Comparison of various dissolution techniques for determination of Po-210 in biological samples

• We compared three dissolution techniques for determination of Po-210 in biological samples.
• Classical wet ashing, digestion in an Erlenmeyer flask and by microwave digestion were used.
• The maximum digestion temperature was 200 °C.
• The results obtained showed that all the used procedures are comparable.
• The choice of dissolution techniques depends on required sample mass and matrix of the sample.

The aim of the present study was to compare three wet digestion procedures for dissolution of biological samples in the determination of Po-210. Classical wet ashing over a gas flame with acids in a long-necked Kjeldahl flask, digestion with acids in an Erlenmeyer flask and microwave digestion in a Teflon vessel at temperatures at up to 200 °C were investigated. The results obtained showed that the activity concentrations of Po-210 found in the samples analysed were comparable for all the procedures used.