Screening of plant species for comparative uptake abilities of radioactive Co, Rb, Sr and Cs from soil

In case of radioactive fallout, persistence of long lived nuclides in soil and subsequent transfer into the food chain through plants over a long period is the key factor. The possibility of phytoremediation is suggested to reduce the radionuclides in soil. To exploit the natural potential of some plants in absorbing or accumulating certain radionuclides and depleting the soil radioactivity, thirty-two plant species were tested under laboratory conditions for their comparative ability in taking up radioactive Rb, Co, Sr and Cs. Broccoli and tomato for Co, tomato, chard, sunflower and cucumber for Rb; cucumber, sunflower and turnip (Kyona) for Sr, and tomato, chard and cucumber for Cs were found to be effective compared to other species tested.     

Intramolecular Alkyne Coupling in the Reaction of 1,8-bis(phenylethynyl)naphthalene with Pt2Ru4(CO)18

The reaction of Pt₂Ru₄(CO)₁₈, 1 with 1,8-bis(phenylethynyl)naphthalene, 2 has yielded two metal carbonyl cluster complexes: Ru₂(CO)₆[- ²-C₁₀H₆C₄Ph₂], 3 (60% yield) and Ru₂Pt(CO)₆[- ²-C₁₀H₆C₄Ph₂]₂, 4 (8% yield). Both compounds were characterized by a single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Both products were formed as a result of fragmentation of the Pt₂Ru₄ cluster of 1. Compound 3 contains two ruthenium atoms. They are bridged by a tricyclic C₁₀H₆C₄Ph₂ ligand formed by the coupling of the two -carbon atoms of the alkyne groups. The -carbon atoms of the alkynes are -bonded to one of the ruthenium atoms to form a metallacycle and this entire group is -bonded to the second ruthenium atom. Compound 4 contains two ruthenium atoms with a platinum atom between them. This molecule contains two tricyclic C₁₀H₆C₄Ph₂ ligands similar to that in 3, and two metallacycles formed by coordination of the -carbon atoms of both ligands to the platinum atom. One ligand is -bonded to each of the ruthenium atoms.     

Uptake of134Cs by plants from three different types of soil

In¹³⁴Cs uptake by the roots of orchard grass and beans planted in three different lands of soil has been studied. For this purpose, a¹³⁴Cs radionuclide solution having 0.3086 Ci/pot radioactivity was added to Ando, Serpentine and Alluial and Clay soil which were fertilized by Standard, –K, +Ca, Water limited and Control for both orchard grass and bean groups. Thus, the above mentioned groups have been harvested and left to dry. The contamination levels these plants have been detected and measured by using an HPGe detector interactively working with MCA. Finally, it has been determined that the¹³⁴Cs uptakes depend primarily on soil characteristics. Besides the decrease in the¹³⁴Cs activity for the plants grown in soils to which the stable cesium or potassium was added 0.011–1.38 per cent activity for the root of plants grown in free K soils was observed. Moreover, highest¹³⁴Cs activity has been determined for the plants grown in –K fertilized soil with respect to the other soil samples.     

Ein Verfahren zur Berechnung der Dampfzusammensetzung von ternären flüssigen Systemen

A simple method for calculating the vapor composition in ternary liquid systems is described and experimentally verified. Starting from the differential equation derived for curves of constant relative fugacity of two components (_ik=const) a relation is derived for the estimation of these curves in the concentration triangle. The _ik-values are determined as the finite points of curves _ik=const from the data of the vapor-liquid composition of the binary systems.

---

---

Mit 3 Abbildungen     

Etude par viscosité et autodiffusion de solutions aqueuses de divers n-alkyl-benzènesulfonates

Resumé Les propriétés physico-chimiques de solutions aqueuses de différents alkyl-p-benzènesulfonates de pureté contrôlée ont été déterminées par diverses méthodes: solubilité, viscosité, autodiffusions. Les micelles formées par len-octyl-p-benzènesulfonate de sodium (C₈ SO₃ Na) et len-dodécyl-p-benzènesul-fornate de sodium (C₁₂ Na) sont globulaires dans tout le domaine de concetration exploité; les micelles (C₈ SO₃ Na + C₁₂ SO₃ Na) sont de taille proche de celles de C₈ SO₃ Na.La détermination du nombre de contre-ions liés aux micelles de C₈ SO₃ Na confirme cette structure.

---

Summary Various methods, i. e. solubility, viscosity and self-diffusion have been employed to determine the physico chemical parameters of aqueous solutions of puren-alkyl-p-benzene-sulfonates. Micelles of sodiumn-octyl-p-benzene sulfonate (C₈ SO₃ Na) are of globular shape; mixed micelles formed by these compounds (C₈ SO₃ Na + C₁₂ SO₃ Na) show a very slight swelling compared with C₈ S03 Na micelles.The degree of counter-ion association of C₈ SO₃ Na micelles is in good accordance with a globular shape of the micelles.

---

Zusammenfassung Löslichkeit, Viskosität und Selbst-Diffusion wurden benutzt, um physikalisch-chemische Parameter von wäßrigen Lösungen reinern-Alkyl-p-benzenesulfonate zu bestimmen. Mizellen von Natriumn-Oktylpbenzenesulfonar (C₈ SO₃ Na) haben eine globulare Form; Mischmizelle von C₈ SO₃ Na und C₁₂ SO₃ Na zeigen eine sehr geringe Quellung im Vergleich mit Mizellen von C₈ SO₃ Na.Der Grad von Gegenionenassoziation zu C₈ SO₃-Mizellen ist in guter Übereinstimmung mit einer globularen Form der Mizellen.

---

---

Avec 6 figures et 7 tableaux

---

The Lund Institute of Technology, Lund (Suède).

---

Groupe de Dynamique des phases condensées, USTL.     

Dry deposition velocity of iodine-129 onto grass as obtained by field measurements in the environment of a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant

The deposition velocity of gaseous organic¹²⁹I species from the exhaust air stack of the Karlsruhe reprocessing plant onto pasture grass was measured by a field experiment. By simultaneously measuring the amount of¹²⁹I deposited per unit area of pasture grass and the time integrated mean air concentration of¹²⁹I a deposition velocity of V_g=5.8×10^–1 /cm s^–1/ onto pasture grass was determined.     

An index of electrotopological state for atoms in molecules

A new method for molecular structure quantitation is described, in which both electronic and topological attributes are united. The method uses the hydrogen-suppressed skeleton to represent the structure and leads to a graph invariant index for the individual atoms and hydride groups of the molecular skeleton. An intrinsic atom value is calculated for each atom asI = ( + 1)/, in which and are the counts of valence and sigma electrons of atoms in the molecular skeleton, that is, exclusive of bonds to hydrogen atoms. The electrotopological state valueS _i for an atomi is defined asS _i =I _i + I _i, where the influence of atom j on atom i, I _i, is given as (I _i-j _j)/r ²;r is the graph separation between atoms i and j, counted as number of atoms, includingi andj. The information in the electrotopological state values is revealed by examples of various types of organic structures, including chain branching and heteroatom variation. The relation of the E-state value to NMR chemical shift is demonstrated for a series of carbonyl compounds.     

Approximate theories of gelation

Summary The assumptions involved in approximate theories of gelation forRA ₂ +RB _f type random polymerisations are examined in detail. When the assumptionc _int c _ext is removed it is apparent that, contrary to previous findings, theFrisch theory is unable to explain existing gel-point data. A detailed development ofKilb's model for gelation is given and the expression _c (f – 1)(1 – _ab )² = 1 is derived as the condition for gelation. _c is the product of extents of reaction ofA andB groups at the gel point,f is the branchunit functionality, and _ab is a ring-forming parameter. _ab depends on the dilution of a reaction system, the molecular weights of the reactants and chain structures. It is shown how the derived expression can be used for reasonable predictions of _c for a given polymerisation system.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Annahmen, worauf die simplifizierten Gelbildungstheorien betreffs einer Zufallspolymerisation desRA ₂ +RB _f Typs basieren, werden im einzelnen untersucht. Legt man die Annahmec _int c _ext ab, stellt sich heraus, daß dieFrisch-Theorie, im Gegensatz zu früheren Resultaten, die bekannten Gelpunktdaten nicht erklären kann. Eine Weiterentwicklung des Kilbschen Modelles wird vorgeschlagen und der Ausdruck _c (f - 1)(1 - _ab ² = 1 wird als Gelbindungsbedingung abgeleitet. _c ist das Produkt der Reaktionsumsätze derA- undB-Gruppen beim Gelpunkt;f = Funktionalität einer Verzweigungseinheit und _ab ist ein Ringbildungsparameter. _ab hängt von der Verdünnung eines Reaktionssystems, von den Molekulargewichten der reagierenden Moleküle und von ihren Kettenstrukturen ab. Es wird gezeigt, wie der so abgeleitete Ausdruck angewandt werden kann, um Werte für _c bei einer gegebenen Polymerisation vernünftig vorauszusagen.

---

---

Dedicated to Herrn Prof. Dr. G. Rehage on the occasion of his 60th birthday.

---

With 9 figures and 1 table     

Influence of plant roots upon the mobility of radionuclides in soil, with respect to location of contamination below the surface

The movement of⁸⁵Sr,¹³⁷Cs,⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co in the 50 cm soil profile was studied with and without the presence of plant roots (triticum aestivum) in order to investigate the influence of roots and depth contamination upon the migration of radionuclides. The water table was maintained manually at 3 cm from the bottom. The physiochemical characteristics (E_h Fe^–2, NH ₄ ⁺ , pH and moisture content) as well as the total and extractable radioactivity were investigated. In the discrete contamination, where the location of contamination varied within the soil profile (0–5, 25–30 or 45–50 cm from the top), the influence of location upon the movement of these radionuclides was also studied. It was found that the changes in the soil physicochemical characteristics influenced the mobility of the four radionuclides. The extractability of⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co was significantly increased in the reducing region of the soil, whereas that of⁸⁵Sr,¹³⁷Cs was not. Plant roots excerted significant effects upon the soil characteristics, via, reducing the E_h pH and moisture content of the soil; increasing the extractability of both⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co from the depth of 35 cm downwards. Radionuclide migration occurred via physicochemical and biological transport. The biological transport via plant roots was of particular importance for¹³⁷Cs. Location of contamination had a significant influence upon the mobility of radionuclides. The migration of radionuclides was in the sequence of contamination in middle>bottom>top. The degree of the influence varied with radionuclides concemed. In the top layer contamination, the rank of the migration from the contamination layers, on the other hand⁵⁴Mn,⁶⁰Co and¹³⁷Cs were more mobile and the movement was:⁸⁵Sr⁵⁴Mn⁶⁰Co>¹³⁷Cs. In the middle and bottom contamination layers, on the other hand,⁵⁴Mn and⁶⁰Co and¹³⁷Cs were more mobile and the movement was⁸⁵Sr⁵⁴Mn⁶⁰Co>¹³⁷Cs. The results provide evidence conceming the soil-root interaction influencing the transfer efficiency of radionuclides from below the soil surface into the human food chain.     

Radioactive cesium deposition on rice,wheat, peach tree and soil after nuclear accident in Fukushima

We present how radioactive Cs was deposited on wheat, rice, peach tree and soil after nuclear accident in Fukushima. The deposition of radioactive Cs was found as spots at the surface of the leaves, branch or trunk of the trees, as well as in soil using one of the imaging method, autoradiography. The deposited radioactive Cs was not easily washed out, even with the treatment of acid solution. When the wheat was harvested 2 months after the accident, high radioactivity of Cs was found only on the leaves developed and expanded at the time of the accident. In the case of the rice grain, most of the radioactivity was found in bran and the radioactivity was drastically reduced in milled rice. Most of the radioactive Cs accumulation in rice plants was estimated from the absorption of the Cs ion dissolved in water, rather than Cs adsorbed in soil.