Tissue distribution of some elements in rats.

The concentrations of 14 elements were determined in rat whole blood, plasma, brain, heart, skeletal muscle, liver, kidney, spleen, thymus, and bone, using multielement ICP optical emission spectrometry. The tissue to plasma concentration ratios were calculated in order to determine tissue distribution and its homogeneity. The results show the likely sequences of element concentrations in tissues: RB>P≥K>(Fe)>Zn≥Mg>Cu>S>(Sr≥Ca>Na); and of the homogeneity of the distribution: (Fe)<Cu<Rb<Na<Sr<Ca<Zn <P<S<K<Mg.