CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL RMS FOR POTENTIAL USE IN HUMAN BRAIN ANALYSIS

In order to investigate the precision and accuracy obtainable with instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), five different biological reference materials were analyzed. Four of them originated from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (Bovine Liver (SRM 1577; 1577/a; 185/A), Orchard Leaves (SRM 1571)) and one of them came from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (Animal muscle (H-4)). The decomposition efficiency of microwave acid digestion was examined in comparison to digestions carried out in a Parr-bomb. Five to ten subsamples of each material were subjected to the two digestion procedures and the solutions were analyzed by ICP-AES. The dried samples were analyzed by INAA. Up to 16 elements (Al, B, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Pb, S, Zn) were determined in various materials.