Development of non destructive testing methods for bulk samples using atomic and nuclear physics techniques

我们开发了新的方法来测量散装样品中存在的元素的量。批量样品可以是一件艺术品，一件行李，或者在我们的情况下，最常见的是一个活生生的人。我们采用和使用原子物理学和核物理学的方法，并将其应用于测量人体部分元素含量的特殊情况。例如，我们开发了一种X射线荧光方法来测量人体骨骼中储存的铅含量。这使我们能够了解这个人在很长一段时间内接触铅的情况。或者，我们正在改进中子活化方法的开发，以测量储存在人的手骨中的铝。这将提供一种分析工具，可用于研究暴露于铝的长期健康影响，无论是通过环境还是通过工作场所。另一方面，我们也在改进测量骨骼中锶的方法。在某些情况下，锶补充剂已被证明可以增加骨骼的强度。我们的X射线荧光技术仍然是测量正常甚至低水平骨锶的唯一方法，而无需从骨骼中取出样本。虽然我们的大部分研究和开发涉及人体中仅存在微量的元素，但我们也在研究氮的测量，氮占人体质量的3%或4%，其本身表明存在的蛋白质质量。这里描述的开发工作是应用物理学。许多后续应用是在健康和环境科学。

We develop new ways of measuring the amount of an element present in a bulk sample. Where the bulk sample can be a piece of art, an item of luggage or, most often in our case, a living human person. We adapt and use methods derived from atomic physics and nuclear physics and apply them to the special situation of measuring the elemental content of part of the human body. For example, we have developed an x-ray fluorescence method to measure the amount of lead stored in a person's bone. This enables us to find out about that person's exposure to lead over a long period of time. Alternatively, we are refining the development of a neutron activation method to measure aluminum stored in the bones of a person's hand. This will provide an analytical tool that can be used to study the long term health effects of exposure to aluminum, whether through the environment or via the place of work. On the other hand, we are also refining our method of measuring strontium in bone. In some circumstances, a strontium supplement has been shown to confer added strength on bones. Our x-ray fluorescence technique remains the only way of measuring normal and even low levels of bone strontium, without having to take a sample out of the bone. Although most of our research and development concerns elements which are present in only trace quantities in the human body, we are also working on the measurement of nitrogen, which comprises 3 or 4 % of the mass of the body and itself indicates the mass of protein present. The development work described here, is applied physics. Many of the subsequent applications are in health and environmental sciences.