201. Homogenization of food samples for gamma spectrometry using tetramethylammonium hydroxide and enzymatic digestion
- Author
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Kimi Nishikawa, A.J. Khan, Traci A. Menia, A. Bari, Thomas M. Semkow, Xin Li, Zhichao Lin, and Stephanie Healey
- Subjects
Baked beans ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Parmesan cheese ,Cellulase ,010501 environmental sciences ,010403 inorganic & nuclear chemistry ,Mass spectrometry ,01 natural sciences ,Homogenization (chemistry) ,Analytical Chemistry ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,food ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,Sample preparation ,food.cheese ,Spectroscopy ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Tetramethylammonium hydroxide ,Chromatography ,biology ,Enzymatic digestion ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Pollution ,food.food ,0104 chemical sciences ,Nuclear Energy and Engineering ,chemistry ,biology.protein - Abstract
We have developed a method of food sample preparation for gamma spectrometry involving the use of tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and/or enzymes such as α-amylase or cellulase for sample homogenization. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this method using food matrices spiked with 60Co, 131I, 134,137Cs, and 241Am radionuclides, homogenized with TMAH (mixed salad, parmesan cheese, and ground beef); enzymes (α-amylase for bread, and cellulase for baked beans); or α-amylase followed by TMAH (cheeseburgers). Procedures were developed which are best compromises between the degree of homogenization, accuracy, speed, and minimizing laboratory equipment contamination. Based on calculated sample biases and z-scores, our results suggest that homogenization using TMAH and enzymes would be a useful method of sample preparation for gamma spectrometry samples during radiological emergencies.
- Published
- 2017
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