J.RADIOANAL.NUCL.CHEM.,LETTERS 166 (5) 383-391 (1992) CHANGES IN TRACE METAL CONCENTRATION IN X-RAY IRRADIATED MICE SKIN: AN ATOMIC ABSORPTION SPECTROMETRIC STUDY K. De*, J. Chatterjee*, A.K. Das *+, S.K. Basu**, D. Basu * Department of Chemistry, University of Burdwan, Golapbag, Burdwan - 713 i04, W.B., India **Department of Anatomy, Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan - 713 104, W.B., India Received 8 September Accepted 22 September Two single doses of X-ray radiation, i.e., 75 cGy and 4.0 Gy were applied on male Swiss albino mice. Quantitative changes in concentrations of trace metals like copper, zinc, cadmium and chromium in the whole body irradiated mice skin at several post-irradiated time intervals were studied in comparison to that of control animals. Observa- tions indicate that irradiation induce redistrib- ution of trace metals studied in skin at differ- ent post-irradiation time intervals. INTRODUCTION Radiation hazard is a major toxicological problem I. It has been reported that X-rays affect the prolifera- tive cell compartment of skin mostly at its basal layers. + Author for all correspondence. 383 Elsevier ,Sequoia S. A., Lmtsa.ne Akaddmid Kiad6, Budapest