Background levels of238U and226Ra in atmospheric aerosols

The²³⁸U and²²⁶Ra contents of small-volume aerosols are determined by a chemical analysis technique. Mean activity concentrations of²³⁸U and²²⁶Ra in aerosols over approximately ten years are 0.29·10^–5 and 0.93·10^–5 Bq/m³, respectively. The yearly variation of²³⁸U and²²⁶Ra in aerosols is small. The concentrations of²²⁶Ra are always larger than those of²³⁸U in the same sampling time. The correlation of²³⁸U and²²⁶Ra cannot be recogonized (r=0.18). The concentrations of summer samples are greater than those of winter samples for²³⁸U. One of the causes of seasonal difference may be due to the fact that the components of aerosols are different according to soil size, soil components, weathering states, etc.     

Measurement of uranium in total diet samples: Daily intake for Japanese

Diet samples were collected by a duplicate portion study of Japanese adults in two districts, a newly-rising town and an established seaside village, of Ishikawa Prefecture, which faces the Sea of Japan. Uranium concentrations in a total of 80 diet samples were determined by -spectrometry after chemical separation. No marked differences between the two districts were found regarding characteristics of food consumption in thirteen categories and in daily intake of²³⁸U per person. The daily intake of²³⁸U per person ranged from 1.1 to 40 mBq with a geometric mean value of 9.6±2.1 mBq. The²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios ranged from 0.7–1.5, with most being from 1.0–1.2. The internal dose estimation system (IDES) was completed with Japanese physical parameters and other parameters of ICRP Publication 30, and then the annaul effective dose equivalent was estimated as 3·10^–7 Sv for²³⁸U in a Japanese adult.     

Estimation of daily uranium ingestion by urban residents in Japan

125 types of food were collected mainly from Yokohama City which is one of the typical urban cities in Japan. The samples, were divided into the 18 food categories in the report of the National Nutrition Survey (NNS),¹ were analysed for uranium by -spectrometry after chemical separation. Concentrations of²³⁸U in individual types of food ranged from 9.85·10^–5 Bq·kg^–1 in grain vinegar to 5.90 Bq·kg^–1 in boiled and dried hijiki. The median value of²³⁸U was found to be 4.83·10^–3 Bq·kg^–1 on a raw weight basis. The daily intake of²³⁸U per person by ingestion was estimated to be approximately 14 mBq with more than 50% of it coming from marine products.     

Activity concentrations of238U and226Ra in agricultural samples

Distributions of²³⁸U and²²⁶Ra in agricultural samples and cultivated soils have been studied over ten years. The crops are rice, spinach and Chinese cabbage. Two investigated areas have been selected (35° 18 N, 113° 35 E). The agricultural samples and soils were collected annually from May 1982 through October 1991. The activity concentrations of²²⁶Ra in agricultural samples are greater than those of²³⁸U. The transfer factors of²³⁸U,²²⁶Ra are from 0.06·10^–3 to 1.2·10^–3. The²²⁶Ra/²³⁸U ratios for three agricultural samples have their characteristic values.     

Depth distribution of239,240Pu and137Cs in soils of South Korea

Depth distribution of^239,240Pu and¹³⁷Cs in the soils of South Korea have been studied. The average accumulated depositions were estimated roughly to be 54.8±32.1 Bq·m^–2 for^239,240Pu, 1.6±1.0 Bq· ·m^–2 for²³⁸Pu and 1982.8±929.1 Bq·m^–2 for¹³⁷Cs. The activity ratios of^239,240Pu/¹³⁷Cs in soils were found to be in the narrow range of 0.0153 to 0.0364 with a mean value of 0.0230±0.006. The concentrations of^239,240Pu and¹³⁷Cs in soils decrease exponentially with increasing the soil depth. A significant correlation was found between the concentration of^239,240Pu and that of¹³⁷Cs. The activity ratios of^239,240Pu/¹³⁷Cs tend to increase slightly with increasing soil depth.     

The determination of natural uranium in human tissues by recovery corrected kinetic phosphorescence analysis

Two typical methods used for the determination of uranium in human autopsy tissues are kinetic phosphorescence analysis (KPA) and alpha-spectrometry, both of which have significant limitations and advantages. KPA is limited because of the amount of sample used (1–10 ml for sample digestion followed by one ml KPA aliquots), no isotopic information is provided, phosphorescence degradation by salts in solution, and even more importantly, it does not provide chemical recovery information. For samples with sub ng uranium concentrations per g of inorganic material, preconcentration is necessary, which may require chemical recovery (other than simple evaporation). While alpha-spectrometry has very good radiometric detection limits for ²³⁸U, the very long half-life of ²³⁸U (4.468·10⁹ y) restricts its mass detection limit (27 ng). KPA, on the other hand, has a detection limit three orders of magnitude lower (0.02 ng) for natural uranium. A recovery corrected method for the determination of natural uranium in human tissues was developed combining preconcentration of human tissues dissolved in 6M HCl by anion exchange with alpha-spectrometry and kinetic phosphorescence analysis, utilizing ²³²U as a tracer. Solution aliquots containing up to 6 g of bone ash were pre-concentrated for KPA measurement thereby allowing the use of up to 25% of the original sample solution weight for analysis by KPA. The radiochemical yield of ²³²U was determined by alpha-spectrometry and the uranium content was determined by KPA. The mean radiochemical yields obtained for human tissue samples range from 65% to 106% with a mean of 85%±8%.     

137Cs in Biota and Sediment Samples from Turkish Coast of the Black Sea, 1997–1998

During the periods of 1997–1998, macroalgae, sea snail, mussel, fish and sediment samples were collected from different stations at Turkish Black Sea coast in order to determine activity levels of ¹³⁷Cs radionuclide. ¹³⁷Cs activity in the tested algae species and in soft parts of mussel and sea snail, were found to be below the lower limit of detection. On the other hand, the ¹³⁷Cs concentration in muscle tissue of the sea snail samples were found from 6±2 to 19±7 Bq·kg^–1 dry weight. The range of the ¹³⁷Cs concentration in anchovy fish muscles were found between 4±2 – 10±5 Bq·kg^–1 dry weight. The ¹³⁷Cs concentration in the whiting fish muscle was found below the lower limit of detection. However, this activity found in shad fish muscle to be 25±10 Bq·kg^–1 dry weight. The concentrationsof the ¹³⁷Cs activity in the sediment samples proved that the eastern region of the Black Sea was affected by Chernobyl at a very high degree compared with the western part. The measured ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K concentrations in sediment samples are within the range of the cited values in the previous works at the Turkish Black Sea coast.     

Plutonium-244 dating I. Initial ratio of plutonium to uranium in the allende meteorite

Re-examination of all known xenon isotope data for the carbonaceous chondrite Allende reveals that this meteorite contains as much as (22±1)·10^{–1 2} csSTP per gram of fissogenic¹³⁶Xe (^136fXe) from the extinct nuclide²⁴⁴Pu and it appears to have started to retain its xenon more than 4800 million years ago, when the²⁴⁴Pu to²³⁸U ratio in the solar system was 0.113±0.006 (atom/atom).     

Plutonium and cesium isotopes in river waters in Japan

Concentrations of cesium isotopes and plutonium in river water samples in Japan, collected during the period from June 1985 to February 1987, have been measured. The total¹³⁷Cs concentrations in the Japanese river waters ranged from 0.063 to 1.89 mBq·l^–1. The portion of particulate¹³⁷Cs to total was observed to be less than 10 to 35%. The total^239,240Pu concentrations ranged from 0.56 to 1.93 Bq·l^–1. Particulate^239,240Pu occupied 13 to 95% of the total. After the Chernobyl fallout, elevated¹³⁷Cs concentrations were observed in the Japanese river waters as well as the detection of¹³⁴Cs, whereas there was no effect on the river plutonium from the Chernobyl fallout. The partition coefficients of¹³⁷Cs and plutonium between suspended particulate and dissolved phases in the Japanese rivers were determined: from 1.0·10⁴ to 3.2·10⁵ and from 4.1·10⁴ to 2.3·10⁶ for¹³⁷Cs and plutonium, respectively. The result suggests that these radionuclides, especially plutonium, are tightly associated with soil particles and/or suspended matter.     

Alpha-emitting radionuclide contents in food samples as related to the Chernobyl accident

As a preliminary survey to establish intake of -emitting nuclides, in particular^239,240Pu, from a daily diet for inhabitants living near the Chernobyl reactor site, some kinds of food samples including total diet samples were collected in the Chernobyl (Ukraine) area and in the Ibaraki prefecture (Japan). Plutonium-239 and 240 were determined together with naturally occurring -emitters²²⁶Ra and U isotopes (²³⁴U,²³⁵U and²³⁸U) by -spectrometry after chemical separation. In most of the samples studied,^239,240Pu was less than the detectable amount, but in some mushrooms from the Ukraine it was found to be 41.6 mBq kg^–1 (wet mass) with a high activity ratio(0.58±0.08) of²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu, indicating that nearly 100% of the^239,240Pu was attributable to the accident. Concentrations of²²⁶Ra and²³⁸U varied largely, depending on the samples. The measured activity ratios of²³⁵U/²³⁸U for some samples showed the isotopic composition of natural uranium.     

Determination of226Ra and uranium in fish samples from waters of the Grand Canyon by alpha spectroscopy without electrodeposition

A previous paper reported the application of a method for determining²²⁶Ra by -spectroscopy. This paper presents important improvements which permit the determination of²²⁶Ra in the presence of large amounts of Ca. The method was applied to the analysis of²²⁶Ra and U isotopes in fish samples from the waters of the Grand Canyon.²²⁶Ra ranged from 0.05 Bq kg^–1 /1.4 pCi kg^–1/ to 0.17 Bq k^–1 /4.7 pCi kg^–1/.²³⁸U values ranged from 0.13 Bq kg^–1 /3.5 pCi kg^–1/ to 0.52 Bq kg^–1 /14 pCi kg^–1/ and²³⁴U values were between 0.23 Bq kg^–1 /6.2 pCi kg^–1/ and 12 Bq kg^–1/ /326. pCi kg^–1/.     

Plutonium, 137Cs and U in some pond and lake sediments from areas surrounding the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site: With emphasis on anomalously high U accumulation

Sediment core samples were collected up to a depth of 25–40 cm from three ponds (P. Korosteli, P. Mihairov and P. Alkat) and two lakes (L. Kanoneruka and L. Semanaika) located in widely separated regions outside the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) in Kazakhstan. The ¹³⁷Cs, Pu and U concentrations with depth were determined in samples divided at 1 cm intervals from the top of each core. These sediment cores were dated by the excess ²¹⁰Pb method. The reservoirs with low sedimentation rates of 0.038–0.41 g·cm^–2·y^–1 permitted, but not in detail, the estimation of the depositional history of close-in fallout of ¹³⁷Cs and Pu within these regions. The sediments accumulating an anomalously high ²³⁸U concentration of 250–400 Bq/kg were also found for two of the five reservoirs, in which their ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁵U/²³⁸U activity ratios were 1.3–2.0 and around 0.047 (nearly the same as that of natural U), respectively. Such U enrichment at the subsurface with a thin layer of lower-U sediment at the surface is mainly due to infiltration of lake water containing U from the ground water flowing into the lake or pond, followed by reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) at the redox boundary.The authors would like to express their gratitude to research staff of the Kazakh Scientific Research Institute for Radiation Medicine and Ecology for sediment and soil sampling. This work was supported by a Grant in Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education and Culture of Japan, Monbusuo International Scientific Research Program during the period of 1995–2003, represented by Profs. M. Hoshi and M. Yamamoto.     

Plutonium, 137Cs and U in some pond and lake sediments from areas surrounding the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site: With emphasis on anomalously high U accumulation

Sediment core samples were collected up to a depth of 25–40 cm from three ponds (P. Korosteli, P. Mihairov and P. Alkat) and two lakes (L. Kanoneruka and L. Semanaika) located in widely separated regions outside the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site (SNTS) in Kazakhstan. The ¹³⁷Cs, Pu and U concentrations with depth were determined in samples divided at 1 cm intervals from the top of each core. These sediment cores were dated by the excess ²¹⁰Pb method. The reservoirs with low sedimentation rates of 0.038–0.41 g·cm^–2·y^–1 permitted, but not in detail, the estimation of the depositional history of close-in fallout of ¹³⁷Cs and Pu within these regions. The sediments accumulating an anomalously high ²³⁸U concentration of 250–400 Bq/kg were also found for two of the five reservoirs, in which their ²³⁴U/²³⁸U and ²³⁵U/²³⁸U activity ratios were 1.3–2.0 and around 0.047 (nearly the same as that of natural U), respectively. Such U enrichment at the subsurface with a thin layer of lower-U sediment at the surface is mainly due to infiltration of lake water containing U from the ground water flowing into the lake or pond, followed by reduction of U(VI) to U(IV) at the redox boundary.The authors would like to express their gratitude to research staff of the Kazakh Scientific Research Institute for Radiation Medicine and Ecology for sediment and soil sampling. This work was supported by a Grant in Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education and Culture of Japan, Monbusuo International Scientific Research Program during the period of 1995–2003, represented by Profs. M. Hoshi and M. Yamamoto.     

Radioactive Contamination of Lichens and Mosses Collected in South Shetlands and Antarctic Peninsula

Samples belonging to two species of lichen and one of moss collected on the Antarctic seashore (King George Island, Deception, Antarctic Peninsula) were analysed for gamma-emitters using HPGe gamma-spectrometry, and for alpha-emitters using alpha-spectrometry with silicon detectors. Observed ¹³⁷Cs activities show large variations: from 4.1±0.4 to 74±3 Bq/kg. Total activity of ²¹⁰Pb changed from <2 to 125±35 Bq/kg. The ^2391240Pu activity ranged from 0.07±0.02 to 2.95±0.16 Bq/kg. The activity of ²³⁸Pu ranged from <0.02 to 0.64±0.04 Bq/kg. Maximum ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U activity was 7 Bq/kg, respectively, and 0.3 Bq/kg for ²³⁵U, whereas minimum activities were below 0.5 Bq/kg for ²³⁴U and ²³⁸U and about 0.02 Bq/kg for ²³⁵U. The ²³⁵U to ²³⁸U activity ratio for most of the samples was natural. Thorium activities were about two times lower than those for uranium. The activities of ¹⁴⁷Sm ranged from 0.014±0.002 to 1.0±0.2 Bq/kg. One sample had relatively high activity of ²⁴¹Am: 3.38±0.11 Bq/kg, another did not exceeded 1 Bq/kg. Observed activity ratios confirmed differences between mosses and lichen accumulation properties for radionuclides. Lichens are more selective for plutonium accumulation. Some radiocesium and probably also americium can be leached from them.     

Zur inversvoltammetrischen Bestimmung von Eisen(III)-dimethyldithiocarbamat (Ferbam)

The influence of important conditions for the determination of Ferbam by the anodic stripping technique has been studied: composition of base electrolyte, dependence on concentration, size of mercury drop, pre-electrolysis time and potential, speed of potential shift, temperature, and effect of stirring. The results are compared with those of determinations by classical polarography, and the electrode process is discussed. The smallest concentration of Ferbam for determination is 2.5 ng per ml (about 6×10^–9 M) and for qualitative detection 0.5 ng per ml (about 1×10^–9 M). The relative standard deviation of the method is about ±15%.In der Arbeit wird der Einfluß der bei der voltammetrischen Bestimmung von Ferbam [Eisen(III)-dimethyl-dithiocarbamat] bedeutsamen Versuchsparameter untersucht: Leitelektrolytzusammensetzung, Konzentrationsabhängigkeit, Größe des Quecksilbertropfens, Wartezeit und -potential, Potentialänderungsgeschwindigkeit, Temperatur und Rührwirkung. Die dabei erhaltenen Resultate werden mit den bei der klassisch-polaro-graphischen Bestimmung gemachten Beobachtungen verglichen und der Elektrodenvorgang diskutiert. Bei der Ferbambestimmung beträgt die Grenzkonzentration 2,5 ng/ml (etwa 6·10^–9M) und für die qualitative Erkennung 0,5 ng/ml (etwa 1·10^–9M). Der relative mittlere Fehler beträgt etwa ± 15%.     

Determination of nisoldipine in film tablets by differential pulse polarography

Summary A differential pulse polarographic (DPP) method was developed for the determination of nisoldipine in Baymycard^® film tablets without interference from excipients. Nisoldipine is reduced at the dropping mercury electrode in a single, irreversible peak. Linearity between the nisoldipine concentration and the peak height was observed in the 5·10^–4–10^–7 M concentration range. The detection limit is 22 ng/ml. The analysis of a series of 10 Baymycard^® 5 mg film tablets showed a standard deviation of ±0.115 mg and aS _rel of ±2.30%, respectively.

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Gehaltsbestimmung von Nisoldipin in Filmtabletten mittels differentieller Pulspolarographie

Zusammenfassung Eine Bestimmung von Nisoldipin in Baymycard^® Filmtabletten mittels differentieller Pulspolarographie (DPP) wurde entwickelt, die keine Störungen durch Tablettenhilfsstoffe aufweist. Nisoldipin wird an der tropfenden Quecksilberelektrode in einem einzigen, irreversiblen Peak reduziert. Linearität zwischen Nisoldipinkonzentration und Peakhöhe wurde im Konzentrationsbereich von 5·10^–4–10^–7 M festgestellt. Die Bestimmungsgrenze beträgt 22 ng/ml. Die Analyse einer Serie von 10 Baymycard^® 5 mg Filmtabletten ergab eine Standardabweichung von ±0.115 mg, dies entspricht einerS _rel von ±2.30%.

     

Determination of uranium and thorium isotopes in mineral spring waters

Concentrations levels of uranium and thorium isotopes have been analyzed in the m mineral spring waters of a high background region of Brazil: Poços de Caldas and Águas da Prata. The procedure was based on the determination of²³⁸U,²³⁴U,²³²Th,²³⁰Th and²²⁸Th by -spectrometry after separation and purification of the isotopes of interest by using anion-exchange chromatography and preparation of the samples for -measurements by electrodeposition. The concentration varied from <1.1 to 28.4 mBq.l^–1 and from <1.6 to 141 mBq.l^–1 for²³⁸U and²³⁴U, respectively. Thorium isotope measurements varied from <0.2 to 1.8 mBq.l^–1 from <0.3 to 4.9 mBq.l^–1 and from <0.8 to 19.9 mBq.l^–1 for²³²Th,²³⁰Th and²²⁸Th, respectively. Calculations of thorium and uranium isotopic activity ratios were carried out giving values ranging from 1.9 to 7.2, from 1.2 to 3.0 and from 7.7 to 15.3 for²³⁴U/²³⁸U,²³⁰Th/²³²Th and²²⁸Th/²³²Th, respectively. The effective doses due to the intake of²³⁸U and²³⁴U present in these waters are expected to reach values up to 1.4×10^–3 mSv y^–1 and 8.0×10^–3 mSv y^–1, respectively.     

Spectrophotometric and first-derivative spectrophotometric determination of cadmium witho-hydroxybenzenediazoaminoazobenzene (HDAA)

The synthesis ofo-hydroxybenzenediazoaminoazobenzene (HDAA) is described. Cadmium forms with HDAA in the presence of Triton X-100 a 13 complex, which gives a maximum absorption at 520nm with an apparent molar absorptivity of 1.97 × 10⁵1 · mol^–1 · cm^–1 in pH 10 borax buffer solution and 1.52 × 10⁵1 · mol^–1 · cm^–1 in ammoniacal medium. In both media, Beer's law is followed in the range of 0 –10 g of cadmium in 25ml of solution and the coefficients of variation do not exceed 1.5%. A derivative method has been employed to determine cadmium in certain waste water samples without separation.     

Development of new centrifuges for fast solvent extraction of transactinide elements

Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to concurrently determine multiple long-lived (t_1/2>10⁴ y) actinide isotopes in soil leachates. Ultrasonic nebulization was found to maximize instrument sensitivity. Instrument detection limits for actinides in solution ranged from 50 mBq L^–1 (²³⁹Pu) to 2Bq L^–1 (²³⁵U). Hydride adducts of²³²Th and²³⁸U interfered with the determinations of²³³U and²³⁹Pu; thus, extraction chromatography was used to concentrate the analytes and separate uranium from the other actinides in advance of mass spectrometric determination. Alpha spectrometric determinations of²³⁰Th,²³⁹Pu, and the²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratio in soil leachates compared well with ICP-MS determinations; however, there were some small systematic differences (ca. 10%) between ICP-MS and -spectrometric determinations of²³⁴U and²³⁸U activities. These differences were attributed to the use of different isotope dilution spikes for ICP-MS and -spectrometry.     

Radiochronology of sediments from the Mediterranean Sea using natural210Pb and fallout137Cs

The²¹⁰Pb and¹³⁷Cs profiles of sediment cores from two locations in southern Spain, three locations in southern Turkey and two locations in northern Cyprus were determined by direct -ray spectroscopy. Sedimentation rates were derived for all locations using the²¹⁰Pb data. The rates range from 1.39±0.12 cm · y^–1 (0.50±0.04 g · cm^–2 · y^–1) to 0.08±0.01 cm · y^–1 (0.039±0.003 g · cm^–2 · y^–1). Except for one core, the¹³⁷Cs profiles were also used to compute sedimentation rates. The results are in good agreement with those of²¹⁰Pb values. The results of the Constant Initial Concenration and Constant Rate of Supply dating models are in good agreement with each other. The flux of unsupported²¹⁰Pb varies between 0.11±0.03 to 0.74±0.01 pCi · cm^–2. The average depositional flux was found to be considerably lower for cores from the Eastern Mediterranean.