EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR THE SEPARATION OF TRIMETHYLSELENONIUM ION AS A MAJOR, MINOR OR GENERAL METABOLITE USING NEUTRON-ACTIVATION ANALYSIS

Trinethylselenonium (TMSe) ion was separated by dual-column ion-exchan ge chromatography and assayed by neutron activation analysis. The TMSe content of the selenium in human urine was found to be (14 +/- 2)%, c onsistent with literature values. An altemate, published, multi-step p rocedure employing Reineckate precipitation followed by decomposition/ volatilization conversion of selenium into dimethylselenide, perchlori c acid digestion into selenite and subsequent analysis employing induc tively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was evaluated. A maxi mum recovery of TMSe was estimated at 32%. It has been suggested that losses in each step of a multi step procedure yield low recoveries as reported in the literature.