RRFM 2009 Transactions - European Nuclear Society

HbA1c (%)
14
12
10
8
6
4
Se vs HbA1c in Male Control Population
r 2 =0.29
Well Controlled
160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300
Se μg/L
Diabetic control and Selenium
Approximately 80 red blood cell samples (40 Diabetic and 40
Control) were analyzed by NAA for Cr, Fe, Rb, Se and Zn.
To determine the effect of trace elemental concentrations on
the diabetic control the haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was also
measured and correlated with elemental data. The test for
HbA1c is a key indicator of diabetes control. It measures the
amount of sugar attached to haemoglobin, the primary protein
in red blood cells and indicates a patient's average blood sugar
level over the previous two to three months. Further work on
the relationship between Se and Cr and diabetic control will
continue. (To be published)
5. Conclusion
Although the neutron flux of SLOWPOKE is relatively low, the reduced scale of operation makes it
possible to safely house the gamma spectroscopy systems close to the irradiation facility, thereby
reducing transfer times from irradiation site to counting systems, as a result small reactors are ideally
suited for short-lived analysis and can obtain detection limits in biological and geological matrices that
are similar or better to those obtained in larger reactors. The data presented here illustrates how NAA
can be used to provide valuable data applicable across a wide spectrum of programmes, particularly in
the earth and environmental sciences. It is this type of application that may well play an important role
in the future of small reactor facilities.
References
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TECDOC 1593, Proceedings of a technical meeting held in Vienna, August 28–31, 2006
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Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 245(1), ( 2000) 167-172
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