ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of currently available techniques used on the analysis of uranium and, more specifically, Depleted Uranium in biological specimens. The various analytical techniques require the samples to be in liquid or solid form. Particular emphasis has been placed on the use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry as the preferred method for the chemical assessment of uranium and depleted uranium in biological samples. Neutron activation analysis is technique capable of measuring the total and isotopic composition of uranium in biological samples. Neutron activation analysis uses neutron irradiation of a sample to convert the elements into radioactive isotopes. Ultrastructural and microprobe methods, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS), is another useful method for identification of metals in solid samples. However, despite the wide use of these electron-based optical systems, there are disadvantages of the SEM and EDS techniques.
