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Atanga R, Appell LL, Thompson MN, Lauer FT, Brearley A, Campen MJ, Castillo EF, In JG. Single Cell Analysis of Human Colonoids Exposed to Uranium-Bearing Dust. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2024; 132:57006. [PMID: 38771937 PMCID: PMC11108582 DOI: 10.1289/ehp13855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Uranium exposure remains an important environmental legacy and physiological health concern, with hundreds of abandoned uranium mines located in the Southwestern United States largely impacting underserved indigenous communities. The negative effects of heavy metals on barrier permeability and inhibition of intestinal epithelial healing have been described; however, transcriptomic changes within the intestinal epithelial cells and impacts on lineage differentiation are largely unknown. OBJECTIVES Herein, we sought to determine the molecular and cellular changes that occur in the colon in response to uranium bearing dust (UBD) exposure. METHODS Human colonoids from three biologically distinct donors were acutely exposed to UBD then digested for single cell RNA sequencing to define the molecular changes that occur to specific identities of colonic epithelial cells. Validation in colonoids was assessed using morphological and imaging techniques. RESULTS Human colonoids acutely exposed to UBD exhibited disrupted proliferation and hyperplastic differentiation of the secretory lineage cell, enteroendocrine cells (EEC). Single-cell RNA sequencing also showed more EEC subtypes present in UBD-exposed colonoids. DISCUSSION These findings highlight the significance of crypt-based proliferative cells and secretory cell differentiation using human colonoids to model major colonic responses to uranium-bearing particulate dust exposure. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13855.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Atanga
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Lidia L. Appell
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Myranda N. Thompson
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Fredine T. Lauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Adrian Brearley
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Matthew J. Campen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Eliseo F. Castillo
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
| | - Julie G. In
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
- Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Uranium oxides structural transformation in human body liquids. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4088. [PMID: 36906622 PMCID: PMC10008576 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31059-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Uranium oxide microparticles ingestion is one of the potential sources of internal radiation doses to the humans at accidental or undesirable releases of radioactive materials. It is important to predict the obtained dose and possible biological effect of these microparticles by studying uranium oxides transformations in case of their ingestion or inhalation. Using a combination of methods, a complex examination of structural changes of uranium oxides in the range from UO2 to U4O9, U3O8 and UO3 as well as before and after exposure of uranium oxides in simulated biological fluids: gastro-intestinal and lung-was carried out. Oxides were thoroughly characterized by Raman and XAFS spectroscopy. It was determined that the duration of expose has more influence on all oxides transformations. The greatest changes occurred in U4O9, that transformed into U4O9-y. UO2.05 and U3O8 structures became more ordered and UO3 did not undergo significant transformation.
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Milder CM, Howard SC, Ellis ED, Deppen SA. Deep Breaths: A Systematic Review of the Potential Effects of Employment in the Nuclear Industry on Mortality from Non-Malignant Respiratory Disease. Radiat Res 2022; 198:396-429. [PMID: 35943867 PMCID: PMC9704034 DOI: 10.1667/rade-21-00014.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Ionizing radiation is an established carcinogen, but its effects on non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD) are less clear. Cohorts exposed to multiple risk factors including radiation and toxic dusts conflate these relationships, and there is a need for clarity in previous findings. This systematic review was conducted to survey the body of existing evidence for radiation effects on NMRD in global nuclear worker cohorts. A PubMed search was conducted for studies with terms relating to radiation or uranium and noncancer respiratory outcomes. Papers were limited to the most recent report within a single cohort published between January 2000 and December 2020. Publication quality was assessed based upon UNSCEAR 2017 criteria. In total, 31 papers were reviewed. Studies included 29 retrospective cohorts, one prospective cohort, and one longitudinal cohort primarily comprising White men from the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. Ten studies contained subpopulations of uranium miners or millers. Papers reported standardized mortality ratio (SMR) analyses, regression analyses, or both. Neither SMR nor regression analyses consistently showed a relationship between radiation exposure and NMRD. A meta-analysis of excess relative risks (ERRs) for NMRD did not present evidence for a dose-response (overall ERR/Sv: 0.07; 95% CI: -0.07, 0.21), and results for more specific outcomes were inconsistent. Significantly elevated SMRs for NMRD overall were observed in two studies among the subpopulation of uranium miners and millers (combined n = 4229; SMR 1.42-1.43), indicating this association may be limited to mining and milling populations and may not extend to other nuclear workers. A quality review showed limited capacity of 17 out of 31 studies conducted to provide evidence for a causal relationship between radiation and NMRD; the higher-quality studies showed no consistent relationship. All elevated NMRD SMRs were among mining and milling cohorts, indicating different exposure profiles between mining and non-mining cohorts; future pooled cohorts should adjust for mining exposures or address mining cohorts separately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cato M. Milder
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Sara C. Howard
- Health Studies Program, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Elizabeth D. Ellis
- Health Studies Program, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
| | - Stephen A. Deppen
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Zhang L, Chu J, Xia B, Xiong Z, Zhang S, Tang W. Health Effects of Particulate Uranium Exposure. TOXICS 2022; 10:575. [PMID: 36287855 PMCID: PMC9610560 DOI: 10.3390/toxics10100575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Uranium contamination has become a nonnegligible global health problem. Inhalation of particulate uranium is one of the predominant routes of occupational and environmental exposure. Uranium particle is a complex two-phase flow of matter that is both particulate and flowable. This particular physicochemical property may alter its biological activity. Epidemiological studies from occupationally exposed populations in the uranium industry have concluded that there is a possible association between lung cancer risk and uranium exposure, while the evidence for the risk of other tumors is not sufficient. The toxicological effects of particulate uranium exposure to animals have been shown in laboratory tests to focus on respiratory and central nervous system damage. Fibrosis and tumors can occur in the lung tissue of the respiratory tract. Uranium particles can also induce a concentration-dependent increase in cytotoxicity, targeting mitochondria. The understanding of the health risks and potential toxicological mechanisms of particulate uranium contamination is still at a preliminary stage. The diversity of particle parameters has limited the in-depth exploration. This review summarizes the current evidence on the toxicology of particulate uranium and highlights the knowledge gaps and research prospects.
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Meldrum K, Evans SJ, Vogel U, Tran L, Doak SH, Clift MJD. The influence of exposure approaches to in vitro lung epithelial barrier models to assess engineered nanomaterial hazard. Nanotoxicology 2022; 16:114-134. [PMID: 35343373 DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2022.2051627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to engineered nanomaterials (ENM) poses a potential health risk to humans through long-term, repetitive low-dose exposures. Currently, this is not commonplace within in vitro lung cell cultures. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to consider the optimal exposure approach toward determining the stability, sensitivity and validity of using in vitro lung cell mono- and co-cultures to determine ENM hazard. A range of exposure scenarios were conducted with DQ12 (previously established as a positive particle control) (historic and re-activated), TiO2 (JRC NM-105) and BaSO4 (JRC NM-220) on both monocultures of A549 cells as well as co-cultures of A549 cells and differentiated THP-1 cells. Cell cultures were exposed to either a single, or a repeated exposure over 24, 48- or 72-hours at in vivo extrapolated concentrations of 0-5.2 µg/cm2, 0-6 µg/cm2 and 0-1µg/cm2. The focus of this study was the pro-inflammatory, cytotoxic and genotoxic response elicited by these ENMs. Exposure to DQ12 caused pro-inflammatory responses after 48 hours repeat exposures, as well as increases in micronucleus frequency. Neither TiO2 nor BaSO4 elicited a pro-inflammatory response at this time point. However, there was induction of IL-6 after 24 hours TiO2 exposure. In conclusion, it is important to consider the appropriateness of the positive control implemented, the cell culture model, the time of exposure as well as the type of exposure (bolus or fractionated) before establishing if an in vitro model is appropriate to determine the level of response to the specific ENM of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Meldrum
- In Vitro Toxicology Group, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | | | - Ulla Vogel
- The National Research Centre for the Working Environment, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lang Tran
- Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM), Edinburgh, UK
| | - Shareen H Doak
- In Vitro Toxicology Group, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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Di T, Tan D, Yu Q, Lin J, Zhu T, Li T, Li L. Ultra-High Performance of Hyper-Crosslinked Phosphate-Based Polymer for Uranium and Rare Earth Element Adsorption in Aqueous Solution. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:13860-13871. [PMID: 31584280 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b02459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this work, a new type of hyper-crosslinked phosphate-based polymer (HCPP) polymerized by bis(2-methacryloxyethyl)phosphate has been developed for uranium and rare earth element (REE) extraction in an aqueous solution. The influence of the pH value, contact time, initial concentration, temperature, and competing ions on uranium adsorption of HCPP is investigated in detail. HCPP exhibits a maximum uranium adsorption capacity of up to 800 mg g-1 at pH = 6.0 and excellent selectivity toward uranium adsorption over coexisting ions, because of the high affinity between HCPP and uranium ions and dense phosphate groups on the backbone. It also demonstrates high adsorption performance in both simulated seawater with a high salt concentration and a real nuclear industrial effluent. Besides, the crosslinked network structure of HCPP endows this polymer with high chemical stability and reusability. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism is probed by energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared measurements. It is confirmed that the adsorption of uranium on the adsorbent originates from the interaction between phosphate groups and uranium ions. Meanwhile, HCPP also displays high REE adsorption capacities. This work indicates that the phosphate-based HCPP could be utilized as a promising adsorbent for the effective removal of uranium and REEs from aqueous solution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuo Di
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
| | - Donggui Tan
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
| | - Qi Yu
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
| | - Jiawei Lin
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
| | - Tingting Zhu
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
| | - Tiesheng Li
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering , Zhengzhou University , Zhengzhou 450001 , P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- College of Materials and Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Materials Genome , Xiamen University , Xiamen 361005 , P. R. China
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Zou X, Hou S, Liu K, Yu J, Zhang W, Pang H, Hua R, Mayewski P. Uranium record from a 3 m snow pit at Dome Argus, East Antarctica. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0206598. [PMID: 30379958 PMCID: PMC6209333 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0206598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the distribution and transport of Uranium is important because it can lead to both chemical and radiological toxicity. This study presents the Uranium concentrations time series from 1964 to 2009 obtained from a 3 m deep snow pit at Dome Argus, East Antarctic Plateau. The data shows that Uranium concentrations vary from 0.0067 pg g-1 to 0.12 pg g-1, with a mean concentration of 0.044 pg g-1. Its mean concentration is 2-3 folds lower than at West Antarctica study sites, such as the Antarctic Peninsula (mean 0.12 pg g-1), IC-6 (Ice Core-6) (mean 0.11 pg g-1) and a suite of ice cores from the US ITASE traverse. Before the mid-1980s, the varieties of Uranium concentrations are relatively stable, with a very low mean concentration of 0.016 pg g-1and its main source is sea salt deposition, while a small number of anthropogenic sources are likely to be caused by Uranium mining operations in South Africa. A remarkable increase of Uranium concentrations has occurred since the mid-1980s (by a factor of ~ 9) compared with the amount before the mid-1980s. This increase coincides with the Uranium records at IC-6 and Antarctic Peninsula (DP-07-01) during the same period, and are mostly attributed to Uranium mining operations in Australia as a potential primary anthropogenic Uranium source. Our observations suggest that Uranium pollution in the atmosphere might have already become a global phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Zou
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shugui Hou
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ke Liu
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jinhai Yu
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wangbin Zhang
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongxi Pang
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rong Hua
- School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Paul Mayewski
- Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
- School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, United States of America
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Periyakaruppan A, Sarkar S, Ravichandran P, Sadanandan B, Sharma CS, Ramesh V, Hall JC, Thomas R, Wilson BL, Ramesh GT. Uranium induces apoptosis in lung epithelial cells. Arch Toxicol 2008; 83:595-600. [PMID: 19096828 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-008-0396-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2008] [Accepted: 11/25/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Uranium is a naturally occurring radioactive material present everywhere in the environment. It is toxic because of its chemical or radioactive properties. Uranium enters environment mainly from mines and industry and cause threat to human health by accumulating in lungs as a result of inhalation. In our previous study, we have shown the effectiveness of antioxidant system response to the oxidative stress induced by uranyl acetate (UA) in rat lung epithelial (LE) cells. As part of our continuing studies; here, we investigated the mechanism underlying when LE cells are exposed to different concentration of UA. Oxidative stress may lead to apoptotic signaling pathways. LE cells treated with 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mM of UA results in dose and time-dependent increase in activity of both caspases-3 and -8. Increase in the concentration of cytochrome-c oxidase in cytosol was seen in LE cells treated with 1 mM UA as a result of mitochondria membrane permeability. The cytochrome-c leakage may trigger the apoptotic pathway. TUNEL assay performed in LE cells treated with 1 mM of UA showed significant incorporation of dNTPs in the nucleus after 24 h. In the presence of the caspase inhibitors, we observed the significant decrease in the activity of caspases-8 and -3 in 0.5 and 1 mM UA-treated LE cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adaikkappan Periyakaruppan
- Environmental Toxicology Program, Department of Chemistry, Texas Southern University, Houston, TX 77004, USA
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Li H, Haberzettl P, Albrecht C, Höhr D, Knaapen AM, Borm PJA, Schins RPF. Inhibition of the mitochondrial respiratory chain function abrogates quartz induced DNA damage in lung epithelial cells. Mutat Res 2006; 617:46-57. [PMID: 17239409 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2006.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2006] [Revised: 11/07/2006] [Accepted: 12/15/2006] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Respirable quartz dust has been classified as a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The aim of our study was to investigate the mechanisms of DNA damage by DQ12 quartz in RLE-6TN rat lung epithelial type II cells (RLE). Transmission electron microscopy and flow-cytometry analysis showed a rapid particle uptake (30 min to 4 h) of quartz by the RLE cells, but particles were not found within the cell nuclei. This suggests that DNA strand breakage and induction of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine - as also observed in these cells during these treatment intervals - did not result from direct physical interactions between particles and DNA, or from short-lived particle surface-derived reactive oxygen species. DNA damage by quartz was significantly reduced in the presence of the mitochondrial inhibitors rotenone and antimycin-A. In the absence of quartz, these inhibitors did not affect DNA damage, but they reduced cellular oxygen consumption. No signs of apoptosis were observed by quartz. Flow-cytometry analysis indicated that the reduced DNA damage by rotenone was not due to a possible mitochondria-mediated reduction of particle uptake by the RLE cells. Further proof of concept for the role of mitochondria was shown by the failure of quartz to elicit DNA damage in mitochondria-depleted 143B (rho-0) osteosarcoma cells, at concentrations where it elicited DNA damage in the parental 143B cell line. In conclusion, our data show that respirable quartz particles can elicit oxidative DNA damage in vitro without entering the nuclei of type II cells, which are considered to be important target cells in quartz carcinogenesis. Furthermore, our observations indicate that such indirect DNA damage involves the mitochondrial electron transport chain function, by an as-yet-to-be elucidated mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- Institut für umweltmedizinische Forschung (IUF) at Heinrich-Heine-University, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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Barbante C, Van De Velde K, Cozzi G, Capodaglio G, Cescon P, Planchon F, Hong S, Ferrari C, Boutron C. Post-World War II uranium changes in dated Mont Blanc ice and snow. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2001; 35:4026-4030. [PMID: 11686362 DOI: 10.1021/es0109186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Recent controversies concerning the possibility of environmental contamination due to the use of uranium in classical weaponry have led us to realize that there is a lack of time series for this metal from environmental archives. We have therefore performed analysis of a dated 140 m-long ice/snow core that was drilled in 1994 at a cold high altitude site (4250 m) near the summit of Mont Blanc in the French-Italian Alps. Ultraclean analytical procedures were employed in our analyses. Uranium concentrations were determined by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry. In ice dating from before the 1940s, uranium concentrations are found to have remained fairly constant and can be explained simply by a crustal contribution. For the post-World War II layers, on the other hand, the data show large excesses above crustal contributions. These uranium excesses are attributed to tropospheric transport of dust emitted during extensive mining and milling operations which took place in the GDR and to a smaller extent in France at that time. There is no enhancement in uranium concentrations in the ice layer in which fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl accident was previously identified from a gross beta activity vs depth profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Barbante
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Venice, Italy
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