Russell D. Brauer, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY, Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA

J. David Robertson, Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA

P. Sharma, PRIME Lab, Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA

Robert A. Yokel, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY, Graduate Center for Toxicology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY USA

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B 152 (1999) 129-134

Acid digested brain containing 4 mg added 27Al was ashed at 1000 degrees C to prepare an Al2O3 target for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) analysis of 26Al. A glass-like material usually resulted which was thought to be aluminum (Al) oxyphosphate. The separation of Al and phosphate was investigated. Al, but not phosphate, was bound by a cation exchange resin (AG 50-X8). Hydrofluoric acid eluted the Al from the resin. Removal of phosphate from acid digested brain by this method produced an amorphous material after ashing that was easier to recover from the porcelain crucible and had a higher AMS beam current. This procedure to separate Al from phosphate may have utility in other applications.