Micro-PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) analysis of aluminum in rat-liver using MeV heavy ion microprobes.

Heavy ion microprobes (HIM) such as 3 MeV Si2+ and 3 MeV p2+ have been applied to the elemental analysis by PIXE (proton-induced X-ray emission). It was found that silicon and phosphorus microprobes have several times higher sensitivity for aluminum K alpha X-rays than 2 MeV proton microprobes, and detection limits were more favorable in a phosphorus microprobe. Using a 3 MeV P2+ microprobe, the liver of a rat, which had been injected with aluminum-lactate, was investigated and it was found that aluminum segregates in areas with a dimension of about 10 microns. These areas could hardly be observed with 2 MeV proton microprobes.