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DETERMINATION OF WHOLE-BODY PROTEIN IN SMALL LIVE ANIMALS BY IVNAA

DETERMINATION OF WHOLE-BODY PROTEIN IN SMALL LIVE ANIMALS BY IVNAA

Wang Haiying
Charles M. Waana
Nuclear Science and TechniquesVol.2, No.3pp.172-177Published in print 01 Aug 1991
23900

Measurement of nitrogen in small live animals (Weighing about 3 kg) can be used to determine the whole- body protein in the animals. Nitrogen may be measured by IVNAA in which the capture gamma rays of neutron induced are detected and counted. The neutron flux is provided by a collimated 740 GBq (20Ci) Pu- Be source. The 10.83 MeV thermal neutron capture gamma rays from 14N are detected by a 12.7 cm by 10.2 NaI (Tl) detector. The nitrogen of a live rabbit was measured and recorded each day for a period of two months. The statistical error and reproducibility of measurement were around 10%. For a 1000 s irradiation the dose equivalent was 300µ Sv.

NitrogenActivation analysisIn vivoLive animalsProtein
REFERENCES
[1] H.C. Biggin et al., Nuclear activation techniques in the life sciences, IAEA, Vienna, 1972.
[2] J.R. Mernagh et al., Phys. Med. Biol., 22 (1977), 831.
[3] AOAC official methods of analysis, Washington, DC: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, 13th ed., 1980.