Intracellular iron can be estimated semi-quantitatively by histochemical determination using the ferrocyanide reagent's score. Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) allows accurate determination of various elements including iron in cells and biological fluids. Both techniques have been used to measure iron in alveolar macrophages gathered by bronchoalveolar lavage. The purpose of this study w...

The purpose of this study was to examine the mechanisms of lead (Pb) uptake by human intestinal cells and to compare the intestinal transport and relative lead-chelating ability of two diastereoisomeric forms (i.e., meso and racemic) of 2, 3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). The model used was the human adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) cell monolayer. The Caco-2 cells were cultured in flasks for examinati...

The determination of particle induced x-ray emission (PIXE) cross sections and the concentration of elements in a material require the knowledge of the target sample thickness. In this aim, measurements of the thickness by three different methods have been performed. These are absorption of X-rays by a 55 Fe source, transmission of alpha particles by a 241 Am source and Rutherford backscatterin...

Aerosol samples of PM10 particulates were examined with particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE and micro-PIXE ), inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, and X-ray absorption fine structures (XAFS) to investigate atmospheric Pb concentrations and its chemical species and to decide the source assignment. From the elemental analyses, lead concentrations were averaged at 369 and 237 ng.m-3 in ...

Multi element analysis of homogenised samples taken from three different areas of a single human liver was performed for 18 elements by proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE). Small (10--20%) but statistically significant variations between the element contents of these areas were found for Cl, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, Rb and Mo. These differences are not parallel to each other. The variation of el...

Several radioactive particles from the Palomares area have been analyzed with the nuclear microprobe of the National Accelerator Centre (CNA) in Seville exploring the advantages of combining -PIXE using a 5.5MeV 4He beam with conventional -PIXE analysis using 3MeV protons. The measurements performed with the -particles are more sensitive to the sample surface, while the results collected with p...

A method is described for assessing occupational exposures to chromium aerosols; it involves four procedures. The first, proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE), measures the total chromium. The second, electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), measures the oxidation state of the particle surfaces, and the third, which uses sym-diphenylcarbazide (DPQ, measures the proportion of water-sol...