Abstract: Objective To explore the feasibility of the detection of metal elements of skin in electric in-jury using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS),and to establish a method to detect metal elements of skin in electric injury.Methods Brass,copper,aluminum and iron were used as elec-trodes to make electrical marks on rabbit hindlimb(220 V AC),and then ICP-MS was used to detect the metal elements in injured skin.Results Comparing with control group,the levels of Cr,Ni,Cu,Zn and Pb showed higher in the group of brass shock(P<0.05);the levels of Cr,Cu and Pb were higher in group of the copper shock(P<0.05);the levels of Al,Cr,Mn,Co,Ni,Cu and Pb displayed stronger in group of aluminum shock(P<0.05);the levels of Cr,Mn,Fe and Ni showed higher in the group of iron shock(P<0.05).The types and levels of metal elements showed the significant difference between different electrode groups after electric injury.Conclusion ICP-MS can be used as an effective tool to determine electric injury,and the method can be used to estimate the features of electrodes.

Key words: forensic pathology, electric injuries, skin, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS), metallization, rabbits