Evaluation of the accuracy of 59 Fe measurements in ferrokinetic studies using solid and liquid scintillation counting
Barosi, G.; Morandi, S.; Cazzola, M.
Bollettino della Societa Italiana di Biologia Sperimentale 51(20): 1399-1405
1975
ISSN/ISBN: 0037-8771 PMID: 1231821 Document Number: 94245
The estimation of radioiron plays an essential role in the study of Fe kinetics. The accuracy of such determinations is controlled by the amount of radioactivity (which is limited for biological considerations), the size of the sample of plasma, and the sensitivity of the counting method. The role of these factors is analyzed for solid and liquid phase scintillation. The solid phase scintillation technique is valid only for plasma samples above 3 ml and levels of plasma radioactivity above 0.05%. In liquid scintillation, accurate counts are obtained at lower levels of radioactivity (0.02%) and with samples only slightly above 0.5 ml of plasma. The liquid phase scintillation method is only slightly more laborious than the traditional method, but permits a more accurate analysis of the curve showing the diminishing values of 59Fe radioactivity.