Sensitive detection of trace aluminium in biological tissues by confocal laser scanning microscopy after staining wtih lumogallion†

Abstract

This paper describes a method for the sensitive detection of aluminium in biological tissues by real time confocal laser scanning microscopy after staining with lumogallion. The method enabled detection of aluminium ≥9 µg g^–1 in bone and is more sensitive than the conventional histochemical methods with aluminon and solochrome azurine, etc. Lumogallion reacts specifically with aluminium to form a fluorescent complex so that the proposed method is useful for detection and identification of aluminium in tissues.