Applications of C-14-AMS in biomedical sciences (Bio-C-14-AMS)

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) is an ultrasensitive measure for tracin g C-14 labeled molecules in vivo or detecting the biomarker for assessment of carcinogenesis. In this review, basic principles, wide applications and new progresses of C-14-bio-AMS are presented. It has been a new advanced to ol for measuring the adduction of biological molecules with xenobiotics, in cluding carcinogens, drugs, agrochemicals, nicotine, etc. The successful ap plications have proven the effectiveness of AMS to assessing cancer risk, s creening drug toxicity and studying nutrients uptake. bn particular, AMS is characterized by measuring xenobiotics at very low dose levels relevant to human environmental exposure. It is sensitive and precise to an attomole ( 10(-18) mole) or less of C-14 per mg carbon. Although it has some shortcomi ngs, undoubtedly, AMS possesses an evident merit of high sensitivity and wi ll have widespread applications in the biomedical sciences.