PROGRAMS OF THE IAEA UTILIZING NUCLEAR ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES IN THE LIFE SCIENCES

Nuclear analytical techniques have an important role in the IAEA in li fe sciences programs relating to human health. A major effort has rece ntly been devoted to the determination of dietary intakes of trace ele ments, including studies in some countries affected by the Chernobyl a ccident. The same accident stimulated interest in using I-129 (as dete rmined by NAA and other techniques) to trace the distribution of fissi on products in the environment. Other research topics concern solid wa stes, air pollution, exposure to mercury in selected human populations , and osteoporosis (including NAA studies of trace elements in human b one). Much of the IAEA's work is concerned with analytical quality con trol; new reference materials in preparation include lichen (for trace elements) and human hair (for total and methyl mercury).