Scientists at the University of Calgary say they are looking for toenail clippings for a study looking into radon gas exposure and potential lung cancer risk.

They say measuring levels of certain radioactive isotopes in toenail clippings may reveal a person’s long-term exposure to radon gas — which is an odourless, colourless, tasteless gas that occurs naturally in the environment.

“We’ve learned that our toenails hold long-term information about our exposure to radioactive toxicants in our environment, such as radon gas. They are one of our body’s archives of past exposure,” said Aaron Goodarzi, lead investigator and professor at the university.

Goodarzi said he is hoping to recruit up to 10,000 people from all over Canada to test their homes for radon and collect and send in their

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