoleon die of arsenic poisoning? | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)

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Citation
Tags

HERO ID

1021194

Reference Type

Journal Article

Title

Elemental contents in Napoleon's hair cut before and after his death: did Napoleon die of arsenic poisoning?

Author(s)

Lin, X; Alber, D; Henkelmann, R

Year

2004

Is Peer Reviewed?

Yes

Journal

Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
ISSN: 1618-2642
EISSN: 1618-2650

Volume

379

Issue

Page Numbers

218-220

Language

English

PMID

14968289

DOI

10.1007/s00216-004-2536-y

Web of Science Id

WOS:000221191200008

Abstract

Whether or not Napoleon died of arsenic poisoning is an open question on which debate has been active since 1960. This work examined several of his hairs, cut at different times and in different places: two pieces cut the day after his death on the island of St. Helena (1821) and two pieces cut seven years earlier (1814) during his first exile on the island of Elba. INAA results show that all of the samples of Napoleon's hair have an elevated arsenic concentration. These results disfavor the arsenic poisoning theory. Aside from arsenic, 18 other elements are reported, providing additional information for examining the arsenic poisoning theory.