Effective tools for the trace element characterization of tissues: neutron activation analysis and voltammetry.

The National Biomonitoring Specimen Bank at the National Institute of Standards and Technology applies a variety of techniques for extensive characterization of banked samples. To determine a large number of trace elements in small samples at low levels, instrumental neutron activation analysis has been combined with voltammetry. The two methods produce high quality data for thirty pollutant and biological trace elements. Results on archived specimens of human livers and intercomparisons of the two methods are reported.