SummaryBy means of neutron activation and gamma-ray spectrometry the concentrations in the human mandibular articular disc of the following elements have been determined: Na, Mn, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr, Cd, W, and Au. The discs were obtained at necropsy from seven men and nine women, ranging in age from 56 to 71 years.The activation was carried out in a thermal neutron flux of about 1.7 XlO12 neutrons × cm−2 × sec.−1 for about 20 hours. A chemical group separationwas performed before the gamma-ray spectrometry. Quantitative data based on the dry weight of the cartilage samples were obtained by comparing the photo-peak area of the identified elements with those of appropriate standards.
