Instrumental neutron activation analysis for mercury in dogs administered methylmercury chloride. Use of a low energy photon detector

Mercury was determined by nondestructive neutron activation analysis in samples of brain tissue from beagles fed methylmercury chloride. The mercury concentration was not uniformly distributed throughout the central nervous system and the fastest rise in concentration occurred in components of the visual system. The analytical procedure was capable of measuring mercury instrumentally and routinely in small samples of biological materials at approximately the 0.2-ppM level within a few days after irradiation with short counting times. Comparative measurements showed that mercury determination based on /sup 197/Hg could be done With greater sensitivity by using a Ge(Li) low-energy photon detector rather than a conventional high-resolution, high-efficiency coaxial Ge(Li) detector. (auth)