Tony,

If the arsenic is expected to be in nontrace amounts, you can detect, and
maybe semi-quatify its presence with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy
(EDX or EDS) in a SEM or TEM. SEM might be better, as you could use "bulk"
specimens--the small bits of tissue you prepare for sectioning. If there's
enough arsenic, you could use paraffin-embedded sections in the SEM, but be
aware that you could melt the paraffin. This can cause enough contamination
in the column to antagonize the person in charge of the 'scope.

For TEM, you'd have to use thin sections, but this would give better
localization, if that's important.

Prepare the specimen according to routine procedures for your tissues for
either SEM or TEM--research people at the vet school ought to have these on
hand.

There should be scopes with EDX on your campus--biology, materials
science/engineering, something like that.

Phil

> One of our Pathologists has asked me if there is a method to demonstrate
> arsenic in the liver and kidney of sheep.I cannot find any methods, can
> anybody please offer any suggestions.
>
> Many thanks,
>
> Tony Brandwood,
> Dept. of Vet. Pathology,
> University of Liverpool,

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