| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1681609 | Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms | 2016 | 6 Pages |
Combined PIXE and PIGE analysis was applied at the new Bucharest Tandetron to investigate biomineralization in two calcified tissues, deer antlers and femur bone. By annual loss and fast re-growth, antlers are a valuable model for bone as a dynamical system. Samples characterized by optical microscopy and histology were analyzed for P, Ca, F, Na, Mg, S, Cl, K, Zn, Sr by 3 MeV proton simultaneous PIXE and PIGE, using a hydroxyapatite standard and other reference materials. Good correlation between methods was found for P, and the concentrations were related to biological data. Antlers showed lower mineralization than femur, with the lowest values in the third antler beam. A power function of mineralization vs. “mineral age” of antlers was found. Thus combined PIXE and PIGE of antlers may bring highly relevant insights in biomineralization research.
