Neutron activation analysis biology

Thermal neutron activation analysis has been used for archeological samples, such as amber, coins, ceramics, and glass biological samples and forensic samples (see Forensic chemistry) as weU as human tissues, including bile, blood, bone, teeth, and urine laboratory animals geological samples, such as meteorites and ores and a variety of industrial products (166). 

Instiximental neutron activation analysis (INAA) is considered the most informative and highly sensitive. Being applied, it allows detecting and determination of 30-40 elements with the sensitivity of 10 -10 g/g in one sample. The evident advantage of INAA is the ability to analyze samples of different nature (filters, soils, plants, biological tests, etc.) without any complex schemes of preliminai y prepai ation. 

Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) is one of the analytical methods recommended for low level Mo determination in biological materials. 

Tu Shu-Db, Lieser KH (1984) Homogeneity test of Chinese biological standard reference materials by means of instrumental neutron activation analysis, f Radioanal Nucl Chem Articles 84 301-306. 

This section contains further two typical certification applications and a table presenting selected examples for environmental and biological RMs from major producers. This is followed by a more detailed treatment of the use of neutron activation analysis methods. 

Byrne AR, and Kucera J (1991) Radiochemical neutron activation analysis of traces of vanadium in biological samples A comparison of prior dry ashing with post-irradiation wet ashing. Fresenius f Anal Chem 340 48-52. 

Byrne AR, and Versieck J (1990) Vanadium determination at the ultratrace level in biological reference materials and serum by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. Biol Trace Elem Res 27 529-540. 

Byrne AR, Deemelj M, Kosta L, and Tusek-Znidaric M (1984) Radiochemical neutron activation analysis in standardization of trace elements in biological reference materials at the nanogram level. Mikrochim Acta [Wien] 1 119-126. 

Kucera j (1995) Elemental characterization of new Polish and US NIST geological, environmental and biological reference materials by neutron activation analysis and comments on the methodology of interlaboratory comparisons. Chem Anal (Warsaw) 40 405-421. 

Kucera J, and Soukal L (1993) Determination of As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Mo, Sb and Se in biological reference materials by radiochemical neutron activation analysis. J Radioanal Nud Chem 168 185-199. 

Kucera J, and Soukal L (1998) Low uncertainty determination of manganese and vanadium in environmental and biological reference materials by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Fresenius J Anal Chem 360 415-418. 

Nadkami, R.A. and W.D. Ehmann. 1970. Trace element determination in biological materials by neutron activation analysis. Pages 407-419 in D.D. Hemphill (ed.). Trace Substances in Environmental Health IV. Univ. Missouri, Columbia. 

Analytical Techniques Atomic absorption spectrometry, 158, 117 multielement atomic absorption methods of analysis, 158, 145 ion microscopy in biology and medicine, 158, 157 flame atomic emission spectrometry, 158, 180 inductively coupled plasma-emission spectrometry, 158, 190 inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, 158, 205 atomic fluorescence spectrometry, 158, 222 electrochemical methods of analysis, 158, 243 neutron activation analysis, 158, 267. 

Some of the methods commonly used for the determination of thorium in biological materials are given in Table 6-1. The colorimetric methods are not capable of isotope-specific determination of thorium isotopes. Alpha spectrometric and neutron activation analysis are useful in the quantification of isotope-specific thorium and thorium-232, respectively, and have better sensitivities than colorimetric methods. Alpha spectrometry is the commonly used isotope-specific analysis for the determination of thorium-232 and the thorium-230 derived from the decay of uranium-238 (Wrenn et al. 1981). Standard reference materials (SRMs) containing thorium in human liver (SRM-4352) and human lung (SRM-4351) necessary for the determination of absolute recovery in a given sample are available from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Inn 1987). 

The concentration levels of most trace metals and metalloids lie below 1000 pg P . Therefore, the classical methods of analysis do not have the required sensitivity. Among the instrumental techniques that have been extensively used for the analysis of biological materials include, atomic absorption spectrometry, plasma emission spectrometry, anodic stripping voltammetry and neutron activation analysis. 

Recently, Heydom has dealt extensively with the various aspects of the application of NAA to the analysis of biological materials. The usefulness of neutron activation analysis for the determination of protein-boxmd elements in human serum has been demonstrated by Woittiez... 

Certain techniques such as neutron activation analysis and stable isotope dilution analysis offer very powerful and sensitive methods for the determination of trace metals, but involve considerable effort and access to extensive facilities and so are not suited for routine laboratory determinations. However, they have been used to determine trace metal levels accurately in homogeneous biological materials, which are now used as reference materials for other techniques. 

Trace levels (10 to 10 g/g of sample) of silver can be accurately determined in biological samples by several different analytical techniques, provided that the analyst is well acquainted with the specific problems associated with the chosen method. These methods include high frequency plasma torch-atomic emission spectroscopy (HFP-AES), neutron activation analysis (NAA), graphite furnace (flameless) atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS), flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), and micro-cup atomic absorption spectroscopy (MCAAS). 

Krishnan SS, Gupta RC. 1970. Determination of phosphides and white phosphoms in biological materials by neutron activation analysis. Anal Chem 42 557-560. 

Nadkarni, R. A., D. E. Flieder, and W. D. Ehmann Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis of Biological Materials. Radiochim. Acta, 11, 97 (1969). 

There are many examples of relatively straightforward use of ICP-MS for the analysis of biological fluids. Antimony has been measured in blood after a 14 1 dilution [236]. Cesium serum levels were found to be elevated in patients with alcohol dementia but not in Alzheimer s disease patients [237]. Cobalt levels in rat serum depended on the form of cobalt [238] ingested. Bismuth levels were measured in human blood and urine by using a direct injection nebulizer [239]. Lead was measured in the blood and blood plasma of smelter workers and the general population [240]. The measurement of trace elements in serum by ICP-MS has been compared to results from neutron activation analysis and proton-induced x-ray emission [241]. Semiquantitative analysis can also be used to obtain a rapid screening of samples [242]. 

Extraction methods using 8-hydroxyqulnoline (oxine) have been applied to the separation of 10.5-minute Co 111 in the neutron activation analysis of cobalt in biological tissue samples (133), and for the separation of 24-minute U2 in neutron activation analysis (56). 

In many laboratories that have access to a nuclear reactor, neutron activation is used for the chemical analysis of rocks, minerals, petroleum, biological tissues, alloys, etc., and the technique is well suited for the determination of the concentrations of trace elements in polymers. Neutron activation analysis was used by Given et al. (1) in their studies of water tree growth in polymeric insulation and by Wu and Chen (2) in their studies of dopant-polymer interactions in MoCl5-dcped polyacetylene films. In this work the principles of the method are described and the possibilities are illustrated by means of measurements carried out on polyethylene. 

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