Pritty Rao

ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF GROUND WATER USING PIXE AND PIGE TECHNIQUES

Water is the most important source of minerals for both human beings and animals. But at the same time, water is also a source of disease due to the contamination of various elements. Therefore, knowledge of the elemental content of water is important. In this work, water samples were collected from areas around Chandigarh and Bathinda district, Panjab, India. Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and proton-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) techniques were used for the determination of heavy and light trace elements, respectively, in wide varieties of water samples. A large number of elements, namely F, Na, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, and U were detected in the samples and results are discussed.

INVESTIGATION OF MAJOR AND TRACE ELEMENTS IN SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS USING PIXE

The use of the medicinal herbs for curing disease has been documented in history of all civilizations. With introduction of scientific procedures, researchers isolated active constituents of the medicinal herbs and after testing, some were found to be therapeutically active. Trace elements are important constituents of active principles of medicinal plants which affect the human body. The aim of this study was to determine qualitatively and quantitatively trace elements in these plants and their medicinal roles in the human body. Analysis of medicinal plants of various biological activities, commonly used in Northern India, was carried out using PIXE technique. Plant samples were collected from Chandigarh (India), which is located at the foothills of the Shivalik ranges, which form a part of the fragile Himalayan ecosystem. PIXE measurements were carried out using 2.4 MeV collimated protons from the 3 MV Tandetron (accelerator) of NCCCM, Hyderabad, India. Various elements namely S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se etc. were detected with different concentrations. Many of these elements play significant roles in human metabolism and are very important with regards to life processes in man.