Trace elements, activation analysis

Biologkal Trace Elements, Activation Analysis of (Leddicotte). 19 345... 

H. Kramer, S. Semel J.E. Abel, Trace Elemental Survey Analysis of Trinitrotoluene , PATR 4767 (1975) (An evaluation of the applicability of spark source mass spectrometry and thermal neutron activation for the detn of origin-related trace elemental impurities in TNT) 10) C. Ribando J. Haber-man, Origin-Identification of Explosives Via Their Composite Impurity Profiles I. The... 

Lux, F. and Zeisler, R. (1974) Investigations of the corrosive deposition of components of metal implants and of the behavior of biologic trace elements in metallosis tissue by means of instrumental, multi-element activation analysis. J. Radiol. Anal Chem., 19, 289-297. 

Trace-element analysis of metals can give indications of the geographic provenance of the material. Both emission spectroscopy (84) and activation analysis (85) have been used for this purpose. Another tool in provenance studies is the measurement of relative abundances of the lead isotopes (86,87). This technique is not restricted to metals, but can be used on any material that contains lead. Finally, for an object cast around a ceramic core, a sample of the core material can be used for thermoluminescence dating. 

Trace-element analysis, using emission spectroscopy (107) and, especially, activation analysis (108) has been appHed in provenance studies on archaeological ceramics with revolutionary results. The attribution of a certain geographic origin for the clay of an object excavated elsewhere has a direct implication on past trade and exchange relationships. 

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST is the source of many of the standards used in chemical and physical analyses in the United States and throughout the world. The standards prepared and distributed by the NIST are used to caUbrate measurement systems and to provide a central basis for uniformity and accuracy of measurement. At present, over 1200 Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) are available and are described by the NIST (15). Included are many steels, nonferrous alloys, high purity metals, primary standards for use in volumetric analysis, microchemical standards, clinical laboratory standards, biological material certified for trace elements, environmental standards, trace element standards, ion-activity standards (for pH and ion-selective electrodes), freezing and melting point standards, colorimetry standards, optical standards, radioactivity standards, particle-size standards, and density standards. Certificates are issued with the standard reference materials showing values for the parameters that have been determined. 

MetaUic impurities in beryUium metal were formerly determined by d-c arc emission spectrography, foUowing dissolution of the sample in sulfuric acid and calcination to the oxide (16) and this technique is stUl used to determine less common trace elements in nuclear-grade beryUium. However, the common metallic impurities are more conveniently and accurately determined by d-c plasma emission spectrometry, foUowing dissolution of the sample in a hydrochloric—nitric—hydrofluoric acid mixture. Thermal neutron activation analysis has been used to complement d-c plasma and d-c arc emission spectrometry in the analysis of nuclear-grade beryUium. 

Nowadays the one of the leading cause of death in industrial country is Heart Failure (HF). Under the pathological conditions (e.g., Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD)) the changes in the enzymes activity and ultrastructure of tissue were obtained. The behavior of trace elements may reflect the activity of different types of enzymes. Pathological changes affects only small area of tissue, hence the amount of samples is strictly limited. Thereby, nondestructive multielemental method SRXRF allow to perfonu the analysis of mass samples in a few milligrams, to save the samples, to investigate the elemental distribution on the sample area. 

G.J. McCallum, Determination of Trace Elements by Activation Analysis With Charged Particles , JSci 12 (3), 470-5 (1969) CA 70, 97975 (1969) 52) Anon, Analysis of... 

Sediment Analysis. Sediment is the most chemically and biologically active component of the aquatic environment. Benthic invertebrate and microbial life concentrate in the sediment, a natural sink for precipitated metal forms, and an excellent sorbent for many metal species. TTie extent to which potentially toxic trace element forms bind to sediment is determined by the sediment s binding intensity and capacity and various solution parameters, as well as the concentration and nature of the metal forms of interest. Under some conditions sediment analyses can readily indicate sources of discharged trace elements. 

Today it has become clear that the effect of trace elements in living systems, in food, and in the environment depends on the chemical form in which the element enters the system and the final form in which it is present. The form, or species, clearly governs its biochemical and geochemical behaviour. lUPAC (the International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry) has recently set guidelines for terms related to chemical speciation of trace elements (Templeton et al. 2000). Speciation, or the analytical activity of measuring the chemical species, is a relatively new scientific field. The procedures usually consist of two consecutive steps (i) the separation of the species, and (2) their measurement An evident handicap in speciation analysis is that the concentration of the individual species is far lower than the total elemental concentration so that an enrichment step is indispensable in many cases. Such a proliferation of steps in analytical procedure not only increases the danger of losses due to incomplete recovery, chemical instability of the species and adsorption to laboratory ware, but may also enhance the risk of contamination from reagents and equipment. 

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. 

Delfanti R, Di Casa M, Gallorini M, and Orvini E (1984) Five years activity in determining trace elements for the certification of standard reference materials by neutron activation analysis. Mikrochim Acta [Wien] L239-250. 

Heydorn K (1984) Neutron Activation Analysis for Chemical Trace Element Research. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida. 

Charged particle activation analysis (CPAA) is based on charged particle induced nuclear reactions producing radionuclides that are identified and quantified by their characteristic decay radiation. CPAA allows trace element determination in the bulk of a solid sample as well characterization of a thin surface layer. 

Chemical Analysis. The chemical composition of ancient objects is important for their authentication. The nature as well as the relative amounts of major, minor, and trace elements in any object are of use for determining the authenticity or otherwise of ceramics, glass, or alloys. A wide range of analytical techniques, depending on the nature of the material studied, have been used for this purpose, including X-rays fluorescence analysis, mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and neutron activation analy-... 

Iieser et al. [628] studied the application of neutron activation analysis to the determination of trace elements in seawater. The rare earths included in this study were cerium and europium. The element concerned were adsorbed onto charcoal. Between 75% and 100% of the elements were adsorbed onto the charcoal which was then subjected to analysis by neutron activation analysis. Cerium (300 p,g/l) and europium (0.00082 pg/1) were found in North Sea water by this method. 

Holzbecker and Ryan [825] determined these elements in seawater by neutron activation analysis after coprecipitation with lead phosphate. Lead phosphate gives no intense activities on irradiation, so it is a suitable matrix for trace metal determinations by neutron activation analysis. Precipitation of lead phosphate also brings down quantitatively the insoluble phosphates of silver (I), cadmium (II), chromium (III), copper (II), manganese (II), thorium (IV), uranium (VI), and zirconium (IV). Detection limits for each of these are given, and thorium and uranium determinations are described in detail. Gamma activity from 204Pb makes a useful internal standard to correct for geometry differences between samples, which for the lowest detection limits are counted close to the detector. 

Karbe, L., C. Schnier, and H.O. Siewers. 1977. Trace elements in mussels (Mytilus edulis) from coastal areas of the North Sea and the Baltic. Multielement analysis using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Jour. Radioanal. Chem. 37 927-943. 

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. 

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