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Updated: Jun 28, 2026

High Precision Zinc Isotopic Measurements Applied to Mouse Organs
Published on: May 22, 2015
Simultaneous estimation of copper, zinc, cadmium and mercury in biological material by neutron activation analysis
H D Livingston1, H Smith, N Stojanovic
1Department of Forensic Medicine, The University, Glasgow, Scotland.
Abstract:
Simultaneous determination of copper, zinc, cadmium and mercury with high sensitivity is possible by neutron activation analysis. After irradiation, the samples are digested and an initial separation of the four elements made by means of an ion-exchange resin. The elements in the separated fractions are then treated to give radio-chemical purity, precipitated, and their activities measured. A purely instrumental technique for the analysis of zinc in samples of biological material is also described. The samples are irradiated for a week and after the activity has decayed for about three months it is measured on a gamma-spectrometer.
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