Preparing Tissue Samples for Scintillation Counting

Samples of animal or plant tissue are rarely thin or small enough to allow for full counting efficiency. Homogenization of such samples will allow them to be dispersed into a cocktail, but processing large numbers of radioactive samples by homogenization is not practical. To allow for efficient and consistent counting of tissue samples, tissue solubilizers have been developed. These products contain strong denaturants and other agents, which can dissolve tissues at moderately elevated temperatures.

Counting Tissue Samples

BIOSOL/BIOSCINT

Place up to 200 mg of tissue, or 1 ml of blood, in a glass scintillation vial. Ground or minced tissue will dissolve more rapidly. Avoid adhesion of the sample to the bottom of the vial, as this will extend the digestion time.

Add 1 ml of Biosol. Agitate gently (do not vortex).

Incubate in shaking water bath at 50°C for 1-4 hours, until clear.

If necessary (for blood or other pigmented samples) decolorize with 0.2 ml of 30% H2O2. Cap loosely and incubate at 50°C 1 hour.

Cool to room temperature, add 10 ml of Bioscint and count.

SOLUSOL

Place up to 100 mg of tissue, or 0.5 ml of blood, in a glass scintillation vial. Ground or minced tissue will dissolve more rapidly. Avoid adhesion of the sample to the bottom of the vial, as this will extend the digestion time.

Add 0.2-0.4 ml of Solusol. Agitate gently (do not vortex).

Incubate at 50°C for 1-2 hours, or at room temperature for 3-5 hours, until clear.

If necessary (for blood or other pigmented samples) decolorize with 2 volumes of 20% benzoyl peroxide in toluene. Cap loosely and incubate at 50°C 30 minutes. Lightly colored samples may be bleached by UV or sunlight exposure.

Cool to room temperature, add 10 ml of Soluscint XR and count.

NEXT TOPIC: Counting 14CO2

Products Related to this Discussion:

Biosol and Bioscint
Biosol and Bioscint form a nonhazardous, biodegradable tissue solubilizer and scintillation solution.

Solusol
Superior solubilizing agent for scintillation counting.

Soluscint XR
Complete scintillation cocktail specifically designed to count tissue homogonized by Solusol.

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