Effective atomic number studies in different biological samples for partial and total photon interactions in the energy region 10(-3) to 10(5) MeV.

Effective atomic numbers (Zeff) of 7 different biological samples containing several elements were computed for total and partial cross sections using theoretical data over a wide range of energy region from 10(-3) to 10(5) MeV. It has been found that Zeff changes with change in composition of the material and change in energy. The significant changes in Zeff of different biological samples are due to domination of different interaction processes in different energy regions as number of elements present is quite large in some biological samples (e.g. cell, bone, muscle).