Turnover of hydrogen isotopes in lake sturgeon blood: implications for tracking movements of wild populations

Naturally occurring deuterium (²H) in biota can be used to trace movement, migration and geographic origin of a range of organisms. However, to evaluate movements of animals using δ²H measurements of tissues, it is necessary to establish the turnover time of ²H in the tissues and the extent of isotopic discrimination from different environmental ²H sources to those tissues. We investigated the turnover of ²H in lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) blood by manipulating both environmental water δ²H and diet δ²H over a four-month period. The half-life of deuterium in lake sturgeon blood was 37.9 days after an increase in the environmental water δ²H of +714?‰. However, no clear turnover in blood ²H occurred over the same period in a separate trial following a change of ?63.8?‰ or +94.2?‰ in diet. These findings suggest that environmental water ²H exchanges much faster with blood than diets and that blood δ²H values can be used to trace movements of sturgeon and other fish moving among isotopically distinct waters.     

Exploring music

Radioactivity in the environment includes naturally occurring as well as man-made radionuclides. Meaningful estimates of their hazard to health require much care in obtaining representative environmental samples, appropriate sample preparation as well as proper calibration of the measuring system. Any harm from the low absorbed doses of ionizing radiation typically received from environmental radioactivity would only occur after a latent period of several years. Of these, cancer induction is considered to be the most important. Risk factors have been derived by a number of internationally recognized organizations, but there are difficulties in extrapolating from observations at a high dose and dose rate and for the lifetime of exposed populations. Examples of measurement of ²²²Ra, ⁹⁰Sr, ¹²⁵I, ²²⁶Ra, ¹²⁹I and ¹³⁷Cs in the environment are given. Harmful effects from environmental radioactivity have mostly been indistinguishable above natural incidence. For health purposes there may be little need for further increases in sensitivity of detection but there is a continuing need to ensure the greatest accuracy in measurements to avoid magnifying the inevitable uncertainties in estimating radiation hazards.     

Nuclear methods in environmental research

It is demonstrated that by combining⁵⁷Mössbauer spectroscopy and neutron activation analysis, environmental samples can be studied in great detail. It is the aim of the paper to show the usefulness of completing a multi-element technique by a phase sensitive method in environmental research.     

A method to simultaneously and continuously measure the 222Rn and 220Rn exhalation rates of soil in an open loop

This paper presents a process in which a radon monitor based on the electrostatic collection method is used to measure the ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn exhalation rates simultaneously and continuously employing a ventilation-type accumulation chamber. Generally, the radon exhalation rate can be measured by accumulation technique, but cannot be measured continuously. The advantage of this method using a ventilation-type accumulation chamber is that the radon exhalation rates can be measured continuously. Even though the environmental air is drawn into the chamber, the low atmospheric values of radon and thoron do not influence the measurement accuracy. The ²²²Rn and ²²⁰Rn exhalation rates error from the environmental air is less than 5% in this experiment.     

Contribution of collagen stable isotope biogeochemistry to the paleobiology of extinct endemic vertebrates from Tenerife (Canary Islands,Spain)

The paleodiet and paleoenvironmental context of two extinct species from Tenerife island, one giant rat Canariomys bravoi and one giant lizard Gallotia goliath, have been investigated using carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions of fossil bone collagen. Preliminary to this study, a calibration of the isotopic variations of bone collagen from modern Rat Rattus rattus, Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus and Lizard Gallotia galotti relative to environmental conditions on Tenerife Islands has been attempted. No clear relationship could be found between collagen δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values and aridity; the only relevant factors seem to be seashore proximity for rat, and the relative amount of C₃ and CAM plants. It seems that anthropic activities have interfered with the expected relationships between collagen isotopic compositions and environmental conditions. Most fossil specimens yielded well preserved collagen. The isotopic composition of giant rat and giant lizard collagen suggest a purely C₃ environment, possibly more humid than today on Tenerife. Large ranges of nitrogen isotopic compositions, especially within giant rats, may be due to local environmental conditions. Further work is needed in order to provide more valuable paleobiological information in order to better understand the role of environmental factors in the evolution and extinction of insular endemic species on Tenerife.     

A Disulfide-Linked Naphthalimide Dimer for Hg(II) Detection in Aqueous Solution

A disulfide linked naphthalimide dimer probe was designed for mercury ion (Hg²⁺) recognition in this work. The recognition was based on the strong affinity of mercury for sulfur. The experimental results revealed that the probe exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity toward Hg²⁺ in comparison to other metal ions via a turn-on and reversible response to Hg²⁺ in neutral buffer solution. More importantly, the probe demonstrated a linear response for Hg²⁺ over a concentration range from 0 to 150 μM with a detection limit of 0.38 μM, which is just the limit of the safe concentration for humans. Upon addition of 150 μM Hg²⁺, the enhancement of fluorescence reached a maximum (∼7-fold). The performances of the probe indicated that it could meet the selectivity requirements for biomedical and environmental application and also was sensitive enough to detect Hg²⁺ in environmental and biological samples.     

Radiochemical separation methods for preparation of biomedical cyclotron radionuclides

A short review of the radiochemical methods for preparation of widely used or promising cyclotronproduced radionuclides for nuclear medicine and biomedical or environmental studies is given. The presented data include the current status of the production of some gamma-emitters (⁹⁷Ru, ¹¹¹In, ¹²³I, ²⁰¹Tl), generator-pairs (⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga, ⁸²Sr/⁸²Rb, ¹²⁸Ba/¹²⁸Cs, ¹⁷⁸W/¹⁷⁸Ta), radioisotopes for metabolism studies (²⁶Al, ⁶⁷Cu, ²³⁷Pu) and actinides tracers for environmental researches (²³⁵Np, ²³⁶Np, ²³⁶Pu). The conditions for preparation of high-purity isotopes have been investigated and procedures including target chemistry design were developed.     

Stable carbon isotopic composition of tree rings from a pine tree from Augustów Wilderness,Poland, as a temperature and local environment conditions indicator

Tree rings can be used as archives of climatic and environmental data with annual resolution. Tree rings widths, maximum late wood density and other parameters as stable composition in tree rings can be used for the reconstruction of past climatic and environmental changes. Stable carbon isotope ratios in tree rings may provide valuable information on past climatic conditions. ¹³C/¹²C ratios of plant organic matter can reflect corresponding ¹³C/¹²C ratio of atmospheric CO₂ during formation of the rings. Investigations of isotopic carbon composition in tree rings from in the ecologically clean the Augustów Wilderness region in the north-eastern part of Poland (22°58′E, 53°51′N) (nowadays a sanctuary) were undertaken. Series of δ¹³C in α-cellulose and in wholewood were acquired. Those measurements constituted a part of more complex investigations of carbon isotope composition in tree rings including the measurements of radiocarbon concentration and tree ring widths. This article presents preliminary results. It is argued that contrary to the tree ring widths and δ¹³C in wholewood that do not reveal significant correlation with temperature, the variation of δ¹³C in the latewood α-cellulose is correlated with combined July and August temperatures.     

Novel Comparative Synchronous Spectrofluorimetric Study of Benzo(a)pyrene Using Beta-Cyclodextrin and Calix(8)arene as Fluorescence Enhancers

Successfully benzo(a)pyrene could be quantitified in environmental samples by a novel synchronous spectrofluorimetric techniques at a constant wavelength difference Δλ?=?120 nm, using beta-cyclodextrin ‘β-CD’ and calix(8)arene as fluorescence enhancers, where a linear calibration curve was obtained in a concentration range of 900–14,400 pg mL^?1 and 18–360 pg mL^?1 and the detection limit of 380.00 pg mL^?1 and 12.08 pg mL^?1 (which is well below the maximum contaminant concentration for benzo(a)pyrene set by the Environmental Protection Agency ‘EPA’) using both enhancers, respectively. The method can be easily adopted for determination of benzo(a)pyrene in aqueous media including tap water, river water and complex water samples. The recoveries obtained were 85.13–113.36 % with RSD?<?4 %. The proposed method was validated according to International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guide lines and successfully applied to determine benzo(a)pyrene in pure form and in water samples including contaminated environmental water samples. All the results obtained were compared with those of a published method, where no significant difference was observed.     

Conference and Research Reports

Groundwater discharge into an open pit lignite mining lake was investigated using radon-222 as a naturally occurring environmental tracer. The chosen study site was a meromictic lake, i.e., a water body that is divided horizontally into two separate layers – the upper mixolimnion (with seasonal mixing) and the lower monimolimnion (without seasonal mixing). For the estimation of groundwater discharge rates into the lake, a simple box model including all radon sinks and sources related to each layer was applied. Two field investigations were performed. During the October campaign, the total groundwater discharge into the lake was found to be 18.9 and 0.7 m³ d^?1 for the mixolimnion and monimolimnion, respectively. During the December campaign, the groundwater discharge into the mixolimnion was 15.0 m³ d^?1, whereas no discharge at all was observed into the monimolimnion. Based on the given water volumes, the residence time of lake water was 5.3 years for the monimolimnion and varies between 0.9 and 1.1 years for the mixolimnion. The investigation confirmed radon to be a useful environmental tracer for groundwater and surface water interactions in meromictic lake environments.     

Quantitative analysis of chromate (CrVI) by normal Raman spectroscopy and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride-capped gold nanoparticles

Chromate (Cr^VI) has emerged as a widespread environmental contaminant found in groundwater and surface water, and there is a great need for rapid detection and monitoring of this contaminant. Normal Raman scattering (NRS) spectroscopy with a detection limit of Cr^VI at concentrations of 0.2 g/L was attached. And surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy technique was found to be capable of detecting Cr^VI at concentrations as low as 2.5 mg/L using poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride modified gold nanoparticles (PDDA-AuNPs) as a substrate. The SERS substrate was successfully fabricated by combining the selfassembly technique with a heat-treatment-based strategy using poly(diallyldimethylammonium) chloride (PDDA) as the reducing and stabilizing agents. With the 520 cm^?1 band of silicon as internal standard, band intensity ratios of Cr^VI to silicon, that is I ₉₀₂/I ₅₂₀, were found to have a quantitative relationship with a large concentration range of Cr^VI from 0.2 to 20.0 g/L for NRS (R ² = 0.994) and from 2.5 to 25.0 mg/L for SERS (R ² = 0.980), respectively. Besides, the SERS methodology was reproducible, and susceptible to the interference of pH value. The optimum pH for Cr^VI detection by SERS was 3.38. The application of NRS and SERS showed high practical potential for rapid screening and routine analysis of Cr^VI in environmental samples.     

Accelerator mass spectrometry of the heaviest long-lived radionuclides with a 3-MV tandem accelerator

A 3-MV pelletron tandem accelerator is the heart of the Vienna environmental research accelerator (VERA). The original design of the beam transport components allows the transport of ions of all elements, from the lightest to the heaviest. For light ions the suppression of neighboring masses was sufficient to measure isotopic ratios of ¹⁴C/¹²C and ²⁶Al/²⁷Al as low as 10⁻¹⁵ and ¹⁰Be/⁹Be down to 10⁻¹³. To suppress neighboring masses for the heaviest radionuclides in the energy range of 10–20 MeV, the resolution of VERA was increased both by improving the ion optics of existing elements at the injection side and by installing a new high-resolution electrostatic separator at the high-energy side. Interfering ions which pass all beam filters are identified with a Bragg-type ionization detector and a high-resolution time-of-flight system. Two ultra-thin diamond-like carbon (DLC) foils are used in the start and stop detector, which substantially reduces losses due to beam straggling. This improved set up enables us to measure even the heaviest long-lived radionuclides, where stable isobaric interferences are absent (e.g. ²³⁶U and ²⁴⁴Pu), down to environmental levels. Moreover, the advantage of a ‘small’ and well manageable machine like VERA lies in its higher stability and reliability which allows to measure these heavy radionuclides more accurately, and also a large number of samples.     

Nuclear spin maser and experimental search for 129 Xe atomic EDM

The present status of an active spin maser which is being developed for an experimental search for ¹²⁹Xe atomic electric dipole moment (EDM) is presented. In order to realize the long term stability of maser frequency, systematic effects for the spin maser operation were investigated. The correlations in the maser frequency with the solenoid current, the environmental field and the cell temperature were found. With the solenoid current and environmental field being stabilized and the cell temperature lowered, a frequency precision of 7.9 nHz has been achieved for the maser operation.     

The self-absorption correction factors for 210Pb concentration in mining waste and influence on environmental radiation risk assessment

The radioactive lead isotope ²¹⁰Pb occurs in waste originating from metal smelting and refining industry, gas and oil extraction and sometimes from underground coal mines, which are deposited in natural environment very often. Radiation risk assessment requires accurate knowledge about the concentration of ²¹⁰Pb in such materials. Laboratory measurements seem to be the only reliable method applicable in environmental ²¹⁰Pb monitoring. One of the methods is gamma-ray spectrometry, which is a very fast and cost-effective method to determine ²¹⁰Pb concentration. On the other hand, the self-attenuation of gamma ray from ²¹⁰Pb (46.5 keV) in a sample is significant as it does not depend only on sample density but also on sample chemical composition (sample matrix). This phenomenon is responsible for the under-estimation of the ²¹⁰Pb activity concentration level often when gamma spectrometry is applied with no regard to relevant corrections. Finally, the corresponding radiation risk can be also improperly evaluated. Sixty samples of coal mining solid tailings (sediments created from underground mining water) were analysed. Slightly modified and adapted to the existing laboratory condition, a transmission method has been applied for the accurate measurement of ²¹⁰Pb concentration . The observed concentrations of ²¹⁰Pb range between 42.2?÷?11,700 Bq·kg^–1 of dry mass. Experimentally obtained correction factors related to a sample density and elemental composition range between 1.11 and 6.97. Neglecting this factor can cause a significant error or underestimations in radiological risk assessment. The obtained results have been used for environmental radiation risk assessment performed by use of the ERICA tool assuming exposure conditions typical for the final destination of such kind of waste.     

A Simple Flow-injection Spectrofluorimetric Method for the Determination of Mercury

A highly sensitive flow-injection spectrofluorimetric method is presented for the rapid and simple determination of Hg (II) in environmental and pharmaceutical samples. Murexide (ammonium purpurate) was used as the fluorescence reagent in the carrier stream. An emission peak of murexide, which is decreased linearly by addition of Hg (II), occurs at 435 nm in aqueous solution with excitation at 335 nm. A linear calibration was obtained for 5–200 ng ml⁻¹ Hg (II) with the relative standard deviation 2.5% (n = 5) for a 20 μl injection volume Hg (II). The limit of the detection was 1 ng ml⁻¹ and the sampling rate was 80 h⁻¹. No significant interference was found by the ions commonly found in the most environmental samples. The proposed method was successfully applied for the determination of trace mercury in real samples and the validation of the proposed methodology is provided.     

Environmental monitoring based on NMR analysis of the composition of essential oil from Canadian spruce needles

We have used ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to analyze the chemical composition of essential oil from needles of Canadian spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) grown in different regions of the Republic of Belarus. We consider the change in the composition of the oil depending on the area where the spruce was grown. We suggest using spruce needle essential oil as a biological indicator for environmental conditions in the area.     

<Superscript>14</Superscript>N Nuclear Quadrupole Resonance Study of Polymorphism in Trinitrotoluene Samples Obtained from Old Ordnances

The field application of a ¹⁴N nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) detector needed for the detection of different explosives, including trinitrotoluene (TNT), requires the examination of the distribution of ¹⁴N NQR lines stemming from the monoclinic and/or orthorhombic modifications of TNT, as well as from a mixture of both. In this work, 30 different TNT samples up to 70 years old were measured. The main result of this study is that the measured ¹⁴N NQR spectrum is strongly influenced by the environmental conditions to which the explosive was subject during its history.     

Nanocomposite of polypyrrole and alumina nanoparticles as a coating filler for the corrosion protection of aluminium alloy 2024-T3

Aluminium (Al) alloys such as 2024-T3 are widely used in industry as low weight construction materials with excellent mechanical properties. Until recently corrosion protection of Al alloys was carried out with coatings containing hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺). However, Cr⁶⁺ is a health and environmental hazard and has to be replaced. Intrinsically conducting polymer (ICP) technology is the promising alternative to chromate coating technology because of good corrosion protection properties of ICPs, their moderate cost and good environmental compatibility. In this paper we report successful attempt of making nanocomposite comprised of alumina nanoparticles modified by polypyrrole for the purpose of corrosion protection of Al alloy. Modified nanoparticles were used as coating filler. Coating was designated to perform as an active barrier to electrolyte diffusion. Properties of the coating were examined by adhesion test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, X-rays elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.     

A new rhodamine B-based “off–on” fluorescent chemosensor for Cu2+ in aqueous media

A new fluorescent probe 1 (P1) for Cu²⁺ based on rhodamine B was designed and synthesized. P1 exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity for sensing Cu²⁺ and color changes from colorless to pink in aqueous media. Selective fluorescent enhancement of P1 was attributed to ring-opening from the spirolactam (nonfluorescent) to ring-opened amide (fluorescent). A chemosensor based on rhodamine B has a good potential application to the determination of Cu²⁺ in environmental and biological systems.     

Rapid synthesis of N,S co-doped carbon dots and their application for Fe<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ion detection

In this study, nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (NSCDs) were fabricated by microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis using vitamin C and thiourea as precursors. The as-prepared NSCDs demonstrated excellent properties, including aqueous dispensability, strong fluorescence emission, excellent environmental stability, high selectivity, and sensitivity toward Fe³⁺ ions. The NSCD-based material can be used as a “turn off” fluorescent probe for detecting Fe³⁺ ions at a low detection limit (4.2 nM). In addition, the “turn off” and “turn on” of NSCD fluorescent probe could be modulated by adding Fe³⁺ and EDTA, indicating weak interaction between the Fe³⁺ ions and NSCDs.