Estimation of manganese in human enamel by activation analysis

Abstract A method for the estimation of manganese in biological tissues by means of neutron activation analysis is described. Small enamel samples, weighing from 5 mg to 25 mg were taken from the outer and inner enamel layers of human teeth and irradiated in a reactor for 2 hr at a thermal flux of 10 12 n/cm 2 per sec. A standard manganese sample was irradiated at the same time. The chemical recovery of the manganese was adjusted for phosphate adsorption. The results show that manganese was present in all enamel samples and varied from 0.30 to 2.01 ppm. There was a greater concentration of manganese in the outer enamel layer than in the inner enamel layer.