ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF CATARACTOUS LENSES BY PIXE

Elemental analysis of the lenses of hereditary and galactose cataracts were carried out by the particle induced X-ray emission technique (PIXE) using 28 MeV α-particle beam from a cyclotron accelerator. The lenses of the hereditarily cataractous mice (ca mouse) showed marked increases with age in the concentrations of Cl and Ca. The spatial distributions of elements in the lenses of guinea pigs, galactose-fed and normal diet-fed were measured by scanning with a small beam spot of 200 μm diameter. It was commonly found that K and Cl were concentrated in the polar regions and S was predominantly located in the central region. In opaque lenses tremendous increases in the concentrations of Cl and Ca accompanied by a decrease in that of K were generally observed. © 1979.