Expected resolution of plutonium-241 in electron microscope autoradiography

The error in location of an autoradiographic image is affected by the size of the developed grains (photographic error), the thickness of the section and emulsion, and the energy of the radioisotope used (geometric error). The expected resolution of 241Pu is estimated from theoretical considerations and experimentally derived data from other radioisotopes. Using standard autoradiographic procedures, the half-distance value of 241Pu would be about 150 nm and the total autoradiographic error about 180 nm. An error of this magnitude should permit organellar localization of 241Pu in electron microscope autoradiography