Elemental variations in whole blood following gamma radiation injury of mice

A technique for the analysis of trace elements in whole blood has been developed using proton-induced X-ray emission. Samples of 0.1 ml whole blood from mice were dried, weighed, and then ashed in a plasma asher. Targets were prepared by placing drops made from the ash and a 400 ppm Pd solution onto Formvar backing. The samples were irradiated with 2.25 MeV protons, and the X-rays were analyzed by a nondispersive X-ray detector. The elements Ca, K, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Rb were detected, and the precision of the technique was determined by a statistical analysis of results from 27 samples. The system was shown to be linear for variations in elemental concentration. Using this procedure, the variations in whole blood following gamma radiation injury of mice have been studied. When compared with the red blood cell count (RBC), only the Fe and Rb showed a change correlated with the RBC; the other elements did not. (Auth.)