Radionuclide techniques

P. W. Horton, Radionuclide Techniques in Clinical Investigation , Medical Physics Handbooks 12, Adam Hilger,... 

Ivanovich M., Blomqvist R., and Frape S. K. (1992) Rock/ water interaction study in deep crystalline rocks using isotopic and uranium series radionuclide techniques. Radio-himica Acta 58/59, 401-408. 

Radionuclide techniques often have higher sensitivity than other analytical methods. The amounts of nuclides, correlated to an activity of 1000 Bq (see Table 1), can be derived from the law of radioactive decay. The amounts vary considerably, corresponding to the wide range of half-lives. For 90% of the commonly used nuclides, half-lives range from several minutes to several years, so the corresponding masses are extremely low. 

The use of radionuclide techniques in analytical chemistry was first reported in 1913 by G. Hevesy and F. Paneth in a study of the solubility of lead sulfide in water, using the natural lead isotope " Pb as indicator [67], Isotope dilution analysis was introduced by O. Hahn in 1923 [68J, using Pa to determine the yield of Pa. The development of radioreagent methods followed, and further development of radioanalytical chemistry has established a range of analytical methods and techniques ll]-[4], [61], [65], [87], [93], [95], [97]. These include the use of artificial radionuclides and labeled compounds, the principles of nuclear activation [4]-[10], [66] (- Activation Analysis), and absorption and scattering of radiation [11], [12]. The most important procedures are shown in Table 1. 

Analytical applications of radionuclide techniques rely on the assumption that different isotopes of the same element exhibit the same properties in any macroscopic physical or chemical process, and that radioactive labeling does not influence the other properties of a chemical species. This is generally the case, with deviations below 1 % (with the exception of hydrogen isotopes) owing to isotopic fractionation or radiation effects. For analytical purposes, the radiotracer and the analyte mu.st be present in the same chemical form. This is usually to achieve, but specialized preparative techniques may be necessary for radioactive labeling of more complex organic compounds. 

With the advent of textbooks and manuals prepared for courses on the subject of tracer technology, the biological scientist has available a considerable literature on radionuclide techniques. Among these are Arena (1971), G. D. Chase and Rabinowitz (1962), G. D. Chase et al. (1964,1971), Fakes and Parks (1973), Hendee (1973a), Tiwari (1974), Wang and Willis (1965), and Wolfe (1964). In addition, a considerable number of literature reviews on the general... 

The application of radionuclide techniques in studying water movement in oceans, streams, and lakes is considered in the references cited in Section 7.1. In addition, Ellis (1967) prepared a review of the literature relevant to stream gauging with radionuclide methods. The study of water movement includes techniques that utilize fallout radionuclides, radionuclides released during operation of a nuclear facility, and direct introduction of a radionuclide by the investigator. In reference to the sea, Duursma (1972) tabulated some investigations of water movement using radionuclide tracers (Table 12). 

Two papers concerning the use of a radionuclide technique in studying feeding rate of fish will be discussed, that of Kevem (1966) for yearling carp (Cyprinus carpio) collected from White Oak Lake, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and that of Kolehmainen (1974) for bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) from the same lake. The studies involved determination of the amount of Cs required to be ingested to maintain an equilibrium body burden in both species. The... 

We will now consider radionuclide techniques utilized in studies of biological uptake and retention within the organism. First, studies will be reviewed that are concerned with the nutritional aspects of essential elements. These will be followed with studies of radionuclides associated with the nuclear age, such as fission and neutron-activation products. 

Radionuclide techniques have been used to measure the rate of food passage duough an organism by termining the rate of iqipearance of the radionuclide in feces. Such techniques have beoi used in studies of metabolism, since die rate of elimination of a substance is related in some fashion to metabolic rate. Tracer techniques have been developed specifically to study a process, while... 

Our discussion of radionuclide techniques associated with environmental-pollution studies will be restricted to pesticide studies of an ecological nature. We have decided to emphasize pesticides because their application in the environment has been of significant concern to ecologists for many years. Readers interested in other environmental pollutants are referred to the references cited above. 

Monaghan P, Provan I, Murray C, Mackey DWJ, Van der Wall H, Walker BM, Jones PD. An improved radionuclide technique for the detection of altered pulmonary permeability. JNucl Med 1991 32 1945-1949. 

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