1
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Ta AT, Daouli A, Ullberg RS, Fonseca E, Proust V, Grandjean A, Hennig RG, Zur Loye HC, Badawi M, Phillpot SR. Incorporating solvent effects in DFT: insights from cation exchange in faujasites. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:14561-14572. [PMID: 38722083 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00467a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Zeolites are versatile materials renowned for their extra-framework cation exchange capabilities, with applications spanning diverse fields, including nuclear waste treatment. While detailed experimental characterization offers valuable insight, density functional theory (DFT) proves particularly adept at investigating ion exchange in zeolites, owing to its atomic and electronic resolution. However, the prevalent occurrence of zeolitic ion exchange in aqueous environments poses a challenge to conventional DFT modeling, traditionally conducted in a vacuum. This study seeks to enhance zeolite modeling by systematically evaluating predictive differences across varying degrees of aqueous solvent inclusion. Specifically focusing on monovalent cation exchange in Na-X zeolites, we explore diverse modeling approaches. These range from simple dehydrated systems (representing bare reference states in vacuum) to more sophisticated models that incorporate aqueous solvent effects through explicit water molecules and/or a dielectric medium. Through comparative analysis of DFT and semi-empirical DFT approaches, along with their validation against experimental results, our findings underscore the necessity to concurrently consider explicit and implicit solvent effects for accurate prediction of zeolitic ionic exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- An T Ta
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Ayoub Daouli
- Laboratoire Lorrain de Chimie Moléculaire L2CM, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, F-54000 Nancy, France.
| | - R Seaton Ullberg
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Eric Fonseca
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Vanessa Proust
- CEA, DES, ISEC, DMRC, Univ Montpellier, Marcoule, France
| | | | - Richard G Hennig
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Hans-Conrad Zur Loye
- Center for Hierarchical Waste Form Materials and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA
| | - Michael Badawi
- Laboratoire Lorrain de Chimie Moléculaire L2CM, Université de Lorraine, CNRS, F-54000 Nancy, France.
| | - Simon R Phillpot
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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2
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Liu M, He Y, Wojtas L, Shi X. Design and Synthesis of Covalently Tethered "IsoG-Star" as Recyclable Host for Selective Cesium Separation. GREEN CHEMISTRY : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL AND GREEN CHEMISTRY RESOURCE : GC 2023; 25:8494-8499. [PMID: 38765495 PMCID: PMC11101156 DOI: 10.1039/d3gc02932h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
The isoguanosine self-assembled pentamer (isoG-star) has exhibited remarkable selectivity for Cs+ binding over competing alkali and alkali earth metal cation, rendering it a promising extractor for radioactive waste 137Cs separation. However, to make isoG-star a pracrtical material for Cs+ isolation, the development of recyclable isoG-star material is required. In this study, a systematic screening of functional isoG derivatives was performed. By employing well-defined complex formation and post-assembly modification, a covalently tethered isoG5-star was prepared through olefin metathesis, utilizing a designed isoG monomer. The application of this newly developed covalently linked isoG-star enabled selective Cs+ extraction, followed by controled solvent-induced H-bond dessociation. This resulted in the creation of a recyclable Cs+ extractor, demonstrating excellent cation selectivity and good reusability (over seven cycles) the first time. Consequently, this new supramolecular macrocycle offers a practical new platform for the treatment of radiocesium (134Cs and 137Cs) in an environmentally friendly and highly effective manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjia Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | - Ying He
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | - Lukasz Wojtas
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
| | - Xiaodong Shi
- Department of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620 (USA)
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3
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Stäger F, Zok D, Schiller AK, Feng B, Steinhauser G. Disproportionately High Contributions of 60 Year Old Weapons- 137Cs Explain the Persistence of Radioactive Contamination in Bavarian Wild Boars. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:13601-13611. [PMID: 37646445 PMCID: PMC10501199 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c03565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Radionuclides released from nuclear accidents or explosions pose long-term threats to ecosystem health. A prominent example is wild boar contamination in central Europe, which is notorious for its persistently high 137Cs levels. However, without reliable source identification, the origin of this decades old problem has been uncertain. Here, we target radiocesium contamination in wild boars from Bavaria. Our samples (2019-2021) range from 370 to 15,000 Bq·kg-1 137Cs, thus exceeding the regulatory limits (600 Bq·kg-1) by a factor of up to 25. Using an emerging nuclear forensic fingerprint, 135Cs/137Cs, we distinguished various radiocesium source legacies in their source composition. All samples exhibit signatures of mixing of Chornobyl and nuclear weapons fallout, with 135Cs/137Cs ratios ranging from 0.67 to 1.97. Although Chornobyl has been widely believed to be the prime source of 137Cs in wild boars, we find that "old" 137Cs from weapons fallout significantly contributes to the total level (10-68%) in those specimens that exceeded the regulatory limit. In some cases, weapons-137Cs alone can lead to exceedances of the regulatory limit, especially in samples with a relatively low total 137Cs level. Our findings demonstrate that the superposition of older and newer legacies of 137Cs can vastly surpass the impact of any singular yet dominant source and thus highlight the critical role of historical releases of 137Cs in current environmental pollution challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Stäger
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dorian Zok
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna-Katharina Schiller
- Institute
of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, Leibniz Universität Hannover, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Bin Feng
- Institute
of Inorganic Chemistry, Leibniz Universität
Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germany
- TU
Wien, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center
Atominstitut, 1060 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Steinhauser
- TU
Wien, Institute of Applied Synthetic Chemistry & TRIGA Center
Atominstitut, 1060 Vienna, Austria
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4
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Magre A, Boulet B, de Vismes A, Evrard O, Pourcelot L. Identification of the origin of radiocesium released into the environment in areas remote from nuclear accident and military test sites using the 135Cs/ 137Cs isotopic signature. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 329:121606. [PMID: 37087087 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The isotopic signature of radionuclides provides a powerful tool for discriminating radioactive contamination sources and estimating their respective contributions in the environment. In this context, the 135Cs/137Cs ratio has been tested as a very promising isotopic ratio that had not been explored yet in many countries around the world including France. To quantify the levels of radioactivity found in the environment, a new method combining a thorough radiochemical treatment of the sample and an efficient measurement by ICP-MS/MS has been recently developed. This method was successfully applied, for the first time, to soil and sediment samples collected in France in two mountainous regions preferentially impacted either by global fallout from nuclear weapons testing (i.e., the Pyrenees) or by the Chernobyl accident (i.e., the Southern Alps). The 135Cs/137Cs ratios measured on twenty-one samples ranged from 0.66 ± 0.04 and 4.29 ± 0.21 (decay-corrected to January 1st, 2022) corresponding to the characteristic signatures of the fallout from Chernobyl and global fallout associated with the nuclear weapons testing, respectively. Moreover, large variations of both the 137Cs mass activity and the studied isotopic ratio recorded by most samples from the southern Alps suggest varying proportions of these two 137Cs sources. For these samples, the contribution of each source was estimated using this new tracer (135Cs/137Cs) and compared with the mixing contribution given by activity ratio: 239+240Pu/137Cs. This work has successfully demonstrated the applicability of the 135Cs/137Cs isotopic signature to nuclear forensic studies and could be extended to better evaluate the environmental impact of nuclear facilities (i.e., NPP, waste reprocessing).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Magre
- Laboratoire de Métrologie de la radioactivité dans l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE), IRSN, 91400, Orsay, France; Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (CNRS, CEA, UVSQ-IPSL), Université Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Beatrice Boulet
- Laboratoire de Métrologie de la radioactivité dans l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE), IRSN, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Anne de Vismes
- Laboratoire de Métrologie de la radioactivité dans l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE), IRSN, 91400, Orsay, France
| | - Olivier Evrard
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (CNRS, CEA, UVSQ-IPSL), Université Paris-Saclay, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Laurent Pourcelot
- Laboratoire d'étude et d'expertise sur la radioactivité de l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SEREN/LEREN), IRSN, 13108, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France.
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5
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Magre A, Boulet B, Isnard H, Mialle S, Evrard O, Pourcelot L. Innovative ICP-MS/MS Method To Determine the 135Cs/ 137Cs Ratio in Low Activity Environmental Samples. Anal Chem 2023; 95:6923-6930. [PMID: 37071760 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c00207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
The 135Cs/137Cs isotopic ratio is a powerful tool for tracing the origin of radioactive contamination. Since the Fukushima accident, this ratio has been measured by mass spectrometry in several highly contaminated environmental matrices mainly collected near nuclear accident exclusion zones and former nuclear test areas. However, few data were reported at 137Cs environmental levels (<1 kBq kg-1). This is explained by the occurrence of analytical challenges related to the very low radiocesium content at the environmental level with the large presence of mass interferences, making 135Cs and 137Cs measurements difficult. To overcome these difficulties, a highly selective procedure for Cs extraction/separation combined with an efficient mass spectrometry measurement must be applied on a quantity of ca. 100 g of soil. In the current research, an innovative inductively coupled plasma-tandem mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) method has been developed for the 135Cs/137Cs ratio measurement in low activity environmental samples. The use of ICP-MS/MS led to a powerful suppression of 135Cs and 137Cs interferences by introducing N2O, He, and, for the first time, NH3, into the collision-reaction cell. By adjusting the flow rates of these gases, the best compromise between a maximum signal in Cs and an effective interference elimination was achieved allowing a high Cs sensitivity of more than 1.105 cps/(ng g-1) and low background levels at m/z 135 and 137 lower than 0.6 cps. The accuracy of the developed method was successfully verified by analyzing two certified reference materials (IAEA-330 and IAEA-375) commonly used in the literature as validation samples and three sediment samples collected in the Niida River catchment (Japan) impacted by the Fukushima fallout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaelle Magre
- Laboratoire de métrologie de la radioactivité dans l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE), IRSN, 91400 Orsay, France
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (CNRS, CEA, UVSQ-IPSL), Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Beatrice Boulet
- Laboratoire de métrologie de la radioactivité dans l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SAME/LMRE), IRSN, 91400 Orsay, France
| | - Helene Isnard
- DES - Service d'Etudes Analytiques et de Réactivité des Surfaces (SEARS), CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sebastien Mialle
- DES - Service d'Etudes Analytiques et de Réactivité des Surfaces (SEARS), CEA, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-Sur-Yvette, France
| | - Olivier Evrard
- Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement (CNRS, CEA, UVSQ-IPSL), Université Paris-Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Laurent Pourcelot
- Laboratoire d'étude et d'expertise sur la radioactivité de l'environnement (PSE-ENV/SEREN/LEREN), IRSN, 13108 Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
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6
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Investigation on the thermal stability of cesium in soil pretreatment and its separation using AMP-PAN resin. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-023-08775-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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7
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Zhou Z, Ren H, Zhou L, Wang P, Lou X, Zou H, Cao Y. Recent Development on Determination of Low-Level 90Sr in Environmental and Biological Samples: A Review. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 28:molecules28010090. [PMID: 36615288 PMCID: PMC9821828 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28010090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In the context of the rapid development of the world's nuclear power industry, it is vital to establish reliable and efficient radioanalytical methods to support sound environment and food radioactivity monitoring programs and a cost-effective waste management strategy. As one of the most import fission products generated during human nuclear activities, 90Sr has been widely determined based on different analytical techniques for routine radioactivity monitoring, emergency preparedness and radioactive waste management. Herein, we summarize and critically review analytical methods developed over the last few decades for the determination of 90Sr in environmental and biological samples. Approaches applied in different steps of the analysis including sample preparation, chemical separation and detection are systematically discussed. The recent development of modern materials for 90Sr concentration and advanced instruments for rapid 90Sr measurement are also addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yiyao Cao
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-(0571)-87115089
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8
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Galluccio F, Bilancia G, Mossini E, Cydzik I, Merlo M, Bombard A, Macerata E, Magugliani G, Peerani P, Mariani M. Preliminary development of a radiochemical separation method to determine 135Cs and 135Cs/137Cs isotopic ratio by a non-radiometric technique. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-022-08685-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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9
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Identification, isolation, and characterization of a novel type of Fukushima-derived microparticle. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-022-08561-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn the course of the Fukushima nuclear accident, radionuclides were released in various forms, including so-called radiocesium-bearing microparticles (CsMP). So far, four types of CsMP were described: Type A is smaller in size (< 10 μm), Types B, C, and D are larger (> 100 μm). In this work, we present a novel type of CsMP (proclaimed Type E). Three particles of Type E were extracted from a contaminated blade of grass that was sampled 1.5 km from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in late 2011. They were located using autoradiography, isolated using an optical microscope and micromanipulator, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and low-level gamma-ray spectrometry. Type E CsMPs are 10–20 μm in size and exhibit an unusually low and barely detectable 137Cs activity of only ≤ 10 mBq per particle. Their brittle and fragile character may indicate a high surface tension.
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10
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Magre A, Boulet B, Pourcelot L, Roy-Barman M, de Vismes Ott A, Ardois C. Improved radiocesium purification in low-level radioactive soil and sediment samples prior to 135Cs/137Cs ratio measurement by ICP-MS/MS. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-022-08413-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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11
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Cao Y, Zhou L, Ren H, Zou H. Determination, Separation and Application of 137Cs: A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph191610183. [PMID: 36011815 PMCID: PMC9408292 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
In the context of the rapid development of the world's nuclear power industry, it is necessary to establish background data on radionuclides of different samples from different regions, and the premise of obtaining such basic data is to have a series of good sample processing and detection methods. The radiochemical analysis methods of low-level radionuclides 137Cs (Cesium) in environmental and biological samples are introduced and reviewed in detail. The latest research progress is reviewed from the five aspects of sample pretreatment, determination, separation, calculation, application of radioactive cesium and the future is proposed.
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12
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Ferdous Alam M, Begum ZA, Furusho Y, Hasegawa H, Rahman IM. Selective separation of radionuclides from environmental matrices using proprietary solid-phase extraction systems: A review. Microchem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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13
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Boudias M, Gourgiotis A, Montavon G, Cazala C, Pichon V, Delaunay N. 226Ra and 137Cs determination by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: state of the art and perspectives including sample pretreatment and separation steps. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 244-245:106812. [PMID: 35042022 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2022.106812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Achieving precise and accurate quantification of radium (226Ra) and cesium (137Cs) by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is of particular interest in the field of radiological monitoring and more widely in environmental and biological sciences. However, the accuracy and sensitivity of the quantification depend on the analytical strategy implemented. Eliminating interferences during the sample handling step and/or during the analysis step is critical since presence of matrix elements can lead to spectral and non-spectral interferences in ICP-MS. Consequently, before the ICP-MS analysis, multiple sample preparation approaches have been applied to purify and/or pre-concentrate environmental and biological samples containing radium and cesium through years, such as (co)-precipitation, solid phase extraction (SPE) or dispersive SPE (dSPE). Separation steps using liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis can also be useful in complement with the abovementioned sample preparation techniques. The most attractive sample handling technique remains SPE but efficiency of the extraction procedures is currently limited by sorbent specificity. Indeed, with the recent advances in ICP-MS instrumentation, it becomes indispensable to eliminate residual interferences and improve sensitivity. It is in this direction that it will be possible to meet analytical challenges, e.g. analyzing radium and cesium at concentrations below the pg L-1 range in complex matrices of small volumes, as they are found for instance in pore waters or in biological samples. Development of new innovative sorbents based for example on hybrid and nanostructured materials has been reported with the aim of enhancing sorbent specificity and/or capacity. In the present review, the performances of the different analytical approaches are discussed, followed by an overview of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine Boudias
- Laboratoire des Sciences Analytiques, Bioanalytiques et Miniaturisation - UMR Chimie Biologie Innovation, CNRS - ESPCI Paris PSL, 75005, Paris, France; Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE/LELI, Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92260, France
| | - Alkiviadis Gourgiotis
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE/LELI, Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92260, France.
| | - Gilles Montavon
- Laboratoire SUBATECH, UMR 6457, IN2P3/CNRS/IMT Atlantique/Université de Nantes, 4 rue Alfred Kastler, BP 20722, 44307, Nantes cedex 3, France
| | - Charlotte Cazala
- Institut de Radioprotection et de Sûreté Nucléaire (IRSN), PSE-ENV/SEDRE/LELI, Fontenay-aux-Roses, 92260, France
| | - Valérie Pichon
- Laboratoire des Sciences Analytiques, Bioanalytiques et Miniaturisation - UMR Chimie Biologie Innovation, CNRS - ESPCI Paris PSL, 75005, Paris, France; Sorbonne Université, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Delaunay
- Laboratoire des Sciences Analytiques, Bioanalytiques et Miniaturisation - UMR Chimie Biologie Innovation, CNRS - ESPCI Paris PSL, 75005, Paris, France
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14
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Anderson J, Lévesque N, Caron F, Beckett P, Spiers GA. A review on the use of lichens as a biomonitoring tool for environmental radioactivity. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2022; 243:106797. [PMID: 34968948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2021.106797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Lichens have been widely used as a biomonitoring tool to record the distribution and concentration of airborne radioactivity and pollutants such as metals. There are limitations, however: although pollutants can be preserved in lichen tissues for long periods of time, not all radioactive and inert elements behave similarly. The chemical species of elements at the source, once captured, and the mode of storage within lichens play a role in this biomonitoring tool. Lichens are a symbiotic association of an algal or cyanobacterial partner (photobiont) with a fungal host (mycobiont). Lichens grow independently of the host substrates, including rocks, soils, trees and human-made structures. Lacking a root system, lichen nutrient or contaminant uptake is mostly through direct atmospheric inputs, mainly as wet and dry deposition. As lichens grow in a large variety of environments and are resilient in harsh climates, they are adapted to capture and retain nutrients from airborne sources. The context of this review partially relates to future deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) and mining in remote areas of Canada. SMRs have been identified as a future source of energy (electricity and heat) for remote off-grid mines, potentially replacing diesel fuel generation facilities. For licensing purposes, SMR deployment and mine development requires capabilities to monitor background contaminants (natural radioactivity and metals) before, during and after deployment, including for decommissioning and removal. Key aspects reviewed herein include: (1) how lichens have been used in the past to monitor radioactivity; (2) radiocontaminants capture and storage in lichens; (3) longevity of radiocontaminant storage in lichen tissues; and (4) limitations of lichens use for monitoring radiocontaminants and selected metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Anderson
- Mirarco Mining Innovation and Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada; Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - N Lévesque
- Mirarco Mining Innovation and Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada; School of Biological, Chemical & Forensic Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - F Caron
- Mirarco Mining Innovation and Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada.
| | - P Beckett
- Vale Living with Lakes Centre, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - G A Spiers
- Harquail School of Earth Sciences, Laurentian University, 935 Ramsey Lake Rd., Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
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15
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Dovhyi II, Bezhin NA, Tananaev IG. Sorption methods in marine radiochemistry. RUSSIAN CHEMICAL REVIEWS 2021. [DOI: 10.1070/rcr5015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The review presents the general methodology of using sorption methods to solve problems of marine radiochemistry, including sampling, preconcentration and radiochemical preparation and methods for measuring the activity of radionuclides. The possible methodological errors at various stages of sampling and sample concentration are discussed. The most widely used artificial (90Sr, 134Cs, 137Cs, 239Pu, 240Pu), natural (210Pb, 210Po; radium quartet: 223Ra, 224Ra, 226Ra, 228Ra; thorium isotopes, mainly 234Th) and cosmogenic (7Be, 32P, 33P) radiotracers are considered. The sorption of uranium from seawater is not addressed, since its concentration in seawater is usually calculated from the known dependence of uranium concentration on seawater salinity.
The bibliography includes 200 references.
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16
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Zhu L, Hou X, Qiao J. Determination of low-level 135Cs and 135Cs/ 137Cs atomic ratios in large volume of seawater by chemical separation coupled with triple-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry measurement for its oceanographic applications. Talanta 2021; 226:122121. [PMID: 33676676 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2021.122121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Radioisotopes of cesium are powerful tracer for oceanographic studies. In this work, a novel method was developed for determination of ultra-low level 135Cs and 137Cs in seawater using triple-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). Cesium was pre-concentrated from up to 45 L seawater samples using ammonium molybdophosphate (AMP) adsorption, following a selective leaching of cesium using Sr(OH)2. The cesium was further purified from interfering elements using AMP-PAN and cation-exchange chromatography. Sr(OH)2 leaching was found to be an effective approach for selective exchange of cesium from the AMP sorbent without dissolution, which avoids the problem of separation of huge amount of NH4+ and MoO42- in the following steps. The decontamination factors for barium and rubidium with the developed method were more than 4 × 107 and 800, respectively. The separated 135Cs and 137Cs were measured using ICP-MS/MS by employing N2O as reaction gas to further elimination of isobaric (i.e. 135Ba and 137Ba) and polyatomic ions interferences. A detection limit of 1.5 × 10-16 g L-1 for 135Cs in seawater was achieved. The concentrations of 135Cs in seawater from Baltic Sea, Danish straits and Roskilde Fjord were determined using the developed method to identify the sources of 135Cs, the water masses exchange in this region was investigated using 135Cs and 137Cs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuchao Zhu
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK-4000, Denmark.
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK-4000, Denmark
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Zok D, Blenke T, Reinhard S, Sprott S, Kegler F, Syrbe L, Querfeld R, Takagai Y, Drozdov V, Chyzhevskyi I, Kirieiev S, Schmidt B, Adlassnig W, Wallner G, Dubchak S, Steinhauser G. Determination of Characteristic vs Anomalous 135Cs/ 137Cs Isotopic Ratios in Radioactively Contaminated Environmental Samples. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:4984-4991. [PMID: 33709694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
A contamination with the ubiquitous radioactive fission product 137Cs cannot be assigned per se to its source. We used environmental samples with varying contamination levels from various parts of the world to establish their characteristic 135Cs/137Cs isotope ratios and thereby allow their distinction. The samples included biological materials from Chernobyl and Fukushima, historic ashed human lung tissue from the 1960s from Austria, and trinitite from the Trinity Test Site, USA. After chemical separation and gas reaction shifts inside a triple quadrupole ICP mass spectrometer, characteristic 135Cs/137Cs isotope signatures (all as per March 11, 2011) were obtained for Fukushima- (∼0.35) and Chernobyl-derived (∼0.50) contaminations, in agreement with the literature for these contamination sources. Both signatures clearly distinguish from the characteristic high ratio (1.9 ± 0.2) for nuclear-weapon-produced radiocesium found in human lung tissue. Trinitite samples exhibited an unexpected, anomalous pattern by displaying a low (<0.4) and nonuniform 135Cs/137Cs ratio. This exemplifies a 137Cs-rich fractionation of the plume in a nuclear explosion, where 137Cs is a predominant species in the fireball. The onset of 135Cs was delayed because of the longer half-life of its parent nuclide 135Xe, causing a spatial separation of gaseous 135Xe from condensed 137Cs, which is the reason for the atypical 135Cs/137Cs fractionation in the fallout at the test site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorian Zok
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Tobias Blenke
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sandra Reinhard
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Sascha Sprott
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Felix Kegler
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Luisa Syrbe
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Rebecca Querfeld
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
| | - Yoshitaka Takagai
- Fukushima University, Faculty of Symbiotic Systems Science, Fukushima 960-1296, Japan
| | - Vladyslav Drozdov
- State Specialized Enterprise "Ecocentre" (SSE "Ecocentre"), Chernobyl 07270, Ukraine
| | - Ihor Chyzhevskyi
- State Specialized Enterprise "Ecocentre" (SSE "Ecocentre"), Chernobyl 07270, Ukraine
| | - Serhii Kirieiev
- State Specialized Enterprise "Ecocentre" (SSE "Ecocentre"), Chernobyl 07270, Ukraine
| | - Brigitte Schmidt
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfram Adlassnig
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Life Sciences, Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gabriele Wallner
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sergiy Dubchak
- State Specialized Enterprise "Radon Association", Kyiv 03083, Ukraine
| | - Georg Steinhauser
- Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institute of Radioecology and Radiation Protection, 30419 Hannover, Germany
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Boukhalfa N, Darder M, Boutahala M, Aranda P, Ruiz-Hitzky E. Composite Nanoarchitectonics: Alginate Beads Encapsulating Sepiolite/Magnetite/Prussian Blue for Removal of Cesium Ions from Water. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2021. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20200247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Boukhalfa
- Laboratory of Chemical Process Engineering, Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ferhat Abbas Setif-1, 19000 Setif, Algeria
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Margarita Darder
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mokhtar Boutahala
- Laboratory of Chemical Process Engineering, Department of Process Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ferhat Abbas Setif-1, 19000 Setif, Algeria
| | - Pilar Aranda
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo Ruiz-Hitzky
- Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid, CSIC, c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz 3, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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Zhu L, Hou X, Qiao J. Determination of 135Cs concentration and 135Cs/ 137Cs ratio in waste samples from nuclear decommissioning by chemical separation and ICP-MS/MS. Talanta 2021; 221:121637. [PMID: 33076157 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2020.121637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Determination of 135Cs concentration and 135Cs/137Cs atomic ratio is of great importance in characterization of radioactive waste from decommissioning of nuclear facilities. In this work, an effective analytical method was developed for simultaneously determination of 135Cs and 137Cs in different types of waste samples (steel, zirconium alloy, reactor coolant, ion exchange filter paper and spent ion exchange resin) by coupling AMP-PAN, AG MP-1M and AG 50 W-X8 chromatographic separation with ICP-MS/MS measurement. Decontamination factors of 7.0 × 106 for Co, 6.0 × 106 for Ba, 4.2 × 105 for Mo, 3.2 × 105 for Sn and 2.1 × 105 for Sb were achieved using the chemical separation procedure. The overall chemical yields of cesium were higher than 85%. A detection limit of 3.1 × 10-14 g/g for 135Cs was achieved for 0.2 g stainless steel sample or spent resin. The developed method was validated by analysis of standard reference materials (IAEA-375) and successfully applied for analysis of zirconium alloy, steel, ion exchange filter paper and spent ion exchange resin from nuclear power reactors. The obtained 135Cs can be used to evaluate the long-term environmental impact and provide useful information for waste disposal. The measured 135Cs/137Cs ratio in reactor coolant, as a characteristic information, might be useful for source identification and localization of leaked fuel element. The neutron flux of the leaked fuel element can be estimated based on the measured 135Cs/137Cs atomic ratios in the reactor coolant water. The developed method is simple and rapid (8 samples/day) for the determination of 135Cs concentrations and 135Cs/137Cs ratios in various waste samples from nuclear decommissioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuchao Zhu
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK, 4000, Denmark
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK, 4000, Denmark.
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde, DK, 4000, Denmark
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20
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Ghandhi SA, Sima C, Weber WM, Melo DR, Rudqvist N, Morton SR, Turner HC, Amundson SA. Dose and Dose-Rate Effects in a Mouse Model of Internal Exposure to 137Cs. Part 1: Global Transcriptomic Responses in Blood. Radiat Res 2020; 196:478-490. [PMID: 32931585 PMCID: PMC8864709 DOI: 10.1667/rade-20-00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Internal contamination by radionuclides may constitute a major source of exposure and biological damage after radiation accidents and potentially in a dirty bomb or improvised nuclear device scenario. We injected male C57BL/6 mice with radiolabeled cesium chloride solution (137CsCl) to evaluate the biological effects of varying cumulative doses and dose rates in a two-week study. Injection activities of 137CsCl were 5.71, 6.78, 7.67 and 9.29 MBq, calculated to achieve a target dose of 4 Gy at days 14, 7, 5 and 3, respectively. We collected whole blood samples at days 2, 3, 5, 7 and 14 so that we can publish the issue in Decemberfrom all injection groups and measured gene expression using Agilent Mouse Whole Genome microarrays. We identified both dose-rate-independent and dose-rate-dependent gene expression responses in the time series. Gene Ontology analysis indicated a rapid and persistent immune response to the chronic low-dose-rate irradiation, consistent with depletion of radiosensitive B cells. Pathways impacting platelet aggregation and TP53 signaling appeared activated, but not consistently at all times in the study. Clustering of genes by pattern and identification of dose-rate-independent and -dependent genes provided insight into possible drivers of the dynamic transcriptome response in vivo, and also indicated that TP53 signaling may be upstream of very different transcript response patterns. This characterization of the biological response of blood cells to internal radiation at varying doses and dose rates is an important step in understanding the effects of internal contamination after a nuclear event.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chao Sima
- Center for Bioinformatics and Genomic Systems Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77845
| | - Waylon M. Weber
- The Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Dunstana R. Melo
- The Lovelace Biomedical Research Institute, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108
| | - Nils Rudqvist
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
| | - Shad R. Morton
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
| | - Helen C. Turner
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York 10032
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21
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Isolating trace fission product elements in separated plutonium for applications in nuclear forensics. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-020-07448-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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22
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Zhu L, Hou X, Qiao J. Determination of Ultralow Level 135Cs and 135Cs/ 137Cs Ratio in Environmental Samples by Chemical Separation and Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS. Anal Chem 2020; 92:7884-7892. [PMID: 32367719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c01153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
An analytical method was developed for the determination of ultralow level 135Cs in environmental samples by chromatographic separation of cesium with AMP-PAN and AG50W-X8 columns and sensitive measurement of cesium isotopes with triple quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS). Cesium was simply released by acid leaching using aqua regia from environmental solid samples and preconcentrated on AMP-PAN column. The cesium adsorbed on the column was effectively eluted with NH4Cl solution without dissolving the AMP. The excessive amount of NH4Cl in the eluate was removed by sublimation in the presence of small amount of LiCl. The remaining barium and other interfering elements such as Mo, Sn, Sb, and Li were efficiently removed using cation exchange chromatography (AG50W-X8). The decontamination factors of this procedure are above 4 × 107 for barium and 4 × 105 for molybdenum; the chemical yields of cesium are more than 85% for samples of less than 10 g. This method enables to separate cesium from large size of samples for the determination of ultralow level 135Cs, avoiding the problem of removal of a huge amount of Mo in the dissolved AMP. Intrinsic 137Cs in the environmental samples measured by gamma spectrometry before and after separation was used as internal isotope dilution standard for quantitative determination of 135Cs without complete release and recover of radiocesium. The interference of barium (135Ba and 137Ba) to the ICP-MS measurement of 135Cs and 137Cs was further suppressed to 8 × 10-5 by using N2O as the reaction gas in ICP-MS/MS at a flow rate of 0.7 mL/min, so a total suppression of 2 × 10-12 for Ba was achieved, making the isobaric interference of Ba isotopes to the measurement of 135Cs and 137Cs in environmental samples negligible. A detection limit of 9.1 × 10-17 g/g for 135Cs and 137Cs was achieved for 60 g samples. The developed method was validated by analysis of standard reference materials (IAEA-375, IAEA-330, and IAEA-385) and successfully applied for the determination of 135Cs concentrations and 135Cs/137Cs ratios in soil samples collected from Denmark, Sweden, and Ukraine. The 135Cs/137Cs isotopic ratios in Danish soil (2.08-2.68) were significantly higher than that from Sweden and Ukraine (0.65-0.71), indicating different sources of radiocesium. This work demonstrated the application of 135Cs/137Cs as a unique fingerprint for discriminating the sources of radioactive contamination and estimating their contribution to the total inventory, which will be useful for nuclear forensics and environmental tracer studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuchao Zhu
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
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Wu J, Xiao X, Sun J. Distribution and budget of 137Cs in the China Seas. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8795. [PMID: 32472036 PMCID: PMC7260368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65280-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cesium-137 is one of the most abundant anthropogenic radionuclides released by atmospheric nuclear testing and nuclear accidents, and accordingly it may significantly impact the health of humans and marine environmental eco-systems. Documenting the distribution and inventory of 137Cs is thus a crucial task. In this study, we collected a large number of datasets with field observations of 137Cs in the China Seas, in order to provide an in-depth understanding of 137Cs budgets and distributions. The activity and inventory of 137Cs in China Seas' sediments showed large spatial variations, related to the 137Cs source, sedimentation rates and the mineral composition of sediments. The 137Cs concentration in sediments decreased with distance from the shore, generally tracing the distribution of sedimentation rates. High 137Cs inventories in the water column indicated a high solubility and long mean residence times. The mean residence times of 137Cs in the China Seas were determined to be 45.6 ± 3.8 years for the South China Sea (SCS), 36.8 ± 3.1 years for the East China Sea (ECS), and 12.0 ± 1.0 years for the Yellow Sea (YS). A 137Cs mass balance suggests that oceanic input from the north Pacific is the dominant 137Cs source to the China Seas, contributing about 96.9% of this substance. Furthermore, the bulk of 137Cs remains dissolved in the SCS water column, while 137Cs is mostly deposited to the sediments of the ECS and the YS. This new compilation of the activity level and inventory of 137Cs help to establish background levels for future 137Cs studies in the China Seas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junwen Wu
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| | - Xiyu Xiao
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
| | - Jiang Sun
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, China
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Zhu L, Xu C, Hou X, Qiao J, Zhao Y, Liu G. Determination of Ultratrace Level 135Cs and 135Cs/ 137Cs Ratio in Small Volume Seawater by Chemical Separation and Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2020; 92:6709-6718. [PMID: 32270673 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The atomic ratio of 135Cs/137Cs is a powerful fingerprint for distinguishing the source terms of radioactive contamination and tracing the circulation of water masses in the ocean. However, the determination of the 135Cs/137Cs ratio is very difficult due to the ultratrace level of 135Cs (<0.02 mBq/m3) and 137Cs (<2 Bq/m3) in the ordinary seawater samples. In this work, a sensitive method was developed for determination of 135Cs concentration and 135Cs/137Cs ratio in seawater using chemical separation combined with thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS) measurement. Cesium was first preconcentrated from seawater using ammonium molybdophosphate-polyacrylonitrile column chromatography and then purified using cation exchange chromatography to remove the interferences. With this method, decontamination factors of 6.0 × 106 for barium and 1800 for rubidium and a chemical yield of more than 60% for cesium were achieved. By using glucose as an activator, the ionization efficiency of cesium was significantly improved to 50.6%, and a constant high current of Cs+ (20 V) can be maintained for more than 180 min, which ensures sensitive and reliable measurement of low level 135Cs and 137Cs. Detection limits of 4.0 × 10-17 g/L for both 135Cs and 137Cs for 200 mL seawater were achieved, which enables the accurate determination of 135Cs concentration and 135Cs/137Cs ratio in a small volume of seawater samples (<200 mL). The developed method has been validated by analysis of seawater reference material IAEA-443. Seawater samples collected from the Greenland Sea, Baltic Sea, and Danish Straits have been successfully analyzed for 135Cs concentrations and 135Cs/137Cs ratios, and the results showed that 135Cs concentrations in the seawater of the Baltic Sea is much higher than that in the Greenland Sea, which is attributed to the high deposition of Chernobyl accident derived radiocesium in the Baltic Sea region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuchao Zhu
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Changkun Xu
- China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Technical University of Denmark, Department of Environmental Engineering, Risø Campus, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Yonggang Zhao
- China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
| | - Guorong Liu
- China Institute of Atomic Energy, Beijing 102413, China
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Asai S, Ohata M, Hanzawa Y, Horita T, Yomogida T, Kitatsuji Y. Direct Quantitation of 135Cs in Spent Cs Adsorbent Used for the Decontamination of Radiocesium-Containing Water by Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2020; 92:3276-3284. [PMID: 31973523 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The long-term safety assessment of spent Cs adsorbents produced during the decontamination of radiocesium-containing water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant requires one to estimate their 135Cs content prior to final disposal. 135Cs is usually quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), which necessitates the elution of Cs from Cs adsorbents. However, this approach suffers from the high radiation dose from 137Cs that is present in the contaminated water and Cs adsorption irreversibility. To address these challenges, we herein employed laser ablation ICP-MS for direct quantitation of 135Cs in Cs adsorbents and used a model Cs adsorbent prepared by immersion of a commercially available Cs adsorbent into radiocesium-containing liquid waste to verify the developed technique. Crushing and subsequent coating with a nitrocellulose-based curing agent provided a thin flat surface and thus allowed for stable solid sampling during laser ablation. The use of the 135Cs/137Cs ratio and 137Cs radioactivity obtained by gamma spectrometry achieved simple and precise quantitation of 135Cs. The obtained 135Cs/137Cs ratio of 0.41 ± 0.02 well agreed with that obtained for the original liquid waste sample by solution nebulization measurements, and the proposed method was concluded to be suitable for large-scale 135Cs quantitation, requiring only very small (<10 mg) samples with total 137Cs radioactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiho Asai
- National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) , National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Umezono 1-1-1 , Tsukuba , Ibaraki 305-8563 , Japan.,Nuclear Science and Engineering Center , Japan Atomic Energy Agency , 2-4 Shirakata , Tokai , Ibaraki 319-1195 , Japan
| | - Masaki Ohata
- National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ) , National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) , Umezono 1-1-1 , Tsukuba , Ibaraki 305-8563 , Japan
| | - Yukiko Hanzawa
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center , Japan Atomic Energy Agency , 2-4 Shirakata , Tokai , Ibaraki 319-1195 , Japan
| | - Takuma Horita
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center , Japan Atomic Energy Agency , 2-4 Shirakata , Tokai , Ibaraki 319-1195 , Japan
| | - Takumi Yomogida
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center , Japan Atomic Energy Agency , 2-4 Shirakata , Tokai , Ibaraki 319-1195 , Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kitatsuji
- Nuclear Science and Engineering Center , Japan Atomic Energy Agency , 2-4 Shirakata , Tokai , Ibaraki 319-1195 , Japan
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26
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Cesium separation from radioactive waste by extraction and adsorption based on crown ethers and calixarenes. NUCLEAR ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.net.2019.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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27
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Calvi LM, Frisch BJ, Kingsley PD, Koniski AD, Love TM, Williams JP, Palis J. Acute and late effects of combined internal and external radiation exposures on the hematopoietic system. Int J Radiat Biol 2019; 95:1447-1461. [PMID: 31329495 DOI: 10.1080/09553002.2019.1644932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: Incidents, such as nuclear facility accidents and the release of a 'dirty bomb', might result in not only external irradiation of personnel, but additional internal exposures through concomitant inhalation and/or ingestion of radioactive particulates. The purpose of this study was to define the impact of such a combination of radiation injuries on the hematopoietic niche.Material and methods: To assess changes in the murine hematopoietic system, we used a combined exposure of total body irradiation (TBI, 6 Gy) followed immediately by an internal (intraperitoneal) administration of 100 µCi of soluble 137Cs. We then evaluated acute survival in combined versus single modality exposure groups, as well as assessing hematopoietic function at 12 and 26 week time points.Results: Acutely, the combination of external and internal exposures led to an unexpected delay in excretion of 137Cs, increasing the absorbed dose in the combined exposure group and leading to mortality from an acute hematopoietic syndrome. At 12 weeks, all exposure paradigms resulted in decreased numbers of phenotypic hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), particularly the short-term HSCs (ST-HSC); long-term HSCs (LT-HSC) were depleted only in the internal and combined exposure groups. At 26 weeks, there was significant anemia in both the TBI alone and combined exposure groups. There were decreased numbers in both the LT- and ST-HSCs and decreased functionality, as measured by competitive repopulation, was seen in all radiation groups, with the greatest effects seen in the internal and combined exposure groups.Conclusions: Our data indicate that a combined injury of sublethal external irradiation with internal contamination induces significant and persistent changes in the hematopoietic system, as may have been predicted from the literature and our own group's findings. However, a novel observation was that the combined exposure led to an alteration in the excretion kinetics of the internal contamination, increasing the acute effects beyond those anticipated. As a result, we believe that a combined exposure poses a unique challenge to the medical community during both the acute and, possibly, delayed recovery stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Calvi
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin J Frisch
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Paul D Kingsley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Anne D Koniski
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Tanzy M Love
- Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Jacqueline P Williams
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Radiation Oncology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - James Palis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
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29
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Direct measurement of uranium in seawater by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Talanta 2018; 183:18-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.02.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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30
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Do VK, Yamamoto M, Taguchi S, Takamura Y, Surugaya N, Kuno T. Quantitative determination of total cesium in highly active liquid waste by using liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry. Talanta 2018; 183:283-289. [PMID: 29567177 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2018.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Revised: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A sensitive analytical method for determination of total cesium (Cs) in highly active liquid waste (HALW) by using modified liquid electrode plasma optical emission spectrometry (LEP-OES) is developed in this study. The instrument is modified to measure radioactive samples in a glove box. The effects of important factors, including pulsed voltage sequence and nitric acid concentration, on the emission of Cs are investigated. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) are 0.005 mg/L and 0.02 mg/L, respectively. The achieved LOD is one order lower than that of recently developed spectroscopic methods using liquid discharge plasma. The developed method is validated by subjecting a simulated HALW sample to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The recoveries obtained from a spike-and-recovery test are 96-102%, implying good accuracy. The method is successfully applied to the quantification of Cs in a real HALW sample at the Tokai reprocessing plant in Japan. Apart from dilution and filtration of the HALW sample, no other pre-treatment process is required. The results agree well with the values obtained using gamma spectrometry. The developed method offers a reliable technique for rapid analysis of total Cs in HALW samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van-Khoai Do
- Tokai Reprocessing Technology Development Center, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Masahiko Yamamoto
- Tokai Reprocessing Technology Development Center, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Shigeo Taguchi
- Tokai Reprocessing Technology Development Center, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yuzuru Takamura
- School of Materials Science, Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), Nomi, Ishikawa 923-1211, Japan
| | - Naoki Surugaya
- Tokai Reprocessing Technology Development Center, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takehiko Kuno
- Tokai Reprocessing Technology Development Center, Nuclear Fuel Cycle Engineering Laboratories, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), 4-33 Muramatsu, Tokaimura, Naka, Ibaraki, Japan
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Burger A, Lichtscheidl I. Stable and radioactive cesium: A review about distribution in the environment, uptake and translocation in plants, plant reactions and plants' potential for bioremediation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:1459-1485. [PMID: 29122347 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Revised: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Radiocesium in water, soil, and air represents a severe threat to human health and the environment. It either acts directly on living organisms from external sources, or it becomes incorporated through the food chain, or both. Plants are at the base of the food chain; it is therefore essential to understand the mechanisms of plants for cesium retention and uptake. In this review we summarize investigations about sources of stable and radioactive cesium in the environment and harmful effects caused by internal and external exposure of plants to radiocesium. Uptake of cesium into cells occurs through molecular mechanisms such as potassium and calcium transporters in the plasma membrane. In soil, bioavailability of cesium depends on the chemical composition of the soil and physical factors such as pH, temperature and tilling as well as on environmental factors such as soil microorganisms. Uptake of cesium occurs also from air through interception and absorption on leaves and from water through the whole submerged surface. We reviewed information about reducing cesium in the vegetation by loss processes, and we extracted transfer factors from the available literature and give an overview over the uptake capacities of 72 plants for cesium from the substratum to the biomass. Plants with high uptake potential could be used to remediate soil and water from radiocesium by accumulation and rhizofiltration. Inside plants, cesium distributes fast between the different plant organs and cells, but cesium in soil is extremely stable and remains for decades in the rhizosphere. Monitoring of contaminated soil therefore has to continue for many decades, and edible plants grown on such soil must continuously be monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Burger
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Irene Lichtscheidl
- University of Vienna, Core Facility Cell Imaging and Ultrastructure Research, Althanstrasse 14, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
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Mohamud H, Ivanov P, Russell BC, Regan PH, Ward NI. Selective sorption of uranium from aqueous solution by graphene oxide-modified materials. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018; 316:839-848. [PMID: 29725152 PMCID: PMC5920007 DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5741-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The effect of competing ions on the sorption behaviour of uranium onto carboxyl-functionalised graphene oxide (COOH-GO) were studied in batch experiments in comparison to graphene oxide (GO) and graphite. The effect of increasing the abundance of select chemical functional groups, such as carboxyl groups, on the selectivity of U sorption was investigated. In the course of the study, COOH-GO demonstrated superior performance as a sorbent material for the selective removal of uranyl ions from aqueous solution with a distribution coefficient of 3.72 ± 0.19 × 103 mL g−1 in comparison to 3.97 ± 0.5 × 102 and 2.68 ± 0.2 × 102 mL g−1 for GO and graphite, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Mohamud
- Department of Chemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH UK
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 OLW UK
| | - P. Ivanov
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 OLW UK
| | - B. C. Russell
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 OLW UK
| | - P. H. Regan
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 OLW UK
- Department of Physics, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH UK
| | - N. I. Ward
- Department of Chemistry, University of Surrey, Guildford, GU2 7XH UK
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33
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Qiao J, Lagerkvist P, Rodushkin I, Salminen-Paatero S, Roos P, Lierhagen S, Jensen KA, Engstrom E, Lahaye Y, Skipperud L. On the application of ICP-MS techniques for measuring uranium and plutonium: a Nordic inter-laboratory comparison exercise. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-018-5697-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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34
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Judge S, Regan P. Radionuclide metrology research for nuclear site decommissioning. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2017.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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35
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Mohamud H, van Es E, Sainsbury T, Ivanov P, Russell B, Regan P, Ward N. Progress towards the development of a rapid analytical approach for separation of 226 Ra using dibenzo-18-crown-6 ether functionalised silica (SiO 2 ) disks. Radiat Phys Chem Oxf Engl 1993 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2017.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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36
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Ohata M, Zhu Y, Nonose N. Studies on Isotope Ratio Measurement of Cl by Inductively Coupled Plasma Triple-quad Mass Spectrometry. ANAL SCI 2017; 33:375-380. [PMID: 28302981 DOI: 10.2116/analsci.33.375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental studies on isotope ratio measurement of Cl were carried out using inductively coupled plasma triple-quad mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) and the analytical performance obtained was compared to that obtained by ICP sector field mass spectrometer (ICP-SFMS). Though the polyatomic ion interferences of 16O18O1H and 36Ar1H with respect to 35Cl and 37Cl, respectively, made a negative effect on the accuracy and the precision for isotope ratio measurements of Cl, the ICP-SFMS could eliminate these interferences by medium mass resolution mode (m/Δm = 4000) and achieved the isotope ratio measurements with 0.2 - 0.5% of relative standard deviation (RSD) at the concentrations of Cl from 1 to 10 mg kg-1. In the case of ICP-MS/MS, both the single-MS mode without collision reaction gas and the MS/MS mode with collision reaction gases such as oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2) were examined and compared their analytical sensitivities as well as the precisions of isotope ratio measurement of Cl. The precisions of Cl isotope ratio measurements were 3 - 14% of RSD at the concentrations of Cl from 5 to 100 mg kg-1, when single-MS mode was carried out, even though the similar isotope ratios of 35Cl/37Cl could be obtained. In the case of O2 gas for MS/MS mode with mass-shift method, precisions of 0.3 - 2% of RSD were obtained at the concentration range of 1 - 100 mg kg-1. In the case of H2 gas, similar sensitivities as those obtained by ICP-SFMS and the precisions of 0.2 - 0.5% of RSD at the concentration range of 1 - 10 mg kg-1 were obtained. From these results, it was evaluated that the ICP-MS/MS in MS/MS mode with collision reaction gas could be used for Cl isotope ratio measurements for such studies as stable isotope tracers, isotope abundance measurements in nuclear chemistry and accurate determinations by isotope dilution mass spectrometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Ohata
- Inorganic Standards Group, Research Institute for Material and Chemical Measurement (MCM), National Metrology Institute of Japan (NMIJ), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
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Croudace IW, Warwick PE, Reading DG, Russell BC. Recent contributions to the rapid screening of radionuclides in emergency responses and nuclear forensics. Trends Analyt Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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38
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Shibahara Y, Kubota T, Fujii T, Fukutani S, Takamiya K, Konno M, Mizuno S, Yamana H. Analysis of cesium isotope compositions in environmental samples by thermal ionization mass spectrometry-3. J NUCL SCI TECHNOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00223131.2016.1223560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Shibahara
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takumi Kubota
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshiyuki Fujii
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
- Division of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
| | - Satoshi Fukutani
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koichi Takamiya
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
| | - Mitsuyuki Konno
- Nuclear Power Safety Division, Fukushima Prefectural Government, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Satoshi Mizuno
- Nuclear Power Safety Division, Fukushima Prefectural Government, Fukushima, Fukushima, Japan
| | - Hajimu Yamana
- Research Reactor Institute, Kyoto University, Sennan, Osaka, Japan
- Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, Tokyo, Japan
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Zheng J, Cao L, Tagami K, Uchida S. Triple-Quadrupole Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry with a High-Efficiency Sample Introduction System for Ultratrace Determination of 135Cs and 137Cs in Environmental Samples at Femtogram Levels. Anal Chem 2016; 88:8772-9. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b02150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Zheng
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Liguo Cao
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
- School
of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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40
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Cao L, Zheng J, Tsukada H, Pan S, Wang Z, Tagami K, Uchida S. Simultaneous determination of radiocesium ((135)Cs, (137)Cs) and plutonium ((239)Pu, (240)Pu) isotopes in river suspended particles by ICP-MS/MS and SF-ICP-MS. Talanta 2016; 159:55-63. [PMID: 27474279 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Due to radioisotope releases in the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, long-term monitoring of radiocesium ((135)Cs and (137)Cs) and Pu isotopes ((239)Pu and (240)Pu) in river suspended particles is necessary to study the transport and fate of these long-lived radioisotopes in the land-ocean system. However, it is expensive and technically difficult to collect samples of suspended particles from river and ocean. Thus, simultaneous determination of multi-radionuclides remains as a challenging topic. In this study, for the first time, we report an analytical method for simultaneous determination of radiocesium and Pu isotopes in suspended particles with small sample size (1-2g). Radiocesium and Pu were sequentially pre-concentrated using ammonium molybdophosphate and ferric hydroxide co-precipitation, respectively. After the two-stage ion-exchange chromatography separation from the matrix elements, radiocesium and Pu isotopes were finally determined by ICP-MS/MS and SF-ICP-MS, respectively. The interfering elements of U ((238)U(1)H(+) and (238)U(2)H(+) for (239)Pu and (240)Pu, respectively) and Ba ((135)Ba(+) and (137)Ba(+) for (135)Cs and (137)Cs, respectively) were sufficiently removed with the decontamination factors of 1-8×10(6) and 1×10(4), respectively, with the developed method. Soil reference materials were utilized for method validation, and the obtained (135)Cs/(137)Cs and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios, and (239+240)Pu activities showed a good agreement with the certified/information values. In addition, the developed method was applied to analyze radiocesium and Pu in the suspended particles of land water samples collected from Fukushima Prefecture after the FDNPP accident. The (135)Cs/(137)Cs atom ratios (0.329-0.391) and (137)Cs activities (23.4-152Bq/g) suggested radiocesium contamination of the suspended particles mainly originated from the accident-released radioactive contaminates, while similar Pu contamination of suspended particles caused by the accident could be neglected as the (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (0.182-0.208) were within the range of global fallout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liguo Cao
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan; School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jian Zheng
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan.
| | - Hirofumi Tsukada
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima-City 960-1296, Japan
| | - Shaoming Pan
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhongtang Wang
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Keiko Tagami
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
| | - Shigeo Uchida
- Biospheric Assessment for Waste Disposal Team & Fukushima Project Headquarters, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Anagawa 4-9-1, Inage, Chiba 263-8555, Japan
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Yang G, Tazoe H, Yamada M. Rapid determination of 135Cs and precise 135Cs/137Cs atomic ratio in environmental samples by single-column chromatography coupled to triple-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Anal Chim Acta 2016; 908:177-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2015.12.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 12/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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42
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Snow MS, Snyder DC. (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotopic composition of environmental samples across Europe: Environmental transport and source term emission applications. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2016; 151 Pt 1:258-263. [PMID: 26540258 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.10.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Revised: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 10/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
(135)Cs/(137)Cs isotopic analyses represent an important tool for studying the fate and transport of radiocesium in the environment; in this work the (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotopic composition in environmental samples taken from across Europe is reported. Surface soil and vegetation samples from western Russia, Ukraine, Austria, and Hungary show consistent aged thermal fission product (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios of 0.58 ± 0.01 (age corrected to 1/1/15), with the exception of one sample of soil-moss from Hungary which shows an elevated (135)Cs/(137)Cs ratio of 1.78 ± 0.12. With the exception of the outlier sample from Hungary, surface soil/vegetation data are in quantitative agreement with values previously reported for soils within the Chernobyl exclusion zone, suggesting that radiocesium at these locations is primarily composed of homogenous airborne deposition from Chernobyl. Seawater samples taken from the Irish Sea show (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios of 1.22 ± 0.11 (age corrected to 1/1/15), suggesting aged thermal fission product Cs discharged from Sellafield. The differences in (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios between Sellafield, Chernobyl, and global nuclear weapons testing fallout indicate that (135)Cs/(137)Cs isotope ratios can be utilized to discriminate between and track radiocesium transport from different nuclear production source terms, including major emission sources in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew S Snow
- Idaho National Laboratory, PO Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2805, USA.
| | - Darin C Snyder
- Idaho National Laboratory, PO Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2805, USA
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