Monostandard activation analysis: Evaluation of the method and its accuracy

Colloid Generation and the Actinide Migration in Gorleben Groundwaters

The generation and behaviour of realcolloids and pseudocolloids of the actinides, 238 pu, 241Am and 244Cm, are investigated in four different Gorleben Groundwaters. Colloids are characterized by ultrafiltration at different pore sizes from 1 nm to 450 nm and various analytical instrumentations. Behaviour of pseudocolloids has been analysed by determining their effects on the solubility and the distribution coefficient of actinides between groundwater and geomatrix. Sorption of actinide ions on groundwater-colloids (generation of pseudocolloid) are examined and the migration of actinides as pseudocolloids is discussed.

A survey of trace elements in fresh-water fish and rice along the Han River by neutron activation analysis

For a case study of environmental pollution, radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) was applied to the crucian and rice collected along the Han River. The crucian was analyzed for three times in 1973, 1987, and 1990. Sixteen trace elements (Hg, Cd, As, Br, Cu, Na, K, Se, Cr, Hf, Rb, Fe, Zn, Co, La, and Cs) were determined by RNAA using distillation and diethyldithiocarbamate extraction methods. Contents of Na, K, Se, Hf, Fe, Zn, and Co were almost constant regardless of the sampling place and year. The contents of the other elements showed increasing trends down river, especially in the first investigation. At the lower part of the river, the contents showed decreasing trends with the time of sampling, especially during the first two investigations. These trends were typical for Hg and Cd. Rice was analyzed by the same method for 12 elements, and the results showed no regional trends, but have decreased after 1973.

An environmental research on trace elements in freshwater fish by neutron activation analysis

For a case study of environmental contamination, radiochemical activation analysis has been applied to the crucians collected in the Han River. Sixteen trace elements (Hg, Cd, As, Br, Cu, Na, K, Se, Cr, Hf, Rb, Fe, Zn, Co, La, and Cs) were separated into three groups using distillation and diethyldithiocarbamate extraction methods, and their contents were determined by a single comparator method. Compared with the values 15 years ago, the values for mercury and cadmium have been drastically decreased at the middle and lower part of the river, but no typical change is found in other elements.