ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF RENAL SLICES BY PROTON-INDUCED X-RAY-EMISSION

We optimized proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) for tissue analysis in a toxicity-disposition study.We used cultured rabbit renal slices a s the biological system to demonstrate the use of PIXE analysis. The r enal slices were exposed to HgCl2+ CdCl2, K2Cr2O7, or NaAsO2 alone or in a mixture. The PIXE analysis provides information on concentrations of elements above atomic number 11, and it is the only analytical tec hnique that can determine 20-30 elements nondestructively in a single, small sample (approximately 5 mg) with detection limits of 1-5 ppm (d ry weight). The renal slices are thin targets that yield X-ray emissio n spectra with low backgrounds and high elemental sensitivities. The n ondestructive nature of PIXE and the ability to simultaneously measure uptake of multiple metals and endogenous elements are unique to this methodology. Key words. arsenic, cadmium, chromium, elemental analysis , interactive toxicity, mercury, metal analysis, nephrotoxicity, proto n-induced X-ray emission (PIXE), X-ray emission.