THE USE OF A MULTITRACER TECHNIQUE FOR THE STUDIES OF THE UPTAKE AND RETENTION OF TRACE-ELEMENTS IN RATS

The uptake by, and distribution and retention of radioactive isotopes in various organs of Wistar rats : were examined using the multitracer technique. A hydrocholoric acid solution (pH 3) of a carrier-free rad ioactive multitracer was prepared from gold foil irradiated with a N-1 4 beam of 135 MeV nucleon. The solution was administered orally to 12 ii-week-old male rats. Urine and faeces were collected and each group of three rats was killed at 1, 2, 3 or 6 days after administration. Th e percentage of administered dose of the 17 elements, Mn, Co, Zn, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Eu, Gd, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, W, Re, Ir and Pt in the organs bloo d and excreta were determined using gamma-ray spectrometry. Each eleme nt revealed its characteristic distribution among the different organs , including the blood. These results are discussed and compared with t hose of single-tracer experiments, and the advantages of the multitrac er technique are presented. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.