Lab has the largest collection of toenail clippings; more than 30,000 people donate samples

When it comes to toenail clippings, do you throw them in the trash, flush them down the toilet, or throw them out the window?

Or do you send them to a research facility?

While this last option may sound strange, 30,000 Canadians actually clipped their toenails, picked up the shards and placed them in clear bags to mail.

In fact, the collection – housed at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia – is listed in the Guinness World Records as the largest collection of toenail clippings.

But rest assured, the clippings represent a serious scholarly study rather than a creepy personal collection.

Scientists say toenail clippings provide an indication of the potentially toxic elements we’ve been exposed to in recent months, such as arsenic.

Toenail analysis, combined with knowledge of where each donor lives, can reveal specific locations where potentially dangerous chemicals are high.

Professor Trevor Dummer, a health geographer at Dalhousie University, told MailOnline: ‘Toenails are kept in individual plastic bags in filing cabinets – no special freezers or storage areas are required.

30,000 Canadians clipped their toenails, dug up the shards and placed them in clear bags to post

‘When a toenail can be cut, it is on average about 10 to 14 months old.

‘Some environmental pollutants and heavy metals – including arsenic – are preferentially deposited in toenails.

“They have an affinity for keratin and are so naturally drawn to it by human biology.”

The Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health (PATH) is part of the Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project, the largest study of its kind conducted in Canada.

It examines the various factors that contribute to the development of cancer and chronic diseases, including the longer-term health effects of arsenic.

For example, long-term exposure to arsenic from drinking water and food can cause cancer, but has also been linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Because toenails are about a year old when cut, they are a good indicator of past or longer-term (“chronic”) exposure to arsenic and other heavy metals.

‘The participants’ toenails are processed individually so that we can get a good estimate of the metal burden on the body for each individual and then look at the associations with health outcomes,’ says Professor Dummer.

‘We also have geocoding information – that is, address data – so we can assess someone’s metal burden in relation to the environment in which he or she lives.’

If you’re wondering why they don’t just take urine samples, most arsenic is excreted through urine within 48 hours.

‘Urine removes arsenic from the body quickly, so urine, on the other hand, is more useful for acute exposure,’ added Professor Dummer.

In 2013, the project was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest collection of toenails – representing 24,999 people.

Since then the collection has continued to grow, but the most recent count was 30,686.

The remarkable project has given thousands of people an answer to something related to cutting their toenails, which remains a bit of a mystery to the general public.

There is a lack of official advice on what to do with the shards, although flushing them down the toilet seems to be a no-go.

Because toenails don’t dissolve in water, they can build up in septic tanks, leading to clogs, claims Biros Septic.

In general, there is a lack of official advice on what to do with toenail clippings (file photo)

According to the NHS, you should use nail scissors or clippers to trim your toenails every six to 12 weeks, although it doesn’t say what to do with the clippings.

‘Cut them carefully and make sure you are in a bright room so you can see them clearly,’ the NHS says on its website.

‘If you have diabetes, this is especially important to prevent injuries to your feet.

‘Cut them straight across and use a metal nail file to smooth and round any sharp edges.

‘File your nails twice a week if you find it difficult to cut your nails.’