Instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis techniques for protein bound trace metals in human serum

Gel filtration and neutron activation analysis methods were combined in work aimed at the development of methods for the determination of metals firmly bound to protein in human blood serum. The values obtained are semiquantative. A purely instrumental technique afforded data on Cu, Fe, Zn, Al and Mn but values for the latter two only were determined since Cu, Fe and Zn are already well known. The concentrations for Al and Mn were found to be 300 ppb and 0.4 ppb, respectively. Despite the high resolution of Ge(Li) detectors, no other metals were found. For the determination of any others, radiochemical separations are necessary and were used to obtain data on the following elements: As 3 ppb, Ag 3 ppb, Au 0.003 ppb, Cr 1 ppb, Sb 1 ppb, Co, Cd, Mo and Sn could not be detected and upper limits were estimated to be 0.1 ppb, 2 ppb, 2 ppb, and 1 ppb, respectively.