The influence of target preparation and mode of irradiation on PIXE analysis of biological samples

The following methods of target preparation were examined and compared: dry ashing at high temperature, low temperature ashing in plasma asher, wet ashing, lyophilization at a temperature of 35°C, cryofixation with drying in vacuum and dehydration in alcohol with drying in vacuum. All these techniques were applied to prepare targets from five different rat organs: liver, kidney, brain, lung and muscle tissue. The dried and powdered sample material was pressed into pellets or was distributed on formvar film. The evaporation of the thin carbon layer on the investigated target and placing of the thin carbon film in front of a target were also tested. The targets were irradiated in vacuum using an external beam in the air chamber. The influence of the method of target preparation on the detection limits, time requirements and escape of elements from the sample material is discussed.