Determination of cadmium and zinc in human tissues and dust fallout using neutron actiation analysis and atomic absorption spectrometry

Cd and Zn levels were determined in 20 autopsy samples of human liver and renal cortex and in a mixed sample of dust fallout by neutron activation analysis (NAA) mainly with radiochemical separation, and by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The accuracy of the NAA results was proved by an analysis of standard reference materials: NBS SRM-1577 Bovine Liver, Bowen's Kale, IAEA Horse Kidney H-8, IAEA Milk Powder A-11 and NBS SRM-1633a Trace Elements in Coal Fly Ash. No statistically significant difference was found between the results of the liver and the dust fallout analyses using the NAA and the AAS methods; for kidney samples AAS provided somewhat lower levels for Cd and Zn than NAA. Human tissue samples were taken from a group of women over the age of 50 who had not been occupationally exposed to cadmium and lived in an environment which was not contaminated with the element. The Cd and Zn contents in human tissue ascertained in the study can thus serve as data typical of normal, non-contaminated population. (author)