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Quality assurance program for the determination of selenium in foods and diets by instrumental neutron activation

Journal Article · · Transactions of the American Nuclear Society
OSTI ID:436785
;  [1]
  1. Dalhousie Univ., Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada)
The biological essentially of selenium for animals was first evidenced in 1957. However, it was not until 1973 that an enzyme called glutathione peroxidase was proven to be a selenoenzyme. At present, selenium is known to be a normal component of several enzymes, proteins, and some aminoacryl transfer nucleic acids. A few selenium compounds have been reported to possess anticarcinogenic properties. There is an increasing interest in understanding the role of selenium in human nutrition and metabolism. Analytical methods are being developed in several laboratories for the determination of total and species-specific selenium in whole blood, serum, urine, soft and hard tissues, food, water, proteins, etc. We have developed several instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) methods using the, Dalhousie University SLOWPOKE-2 reactor facility for the determination of parts-per-billion levels of selenium. These methods include cyclic INAA (CINAA) and pseudocyclic INAA (PCINAA) using both conventional and anticoincidence gamma-ray spectrometry. Considering the immense health significance, it is imperative that the selenium levels in foods and diets be measured under an extensive quality assurance program for routine monitoring purposes.
OSTI ID:
436785
Report Number(s):
CONF-9606116--
Journal Information:
Transactions of the American Nuclear Society, Journal Name: Transactions of the American Nuclear Society Vol. 74; ISSN 0003-018X; ISSN TANSAO
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English