7
determinations.
CRER-1068
This was subsequently reduced to + 3.1% by the
elimination of systematic errors in the method.
Accuracy in
the determination of barium is dependent on relative concentrations of the two elements as the results are obtained by
difference (i.e. total count - strontium = barium).
In these
analyses the coefficient of variation amounted to + 13% and
+ 84 formilk and produce respectively.
The egefficient of variation of the calcium results
was + 2.0%,
t
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
|
*
2
ee
Tables IV and V give the results of analyses for calciun,
strontium and barium in biological samples.
The results are
expressed per kilogram of produce, per gram of ash and as ratios
of the elements,
one to the other.
In general, metabolic
processes in the animal discriminate against strontium and barium,
so that meat and milk contain much smaller concentrations of
these elements than cereals and vegetables.
As a consequence,
strontium/calcium and barium/calcium ratios are also lower in
animals and animal produce.
Except in the case of cereals,
'
the concentration of
barium is generally below that of strontium, the average value
for the ratio of barium/strontium being 0.36.
It is noticeable
that the results for barium are also more variable than those for
snehaereae.
strontium.
Erratic behaviour of barium is not surprising inasmuch
as it 1s chemically dissimilar to calcium and will not be regulated
to the same extent by the mechanisms controlling calcium uptake.