RNAA FOR ARSENIC, CADMIUM, COPPER, AND MOLYBDENUM IN CNS TISSUES FROMSUBJECTS WITH AGE-RELATED NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES

Reactor thermal neutron irradiation of biological matrices induces hig h levels of intense gamma-ray or bremsstrahlung radiation from Br-12, K-42, Na-24, and P-32, that interfere with the determination of As, Cd , Cu, and Mo by INAA. Central nervous system (CNS) issue samples from subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and controls were analyzed using a simple RNAA procedure involv ing a rapid two-step solvent extraction procedure to determine these f our elements. Significant increases (p less-than-or-equal-to 0.05) in concentrations of Cd and Mo were observed for brain of AD subjects com pare-d to controls, but significant imbalances were not observed for A LS subjects. Concentration data for these elements in selected interna tional reference standards are also presented.