Abstract: Disclosed is a method of quantifying molecules in biological substances comprising:a. selecting a biological host in which radioisotopes are present in concentrations equal to or less than those in the ambient biosphere,b. preparing a long-lived radioisotope labeled reactive chemical specie,c. administering said chemical specie to said biological host in doses sufficiently low to avoid significant overt damage to the biological system thereof,d. allowing a period of time to elapse sufficient for dissemination and interaction of said chemical specie with said host throughout said biological system of said host,e. isolating a reacted fraction of the biological substance from said host in a manner sufficient to avoid contamination of said substance from extraneous sources,f. converting said fraction of biological substance by suitable means to a material which efficiently produces charged ions in at least one of several possible ion sources without introduction of significant isotopic fractionation, and,g.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detection of long-lived radioisotopes in small bio-chemical samples, comprising:a. selecting a biological host in which radioisotopes are present in concentrations equal to or less than those in the ambient biosphere,b. preparing a long-lived radioisotope labeled reactive chemical specie,c. administering said chemical specie to said biologist host in doses sufficiently low to avoid significant overt damage to the biological system thereof,d. allowing a period of time to elapse sufficient for dissemination and interaction of said chemical specie with said host throughout said biological system of said host,e. isolating a reacted fraction of the biological substance from said host in a manner sufficient to avoid contamination of said substance from extraneous sources,f.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of quantifying molecules in biological substances, comprising:a. selecting a biological host in which radioisotopes are present in concentrations equal to or less than those in the ambient biosphere,b. preparing a long-lived radioisotope labeled reactive chemical specie,c. administering said chemical specie to said biological host in doses sufficiently low to avoid significant overt damage to the biological system thereof,d. allowing a period of time to elapse sufficient for dissemination and interaction of said chemical specie with said host throughout said biological system of said host,e. isolating a reacted fraction of the biological substance from said host in a manner sufficient to avoid contamination of said substance from extraneous sources,f. converting said fraction of biological substance by suitable means to a material which efficiently produces charged ions in at least one of several possible ion sources without introduction of significant isotopic fractionation, and,g.

Abstract: Apparatus for ionizing and accelerating a sample containing isotopes of hydrogen and detecting the ratios of hydrogen isotopes contained in the sample is disclosed. An ion source generates a substantially linear ion beam including ions of tritium from the sample. A radio-frequency quadrupole accelerator is directly coupled to and axially aligned with the source at an angle of substantially zero degrees. The accelerator accelerates species of the sample having different mass to different energy levels along the same axis as the ion beam. A spectrometer is used to detect the concentration of tritium ions in the sample. In one form of the invention, an energy loss spectrometer is used which includes a foil to block the passage of hydrogen, deuterium and .sup.3 He ions, and a surface barrier or scintillation detector to detect the concentration of tritium ions.