Rapid detection of heavy elements in blood extracted from wounds using x-ray fluorescence analysis

In radiation emergency situations involving persons having plutonium (Pu)-contaminated wounds, rapid assessment of the degree of Pu contamination is required to determine the appropriate course of treatment. Currently, rapid on-site detection of Pu is usually performed by analysis of α-particles emitted from the adhesive tape peeled off the wound. However, the detection of α-particles is difficult, especially in traumatic skin lesions with oozing blood, because of the low permeability of α-particles in blood. Therefore, we focused on x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis because x-rays easily pass through several millimetres of blood. In this study, we developed a new methodology for the rapid detection of heavy elements in wounds based on XRF analysis of the contaminated blood collected by gauze patch and filter paper, using stable lead (Pb) as a model contaminant substitute for Pu. Mouse blood samples contaminated with Pb were dropped on gauze patches or absorbed by filter papers and were subjected to XRF measurement. Small pieces of filter paper served as more suitable extraction materials than gauze patches because the entire amount of blood absorbed could be measured. When we used filter paper, the signal intensity of the Pb Lα peak was proportional to the Pb concentration in the blood. With a measurement time of 30 s, the minimum detection limit of Pb in blood collected by filter paper was 2.4 ppm.