Microscopic X-Ray Fluorescence Analisis of Human Dental Calculas using Synchrotron Radiation

C. A. PÉREZ; H. J. SÁNCHEZ; R.A. BARREA; M.S. GRENÓN; J. ABRAHAM

JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY

Año: 2004 vol. 19 p. 392 - 397

0267-9477

In this work, new results of one- and two-dimensional spatial distributions of major, minor and trace elementsof human dental calculus are presented. X-ray fluorescence induced by a synchrotron radiation source wasused. The measurements were carried out in the X-ray microprobe station mounted at the X-ray fluorescencebeamline of the Brazilian National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS). Two-dimensional distributions showthat calcium, the major element in this type of sample, has a uniform pattern over the mapped area, while traceelements are non-homogeneously distributed. By means of different linear scans along the growing axis of thedental calculus, a markedly spatial correlation between Cu and Zn was found. A semi-quantitative analysis forCu and Zn was performed by means of calibration curves using appropriate fabricated standards. Theconcentration values found for these metals were higher than those obtained in conventional bulk analysis. Itwas observed that these metals accumulated preferentially in the subgingival part of the calculus, near the toothsurface. These results indicate that the mineralization processes, which take place for both type of calculus, areessentially different.