ISSN:
1618-2650
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
Notes:
Summary Essential features of the neutron activation-mass Spectrometry (NA-MS) technique are described. Applicability of this technique for the simultaneous determination of boron and lithium is demonstrated for a diverse group of biomaterials. NA-MS is a nondestructive analytical technique, and dynamic in nature since its coverage extends to a broad range of concentration levels. Contamination after the irradiation step, extraneous by natural lithium or boron is inconsequential, since only the activation products are the analyted assayed. Coupling the nuclear activation phenomenon which generates 4He and 3He (from 10B and 6Li, respectively), with the high precision potential of mass spectrometry forms the bases of this technique. Under ideal conditions the detection limit is extendable to pg g−1 concentration ranges and therefore, it is extremely well suited to investigate the natural concentration levels of boron and lithium in biomaterials. The potential of this method for the determination of lithium in biomedical trace element research is of special significance since determination of sub-ppb levels of lithium by other analytical techniques faces serious analytical difficulties mainly due to contamination control and in some cases to insufficiently low detection limits.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00322539
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