Distribution of samarium and ytterbium in rats measured by enriched stable isotope tracer technique and INAA

In the present study a method using enriched stable isotope tracer and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was developed to study the dynamic distribution of rare earth elements (REEs) in a variety of organs and tissues of Wistar rats. Stable isotopes ¹⁵²Sm and ¹⁶⁸Yb were selected as tracers for the experiment. Intravenously injected ¹⁵²Sm and ¹⁶⁸Yb in chloride form could be quickly absorbed and distributed in almost all the organs and tissues of interest, including liver, skeleton, kidney, spleen, heart, lung, testicle, and blood serum. Liver and skeleton had high ability to take up ¹⁵²Sm and ¹⁶⁸Yb under the experimental conditions, whereas the contents of the elements in other organs were generally lower than 2% of the given dose during the whole experimental period. The difference in distribution of ¹⁵²Sm and ¹⁶⁸Yb in the body was also discussed.