autoradiography

Autoradiography is a technique used to record the distribution of radioactive materials within biological specimens, such as plants and animals. This process involves placing a specimen in contact with a photographic emulsion. The radioactive isotopes within the specimen then emit radiation, which exposes the emulsion to create an image, known as an autoradiograph.12

This method is valuable for studying metabolism, as it can track the activity of radioactive compounds introduced into an organism. In biology, radioactive tracers are used to investigate complex processes, including metabolic studies of essential elements like sulfur, phosphorus, and nitrogen in plants. Autoradiography has also found applications in engineering for tracking the transfer of radioactive substances in lubrication and in machining processes.13