A new method for determination of222Rn and220Rn in geothermal steam

The radionuclides²²²Rn and²²⁰Rn are measured by incorporating their daughters²¹⁴Pb and²¹²Pb in a very thin layer of PbS and accumulating the alpha spectrum of their daughter products²¹⁴Po and²¹²Po. The median yield was measured as 88% using a known amount of²¹⁰Pb tracer. A single fumarole and all 23 geothermal wells tested were found to contain²²⁰Rn. As isotopes of Th, Bi, Po and Ra, are also absorbed in the PbS layer, the method can be used for determinations of these in tap-water.     

Comparative temporal behavior of radon- and thoron-progeny in surface air over the midwestern U.S.

Temporal variations in airborne²¹⁰Pb,²¹²Pb,²¹⁴Pb,²¹⁸Po, and²¹⁴Bi concentrations at Springfield, Missouri, USA, are compared with each other and with results reported from studies performed in other parts of the world. At Springfield diurnal concentration patterns of²¹⁰Pb are similar to those of²¹²Pb, but seasonal concentration patterns differ markedly. Additionally, abnormal disequilibrium conditions are sometimes found to exist in Springfield among²¹⁸Po,²¹⁴Pb, and²¹⁴Bi in which progeny/parent ratios are greater than 1. Findings similar to those presented here have been reported at some sites throughout the world, but different temporal patterns have been reported at others. Examination of concentration dependence on meteorological conditions at Springfield indicates that some of these differences are correlated with temperature and ground snow cover. Implications of these findings for use of thoron- and radon-progeny as atmospheric tracers are discussed.     

Measurement of lead-210, bismuth-210, and polonium-210 in environmental samples

Mathematical equations governing the ratio of²¹⁰Bi/²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Pb activities are used to explain the ingrowth of²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po in environmental samples during post collection. Procedures are described for radiochemical separation of²¹⁰Pb,²¹⁰Bi, and²¹⁰Po in a state of radioactive disequilibrium and quantification by alpha- and beta-counting. Also, the special case is considered where²¹⁰Bi is in equilibrium with²¹⁰Pb, but both are in disequilibrium with²¹⁰Po. In this case, the activities of both²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po are computed by measuring²¹⁰Po activity twice, using alpha-counting.     

Presence and forms of210Pb,210Bi and210Po in ground level aerosols

A scheme of fractionation of²¹⁰Pb,²¹⁰Bi,²¹⁰Po forms present in air aerosols based on the combination of methods of radiochemical analysis and radiometric deteemination with leaching by different agents has been developed. The ratio between the²¹⁰Pb,²¹⁰Bi,²¹⁰Po present in the aerosol samples was determined experimentally. Carbonate of²¹⁰Pb, and²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Bi forms connected with oxides prevai in the aerosol component of atmospheric air.     

Simultaneous determination of210Bi and210Po on pine needles by solvent extraction and liquid scintillation counting

A determination procedure has been developed for²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po in environmental samples and was applied for pine needles. Bismuth-210 and²¹⁰Po separated from the parent nuclide²¹⁰Pb as BiOCl precipitate were extracted simultaneously by TOPO/toluene containing PPO and POPOP. The separation of²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po from²¹⁰Pb was almost satisfactory. The activity of²¹⁰Bi+²¹⁰Po in the TOPO/toluene was measured periodically by liquid scintillation counting for about 20 days after separation. The time course of the decreasing pattern of the activity was determined by the initial activity ratio²¹⁰Po/²¹⁰Bi. The decreasing pattern of the activity was compared with theoretical patterns, and best estimates for²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Bi were obtained by non-linear least-squares fitting. The activities of²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po were determined for one-year and two-year old pine needles fro the same pine tree, and weathering half-time and deposition rate of these nuclides was discussed.     

Rapid separation of212Pb−212Bi−208Tl by high-performance liquid ion chromatography

Fast radiochemical separation of carrier-free²¹²Pb–²¹²Bi–²⁰⁸Tl in radioactive equilibrium was performed using the HPLC technique with an ion-exchange column /ION-210 for cation exchange, ION-110 for anion exchange and C18 loaded with cation-exchange sites/. Optimal results are obtained with the ION-110 column.²⁰⁸Tl and²¹²Pb are eluted by 0.5M HCl in 2.5 and 5 min, respectively.²¹²Bi is recovered by elution with 1M HNO₃.     

Purification of gallium from bismuth and polonium by melting under synthetic slags

A method for the purification of technical grade gallium from bismuth and polonium by melting under synthetic slags is proposed. The examination of the purification degrees of gallium from bismuth and polonium was carried out with the aid of radioactive tracers²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po. In order to obtain a gallium-bismuth alloy a suitable apparatus was assembled. The conditions of melting were established. The optimum conditions for the purification of gallium were established and the purification degrees of gallium from bismuth and polonium were determined.     

Simple collection and direct alpha-spectrometric determination of214Pb and214Bi in natural water

A rapid method has been developed for the de termination of²¹⁴Pb and²¹⁴Bi in natural waters by alpha-spectrometric measurement of²¹⁴Po. Well water was filtered on a membrane filter impregnated with manganese oxide and followed by direct alpha-spectrometric analysis. A prominent alpha peak was assigned to²¹⁴Po, which should be supported by the longer lived parents²¹⁴Pb and²¹⁴Bi. The activity ratios between²¹⁴Pb and²¹⁴Bi adsorbed on the filter were determined by using the change of activity of²¹⁴Po as a function of counting period after the filtration. The adsorbed yield of²¹⁴Pb was also determined from the growth of the alpha-peak due to²¹⁰Po from a²¹⁰Pb tracer added in the original water. The results indicated that the amount of²¹⁴Pb was in radioactive non-equilibrium state with the Rn-222 dissolved, while the activity ratios of²¹⁴Bi/²¹⁴Pb showed on increasing tendency with the storage period of the water.     

Development of a sequential method for the determination of238U,234U,232Th,230Th,228Th,228Ra,226Ra,and210Pb. in environmental samples

A sequential analytical method for the determination of²³⁸U,²³⁴U,²³²Th,²³⁰Th,²²⁸Th,²²⁸Ra,²²⁶Ra and²¹⁰Pb in environmental samples was developed. Uranium and thorium isotopes are first chromatographically sepaaated using tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO) supported on silica gel. The uranium isotopes are determined by alpha-spectrometry following extraction with TOPO onto a polymeric membrane. Thorium isotopes are co-precipitated with lanthanum fluoride before counting in an alpha spectrometer. Radium isotopes and²¹⁰Pb are separated by co-precipitation/precipitation with mixed barium/lead sulphate. Radium-226 is determined by gross alpha counting of the final BaSO₄ precipitate and²²⁸Ra by gross beta counting of the same source. Lead-210 is determined through beta counting of its daughter product²¹⁰Bi.     

Transfer of210Pb and210Po to the environment during mining and processing of uranium ores

Transfer of²¹⁰Pb and²¹⁰Po from an uranium mine and mill to the environment was studied by measuring their concentrations in different stages of uranium extraction technology, in waste products from the mill and in environmental waters. A slightly modified radiochemical method was used for²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Pb determination.     

Radioactivity in coffee

This research was dedicated to the study of the background levels of ²¹⁰Po and natural gamma emitters as ⁴⁰K, ²¹⁴Pb, ²¹⁴Bi, ²²⁸Ac, ²¹²Pb and ²¹²Bi in coffee powder and in coffee beverage; also the artificial ¹³⁷Cs was determined. In the coffee powder the mean ²¹⁰Po activity resulted 7.25 ± 2.25 × 10^?2 Bq kg^?1. ⁴⁰K showed a mean activity of 907.4 ± 115.6 Bq kg^?1. The mean activity concentration of ²¹⁴Pb and ²¹⁴Bi, indicators of ²²⁶Ra, given as mean value of the two radionuclides, resulted 10.61 ± 4.02 Bq kg^?1. ²²⁸Ac, ²²⁸Ra indicator, showed a mean activity concentration of 13.73 ± 3.20 Bq kg^?1. The mean activity concentration of ²¹²Pb, ²²⁴Ra indicator, was 8.28 ± 2.88 Bq kg^?1. ²⁰⁸Tl, ²²⁴Ra indicator, presented a mean activity concentration of 11.03 ± 4.34 Bq kg^?1. In all samples, the artifical ¹³⁷Cs resulted below the detection limit (2.0 Bq kg^?1). The arithmetical mean value of percentage of ²¹⁰Po extraction in coffee beverage resulted 20.5 ± 6.9. The percentage of transfer of gamma emitters,⁴⁰K, ²¹⁴Pb, ²¹⁴Bi, ²²⁸Ac, ²¹²Pb, ²⁰⁸Tl resulted of 80.0, 33.5, 24.7, 30.0, 35.1 and 53.5 % for ⁴⁰K, ²¹⁴Pb, ²¹⁴Bi, ²²⁸Ac, ²¹²Pb and ²⁰⁸Tl respectively.     

Separation of the radioelements210Pb−210Bi−210Po by spontaneous deposition onto noble metals and verification by Cherenkov and liquid scintillation counting

A method for the separation of²¹⁰Pb,²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po using spontaneous deposition has been developed. The²¹⁰Bi and²¹⁰Po are simultaneously removed by deposition onto nickel foil (copper and tin could also be used but less effectively) while the²¹⁰Po is separated from²¹⁰Bi, after dissolution of the nickel foil, by deposition onto silver foil. The effectiveness of each separation was evaluated by adding aliquot portions of each solution to a cocktail and counting with a liquid scintillation counter. Water was used as the medium to observe the Cherenkov count of the sample solution.     

Radiochemical determination of210Po and210Pb in water

A method for²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Pb determination in water samples is described. The nuclides are concentrated, in presence of added²⁰⁸Po and lead carrier, by evaporation. Then the polonium is plated electroless from the acidic solution on a copper planchet and measured by alpha spectrometry.²¹⁰Pb separation from the other isotopes is based on the solutility of PbSO₄ in citrate.²¹⁰Pb content is determined by measuring the activity of its daughter²¹⁰Bi. The critical steps in the isolation of lead have been examined and discussed.     

Development of a 212Pb and 212Bi generator for homolog studies of flerovium and moscovium

A simple generator using AG 50Wx8 cation exchange resin has been developed for continual elution of ²¹²Pb and ²¹²Bi from the parent radionuclide ²²⁸Th, derived from ²³²U. Using 0.4 M HCl as an eluent will elute ²¹²Bi while ²¹²Pb is eluted with 2 M HCl. The generator has shown good reproducibility of elution bands. A generator set-up in 2013 has been in continual use over 4 years demonstrating that this generator system has a long and stable lifetime. The generator system presented here has served as a long-term method for attaining no-carrier-added ²¹²Pb and ²¹²Bi radionuclides for homolog studies of flerovium and moscovium.

     

Search of ligands suitable for 212Pb/212Bi in vivo generators

The short half-life of ²¹²Bi and ²¹³Bi limits the application of these radionuclides in α radionuclide therapy. The labeling of biomolecules with ²¹²Pb (mother nuclide of ²¹²Bi) instead of ²¹²Bi or ²¹³Bi has the advantage of obtaining a conjugate with a half-life of 10.6 h, compared with of 60 min for ²¹²Bi or 46 min for ²¹³Bi. Previous attempts to prepare a potential in vivo generator with ²¹²Pb complexed by the DOTA chelator failed, because about 36 % of Bi was reported to escape as a result of the radioactive decay $^{{212}}{\text{Pb}}{\mathop{\longrightarrow}\limits^{\beta ^{ - }}}{^{212}{\text{Bi}}}$ . Herein, we report studies on the stability of the ²¹²Pb complexes with eight selected polydentate ligands, which demonstrate high affinity for 3+ metal cations. From the ligand studied DOTP and BAPTA show a sufficient ²¹²Pb labeling yields but only ²¹²Pb–DOTP complex is stable in isotonic solution of sodium chloride making this way radioactivity level of released ²¹²Bi is below the limit of detection. It should be emphasized that the DOTP complex is stable only in the case when the concentration of free DOTP exceeds 10^?4 M.     

Effects of negative ion generators on radon- and thoron-progeny concentrations in an occupied residence

Operation of negative ion generators in three rooms of an occupied residence caused decreases in indoor concentrations of the radon decay products²¹⁸Po,²¹⁴Pb and²¹⁴Bi, and of the thoron progeny²¹²Pb. Activity levels of²¹²Pb were lowered more than those of²¹⁴Pb, resulting in a decrease in the potential alpha energy concentration ratio, PAEC(Tn:Rn). The change in PAEC(Tn:Rn) is a function of the halflives of²¹⁴Pb and²¹²Pb and their respective precursors and is similar to the effect brought about by increased room ventilation. Decay products are also removed from indoor air by plateout of charged particles on room walls. Plateout rates calculated for²¹⁴Pb suggest that even in well-ventilated houses, the potential alpha energy concentration of radon is affected as much by wall plateout as by infiltration of outside air.     

Bismuth radionuclides in the natural background gamma radiation spectrum

The natural background gamma (NBG) spectrum was accumulated inside the laboratory, with 102.88 cm³ Ge(Li) detector, to investigate bismuth natural radionuclides in the energy range of 500–1700 keV. The relative intensities of identified²¹⁴Bi gamma lines were obtained from the spectrum. The results were in good agreement with that obtained from a source of a precise strength. Out of the 25 gamma lines of²¹⁴Bi, 19 lines were established including 6 lines observed for the first time in the NBG spectrum. Most of the gamma lines of²¹¹Bi and²¹²Bi were observed. Some of these lines are new.     

Determination of bismuth in lead by neutron activation analysis

Neutron activation analysis for bismuth in lead was performed through the separation and measurement of²¹⁰Po, using two different extraction procedures. The reproducibility of the results was good for lead containing bismuth in higher concentrations. For high purity lead, variations in the bismuth content have been found by different analyses of the same sample, owing to inhomogeneity in the distribution of the Bi metal traces. An independent analysis of the same lead samples gave comparable Bi concentrations.     

Detection of fallout155Eu and207Bi in a210Pb-dated lake sediment core

Low-energy -ray spectrometry is used to detect fallout¹⁵⁵Eu and²⁰⁷Bi in a²¹⁰Pb-dated sediment core from McKay Lake, Ottawa, Canada. Unlike²⁰⁷Bi which is detected only in two core sections deposited in the mid 1970's,¹⁵⁵Eu is consistently detectable to mid 1960's. A comparison of corresponding¹³⁷Cs and¹⁵⁵Eu inventories in the sediment core indicates that fallout¹⁵⁵Eu derives primarily from the thermal neutron fission of²³⁵U. The derived flux of unsupported²¹⁰Pb at the sediment/water interface is in agreement with previously estimated flux of atmospheric²¹⁰Pb in the Great Lakes region.     

Pre-concentration of short-lived radionuclides using manganese dioxide precipitation from surface waters

Rapid determination of ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn progeny (²¹⁴Pb, ²¹²Pb, ²¹⁴Bi, ²¹²Bi) is achievable using manganese dioxide (MnO₂) precipitation with analysis by γ-spectrometry. This is of interest to environmental monitoring programmes that utilise gross activity methods to screen for anthropogenic radionuclides. The contribution from these naturally occurring radionuclides (NOR) varies, and is difficult to experimentally measure due to short half-lives (t _½ = 19.9 m–10.64 h) and low environmental activity (<0.1 Bq L^?1). The extraction efficiency of the technique is above 90%, and above 80% for other nuclides (²³²Th, ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U, ²²⁸Ac, ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁴Ra, ²¹⁰Pb, ⁵⁴Mn). Short-lived NOR have been measured at two surface water locations, and indicates elevated ²¹⁴Bi activity of 4.0 ± 1.1 Bq L^?1.