Trace elements in lake sediments measured by the PIXE technique

Lakes are ecosystems where there is a great potential of metal accumulation in sediments due to their depositional characteristics. Total concentration of trace elements was measured on a 50 cm long sediment core from the Infernão Lake, that is an oxbow lake of the Moji-Guaçu River basin, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Dating of the core shows up to 180 yrs old sediment layers. The use of the PIXE technique for elemental analysis avoids the traditional acid digestion procedure common in other techniques. The multielemental characteristic of PIXE allows a simultaneous determination of about 20 elements in the sediment samples, such as, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ba, and Pb. Average values for the elemental composition were found to be similar to the bulk crustal composition. The lake flooding pattern strongly influences the time series of the elemental profiles. Factor analysis of the elemental variability shows five factors. Two of the factors represent the mineralogical matrix, and others represent the organic component, a factor with lead, and another loaded with chromium. The mineralogical component consists of elements such as, Fe, Al, V, Ti, Mn, Ni, K, Zr, Sr, Cu and Zn. The variability of Si is explained by two distinct factors, because it is influenced by two different sources, aluminum-silicates and quartz, and the effect of inundation are different for each other. The organic matter is strongly associated with calcium, and also bounded with S, Zn, Cu and P. Lead and chromium appears as separated factors, although it is not clear the evidences for their anthropogenic origin. The techniques developed for sample preparation and PIXE analysis was proven as advantageous and provided very good reproducibility and accuracy.     

Characterization of human fingernail elements using PIXE technique

PIXE technique was employed in the determination of the major, minor and trace elemental concentrations in finger-nails of 62 healthy young adults (30 females and 32 males), aged between 20 and 37 years. The elemental concentrations in the nails of the analyzed population provide good reference data set for further health studies. The PIXE measurements were carried out using 1.8 MeV collimated proton beam from the 2.5 MV AN-2000 Van de Graaff accelerator at INFN, LNL, Legnaro (Padova), Italy. The results show the presence of twenty elements. Their metabolic roles in humans are presented and discussed. The comparison of our results with those of other authors are also presented.     

用PIXE方法研究骨折家兔骨骼微量元素的变化

用质子激发X荧光分析法测定48只家兔在挠骨骨折愈合过程中骨骼中多种微量元素含量的变化。结果表明，Fe和Sr分别呈鼓凸形和下凹形规律性变化，故Fe和Sr含量的变化可作为骨折愈合过程的指示剂。在骨折愈合过程中发现骨骼和血液中元素钙的相对含量保持不变，故无法为西医用补充钙来治疗骨折的疗法提供依据，但我们的研究结果却表明中医补充微量元素治疗骨折的疗法是有道理的。     

山东省胃癌高低发区健康人发中微量元素的PIXE分析

用ＰＸＩＥ方法测定山东省胃癌高发区栖霞县和低发区苍山县高发年龄组（５０－６０岁）的健康人发中的微量元素,结果表明前人发中的Ａｓ,Ｃｏ,Ｆｅ,Ｃｒ显著高于后者,而Ｓｅ则相反。     

用PIXE和自身对照方式研究肿瘤中痕量元素的变化

用质子X荧光分析法(PIXE)分析了15只小白鼠的S180纤维肉瘤和正常组织中15种元素含量,采用自身对照形式研究痕量元素变化,以消除生物个体的差异。另取健康小鼠作空白,数据作统计分析,结果发现Fe、Zn、As和Cu/Zn以及多种元素比值有明显的差异,并讨论了这些元素与肿瘤的关系。     

质子激发X荧光法测定西太平洋海域雨水的微量元素组成

用质子激发Ｘ荧光分析法测定了西太平洋海域海面上雨水中微量元素的组成和浓度，并通过富集因子的计算，表明海面上雨水中的地壳元素和污染元素主要来自陆地长距离输送的尘土粒子及人为排放污染物。     

PIXE analysis of nephrite minerals from different deposits

External-beam PIXE was used to determine the major, minor and trace elements of 45 nephrite minerals from 14 different deposits, including China and other countries. Depending on the R^∗ value (mole percent of Mg²⁺/(Mg²⁺ + Fe²⁺⁽³⁺⁾)) and content of Cr, Co and Ni, two types of nephrite minerals from dolomite and serpentinized ultramafic deposits can be more accurately distinguished. Besides, the nephrite minerals from Xiaomeiling and Wenchuan deposit can be distinguished with others from dolomite deposits, through the content of Sr and Mn/Fe value, respectively. Moreover, depending on the Sr content, clear evidence was given to prove that the raw materials of ancient nephrite artifacts from Liangzhu culture ruins are not from Xiaomeiling nephrite deposit. Furthermore, PIXE as a non-destructive method will be more used to study ancient nephrite artifacts, so these results can provide scientific basis for seeking the provenance of nephrite raw materials.     

Trace metal distribution studies in river water by PIXE

Proton induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) has been used to measure the trace metals especially heavy metals in Chaliyar river water samples to assess the impact of pollutants from the industrial wastes. Water samples were collected in summer and rainy seasons from three different depths along the course of the river. Measurements were carried out with 2 MeV proton beam using a 3 MV tandem pelletron accelerator at Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar. Results from the water Samples collected in both the seasons show that the concentrations of certain heavy metals like Hg, Zn and Pb are more than the prescribed limits. This is because of pollution due to industrial wastes, indicating a need for improvement in the industrial waste treatment.     

用PIXE技术分析山东省胃癌高,低发区饮水中的微量元素

介绍了用ＰＩＸＥ技术分析饮水中微量元素的方法，给出了山东省胃癌高发区栖霞县与低发区苍山县饮水中的微量元素谱。两地饮水中微量元素含量的检验显示，Ｔｉ，Ｖ，Ｃｕ，Ｆｅ和Ｆｒ等５种元素栖霞均显著高于苍山县。     

PIXE study on Chinese underglaze-red porcelain made in Yuan Dynasty

In China. the firing and glazed red techniques of producing underglaze-red porcelain began early in the Yuan Dynasty (AD1206-1368). This paper reports the results of the PIXE analysis of ancient Chinese underglaze-red porcelain produced at Kuan kiln (Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province) in the Yuan Dynasty. In this work the elemental composition analysis of the obtained samples was carried out using the PIXE facility of a 3 MeV tandem accelerator at Fudan University. The major, minor and trace elements of the clay body, white and red glazes were determined,and details of the results are presented. The obtained data can be used for identification of precious Chinese Yuan underglaze-red porcelain,     

股骨头松质骨中无机元素的PIXE分析

使用质子激发Ｘ射线荧光分析技术测定了５例正常人和７例股骨颈骨折患者股骨头松质骨中无机元素谱的分布。详细介绍了骨样品处理技术，建立了正确测定骨骼微量元素的定量方法。结果表明在对照组中元素Ｐ、Ｃａ、Ｆｅ、Ｃｕ、Ｓｒ的含量高于病变组，统计检验表明有显著意义，而元素Ｓ、Ｋ、Ｍｎ、Ｚｎ在两组间无显著差异。对Ｃａ、Ｐ、Ｓｒ、Ｃｕ等无机元素的生理功能进行了初步的讨论。     

Study by PIXE method of trace elements transferred from prostheses to soft tissues and organs

Some metallic prostheses inserted in human hip undergo physico-chemical modification, a few years after their implantation. Tissues surrounding these prostheses are damaged by metallic element transfer. Surgeons in Clermont-Ferrand Hospital (France) recover tissues of abnormal coloration that were in contact with metallic implants. PIXE technique (particles induced X-ray emission) with a 400 μm proton beam and 3 MeV of energy is an efficient technique to analyze these tissues and to detect elements, which are transferred from prosthesis to tissues. PIXE analyses were carried at the CERI-CNRS Laboratory. We have applied this method to determine qualitatively and quantitatively trace elements migration from metallic implants to surrounding tissues and organs, like kidney, spleen, liver, lymphatic gland and lung.     

Trace element analysis of blood samples from mentally challenged children by PIXE

The accelerator based ion beam analysis method of proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) has been used for analysing up to 14 elements in the blood serum of patients, collected from rehabilitation centres for the mentally retarded and from Medical College Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. The experimental subjects of the different groups displayed significant variations in their levels of certain trace elements such as zinc, iron, copper, phosphorus, chlorine, and rubidium. The results are compared with those of healthy control subjects and are discussed in detail in this paper. Hence, PIXE as a method of trace element analysis can be used to determine trace element content in mentally challenged patients.     

PIXE analysis of sand and soil from Ulaanbaatar and Karakurum, Mongolia

Twenty-one sand and soil samples were collected at the surface from 22 to 25 June 2007 at sampling sites from Ulaanbaatar to Karakurum, Mongolia. The sand samples were collected from constantly changing sand dunes which may still contain salt from prehistoric oceans. The dry sand and soil samples were processed for PIXE and PIGE analyses. A clear division between soils and sand become apparent in the silicon results. Concentrations of all bulk elements in human habitation samples and of Si, Al, K and Fe in dry lake/flood plain samples are similar to those in the soils and sands. Among elements which could be regarded as being at trace concentrations the average S concentration in the soils is 0.9 g kg⁻¹ whereas it is not detected in the sand samples. Zinc and Cu concentrations are both higher in the soils than the sands and are strongly correlated. A surprising presence of uranium at a concentration of 350 mg kg⁻¹ was detected in the PIXE measurement on one of the dry lake samples. Gamma spectrometry confirmed the presence of U in this sample and also at a lower level in a sample from the lake shore, but in none of the other samples. Further, the gamma spectrometry showed that ²³⁸U decay products were present only at a level corresponding to about 3 mg kg⁻¹ U for a system in radioactive equilibrium, a figure which is typical for U in the earth’s crust. Disequilibria between ²³⁸U and its decay products occur naturally but such a high degree of separation at high concentration would be unique if confirmed. PIXE and PIGE measurements of these samples highlight the difficulty in correlating trace element measurements with occurrence of indicators of sea salt in air particulate samples.     

用计算机模式识别法和PIXE法研究人发中元素在食管癌诊断中的作用

用ＰＩＸＥ方法对华北地区的４１４例食管癌、食管上皮重度增生病人和正常人的头发样品中的１２种元素进行了测定。经过ｔ检验发现，癌症病人与正常人比较，１０种元素（Ｓｉ，Ｓ，Ｃａ，Ｃｒ，Ｍｎ，Ｆｅ，Ｎｉ，Ｃｕ，Ｐｂ，Ｓｒ）有显著差异；食管上皮重度增生病人和正常人比较，９种元素（Ｓｉ，Ｐ，Ｓ，Ｃａ，Ｃｒ，Ｍｎ，Ｆｅ，Ｎｉ，Ｚｎ）有显著差异，说明头发中微量元素的变化先于人体内食管的癌变。用计算机模式识别法对上     

用质子激发X射线分析方法进行人发微量元素的分析研究

一、序言 质子激发X射线分析方法是瑞典人约翰逊在1970年首先提出来的。由于它具有灵敏度高、取样少、无损伤、快速、适用范围广等特点,使它在十余年中在生物医学、环境科学、地质、冶金、考古学和法学等领域得到了广泛的应用。我们应用质子激发X射线分析方法分析了人发中的微量元素。     

Brain trace elements and aging

Degenerative mechanisms involved in the aging process of the brain are to a certain extent counteracted by repair mechanisms. In both degenerative and recovery processes, trace elements are involved. The present study focused on the role of two minor (i.e., K and Ca) and six trace elements (i.e., Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se and Rb) in the aging process. The elements were determined by PIXE in cerebral cortex and white matter, basal ganglia, brainstem and cerebellar cortex of 18 postmortem human brains, from persons without a history of neurologic or psychiatric disease who deceased between the age of 7 and 79. This age range allowed us to study the relationship between elemental concentrations and age. The most prominent findings were a concentration decrease for K and Rb and a concentration increase for the elements Ca, Fe, Zn and Se. The study supports recent findings that Ca and Fe are involved in brain degenerative processes initiated by oxygen free radicals, whereas Zn and Se are involved in immunological reactions counteracting the aging process.     

玉石及中国古代玉器的PIXE分析

本文用外束PIXE技术分析了中国古代玉器和玉石的主量、微量元素的种类和含量.实验结果表明,外束PIXE技术在判定古代玉器的玉料来源和区别不同产地玉石方面具有广阔的应用前景.