An improved method for99Tc analysis and application to human tissues

Zircon separated from samples of monazite in beach sand have been analyzed for Zr, Hf, U, Th, Sc and REE concentration by the neutron activation analysis technique. After irradiation, the rare earth elements were separated from Zr and Hf by oxalate precipitation, using La as a carrier, from²³⁹Np/U/ by ion-exchange chromatographic method and from²³³Pa/Th/ by co-precipitation with MnO₂. The chondritic normalized REE pattern of two zircon samples show negative Eu anomalies with a slope increasing at the heavy rare earths.     

Determination of individual rare earth elements in Vietnamese monazite by radiochemical neutron activation analysis

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) has been applied for determination of rare earth elements (REE) in Vietnamese monazite. The chemical separation procedure used is based on the chromatographic elution of rare earth groups, after the separation of²³³Pa(Th) in irradiated monazite samples by coprecipitation with MnO₂, the rare earth elements were retained by Biorad AG1×8 resin column in 10% 15.4M HNO₃-90% methanol solution. The elution of heavy rare earth (HREE) and middle rare earth (MREE) groups was carried out with 10% 1M HNO₃-90% methanol and 10% 0.05M HNO₃-90% methanol solution, respectively; while the light rare earths (LREE) were eluted from the column by 0.1M HNO₃ solution. The accuracy of the method was checked by the analysis of granodiorite GSP-I and the rare earth values were in good agreement.     

川西凹陷雷口坡组稀土元素特征及其意义

对川西凹陷丰卤1井雷口坡组岩屑样品进行了稀土元素(REE)的分析.结果表明,通过REE参数∑REE、LREE、HREE、w(LREE)/w(HREE)、w(LaN)/w(YbN)、δ Ce和δ Eu的比较,雷口坡组∑REE与LREE和HREE的变化呈正相关,LREE占∑REE的74%,对∑REE的变化起主要影响作用;R...     

桦甸油页岩中稀土元素赋存状态研究

以吉林省桦甸油页岩为研究对象,采用电感耦合等离子质谱( ICP-MS)和化学逐级提取方法相结合,对油页岩中稀土元素的分布特征以及油页岩中稀土元素的赋存状态进行研究.结果表明,相对于中国煤,桦甸油页岩表现为轻稀土元素富集程度高于重稀土元素.油页岩中稀土元素与陆源碎屑岩关系密切,且陆源物质的供应相对比较稳定.轻重稀土间分馏...     

Dynamic ion-exchange chromatography with post-column reaction detection for the determination of the rare earth elements in monazites

Summary Separation and determination of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites have been achieved by dynamic ion-exchange chromatography. The ore samples are decomposed by sulfuric acid and the rare earths are separated in a group as oxalates. The rare earth elements are then separated from each other on a column of bonded phase silica by gradient elution with 0.05 to 0.5 M lactic acid (pH 3.5) in the presence of 0.01 M sodium 1-octanesulfonate. Post-column reaction with Arsenazo III is used for detection and quantification of the individual rare earth elements. Results are quoted for lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium and samarium in monazites. Detection limit is 1 μg ml⁻¹ with a S/N ratio of 3. The separation is complete within 27 min valley to valley resolution. Precision of better than 1% can usually be obtained.     

On the potentially excellent reducing ability of a series of low-valent rare earths induced by photoirradiation

Mixed systems of a series of rare earth metals such as La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Yb and their low-valent rare earth diiodides exhibit excellent reducing ability toward the reductive deiodation from 1-iodododecane as a model compound compared with their single systems. More importantly, under photoirradiation conditions, the C-I bond reduction using ‘Ln/LnI₂’ takes place efficiently in refluxing THF, even in the cases of heavy rare earths such as Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, and Tm.     

Untersuchungen zur bestimmung seltener erden durch atomabsorption mit elektrothermischer atomisierung

The determination of rare earths by atomic absorption spectrometry with electrothermal atomizationThe electrothermal atomization of traces of rare earths has been investigated with different atomizers (carbon rod, graphite furnace, tantalum ribbon). The best analytical results are obtained with a modified tantalum thermal atomizer, because the formation of rare earth carbides is then impossible. Mixed argon—hydrogen atmospheres improve the concentration of atoms in the plasma, because hydrogen reduces the rare earth oxide radicals. The optimal analytical conditions are described. The detection limits are: 25 pg Yb, 22 pg Eu, 62 pg Tm, 2000 pg Sm, 300 pg Ho, 300 pg Dy, 1300 pg Er.     

Determination of rare earth elements in carbonatites from the Kangankunde Mine, Malawi by instrumental neutron activation analysis

Nine rare earth elements (REEs) in African carbonatite samples were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The geochemical behavior of REEs in carbonatites, especially REE pattern (chondrite-normalized), is studied in relation to carbonatite formation at the Kangankunde Mine, Malawi. REE-rich phosphate minerals, particularly monazite, and the other unusual minerals such as strontianite, are observed during the stages of carbonatite formation. Four kinds of carbonatites exhibit similar chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns in spite of the marked difference of their REE contents. All these carbonatites are characterized by the strong fractionation between light and heavy REEs and by the very high La/Yb ratio (1000-2800).     

Determination of rare earth elements in tomato plants by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry techniques

In recent years identification of the geographical origin of food has grown more important as consumers have become interested in knowing the provenance of the food that they purchase and eat. Certification schemes and labels have thus been developed to protect consumers and genuine producers from the improper use of popular brand names or renowned geographical origins. As the tomato is one of the major components of what is considered to be the healthy Mediterranean diet, it is important to be able to determine the geographical origin of tomatoes and tomato‐based products such as tomato sauce. The aim of this work is to develop an analytical method to determine rare earth elements (RRE) for the control of the geographic origin of tomatoes. The content of REE in tomato plant samples collected from an agricultural area in Piacenza, Italy, was determined, using four different digestion procedures with and without HF. Microwave dissolution with HNO₃ + H₂O₂ proved to be the most suitable digestion procedure. Inductively coupled plasma quadrupole mass spectrometry (ICPQMS) and inductively coupled plasma sector field plasma mass spectrometry (ICPSFMS) instruments, both coupled with a desolvation system, were used to determine the REE in tomato plants in two different laboratories. A matched calibration curve method was used for the quantification of the analytes. The detection limits (MDLs) of the method ranged from 0.03 ng g^?1 for Ho, Tm, and Lu to 2 ng g^?1 for La and Ce. The precision, in terms of relative standard deviation on six replicates, was good, with values ranging, on average, from 6.0% for LREE (light rare earth elements) to 16.5% for HREE (heavy rare earth elements). These detection limits allowed the determination of the very low concentrations of REE present in tomato berries. For the concentrations of REE in tomato plants, the following trend was observed: roots > leaves > stems > berries. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carrier-mediated transport of rare earth elements through liquid membranes. Transport of Sc,Y, Ce,Eu, Gd,Tm, Yb through supported liquid membrane containing TOPO in n-dodecane

Transport of trivalent rare earth elements-REE (Sc, Y, Ce, Eu, Gd, Tm, Yb) from nitrate medium through SLM containing TOPO in n-dodecane, supported on a nucleoporous filter, into a strip solution with EDTA, has been studied. Permeability coefficients of metal transport decreased with increasing of their atomic number except for Ce and Tm. At higher concentration of TOPO in the membrane, metal transport was faster, but the differences among the transport rates of the investigated elements decreased. A good separation of Ce from its binary mixtures with other investigated REE was achieved using DTPA as masking agent, added the feed solution.     

Mutual Separation of Rare Earths in Monazite with Cation Exchange Elution Chromatography

Mutual separation of the individual rare earth elements (exception of cerium) in monazite from different districts was investigated by cation exchange elution method. Strong acid type cation exchange resin, Bio-Rad AG 50 Wx8 and eluting solution of a α-hydroxyisobutyric acid (α-HIBA) were used. Radioactivity tagged Eu-152, 154 or Tb-160 were used as radio active indicator for determination of the distribution coefficients by batch method or for the study of column elution conditions. By gradiently increase of the pH values from 3 to 5 in 0.3 M α-HIBA eluting solution, complete mutual separation of individual rare earth elements, exception of Dy and Y, were obtained. Dy and Y could not be separated by this scheme of separation and their elution zones were overlapped. Rare earth mixture samples of monazite from different districts were separated with this scheme and these results were compared. From this comparison followings were noticed; 1. Compositions of rare earth elements in monazite from different districts are evidently not alike. 2. Samples from Brazil and Southwestern Coast of Taiwan are much more alike in their compositions but not for those from Australia and Outskirt Island. 3. Sample from Outskirt Island has higher in contents of heavier rare earths and also Nd was higher than La.     

Microchemical determination of nine rare earth elements in silicate rocks by cation-exchange preconcentration — Ion-interaction chromatography

Summary A method of applying ion-interaction chromatography to the determination of the rare earth elements in silicate rocks on a 100 to 200 mg sample basis has been developed. The rare earths are first separated as a group from matrices by cation-exchange chromatography in hydrochloric acid-thiocyanate media and isolated in a small, defined volume (3.00 ml). Using fractions of this, on-column concentration of the rare earths on a C-18 bonded phase silica coated with 1-octanesulfonate and a subsequent concentration gradient elution with glycolate (0.05 to 0.35 M) at pH 3.5 allows the respective separation of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Y (100 l aliquot used) and of Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu (2.00 ml aliquot used). Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Dy elute together, and Ho is not sufficiently well resolved from these middle rare earth elements. The eluted rare earth elements are detected and quantified by post-column reaction with Arsenazo III photometrically, using a UV-VIS spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 650 nm. The method is shown to be capable of determining nine of the rare earth elements in a variety of international reference rock samples with good precision and accuracy.     

Trace element determination in rocks and sediments by neutron activation analysis

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is one of the most used analytical techniques for trace element determination in rocks, because time consuming operations are avoided. We have analyzed different types of USGS reference materials (G-2, GSP-1, BHVO-1, STM-1, GXR-3, GXR-4, GXR-5), using both thermal (TNAA) and epithermal neutrons (ENAA). ENAA has been used to reduce interferences due to Sc-46 and to other high activities. The following elements have shown an improvement when analyzed by ENAA: Ba, Cs, Gd, Rb, Sb, Sr, Ta, Tb, Th, Tm, U, Yb, Zr; better results were found for Ce, Co, Cr, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Sc, Zn with TNAA. The accuracy of both methods has been tested comparing our results with some published values. The agreement is in general very good. The precision also is satisfactory, being for many elements better than 10%. After these tests, a study on some rock samples from the basaltic plateau of Kenya, east of Gregory Rift, has been performed by ENAA. Among the elements determined in this work, the rare earch elements (REE) can give significant petrogenetic information, by means of their distribution and fractionation in the rocks. The main parameters investigated are the degree of fractionation of light (La to Eu) relative to heavy (Gd to Lu) REE and the occurence of Eu anomalies, when the REE concentrations are compared to chondritic values. The evaluation of detection limits by TNAA has been performed for REE in sediment samples from Thyrrenian Sea (Central Italy).     

Study on the contents of trace rare earth elements and their distribution in wheat and rice samples by RNAA

The concentrations of 8 REE (La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb and Lu) in wheat and rice samples have been determined by RNAA. The contents and distributions of REE in each part of the plants (i.e. root, leaf, stem, husk and seed) and their host soils were studied, which included samples applied with rare earch elements in farming and control samples. The effects of applying rare earths on the uptake of REE by the plants and the REE accumulation in the grains on human health were also discussed in this paper.     

交流电弧中共存稀土元素对光谱线强度影响的研究

本工作较系统地研究了在交流电弧中不同量的共存稀土元素镝、钬，饵，铥和镱对某些被测稀土元素光谱线强度的影响。用交流电弧激发溶液干渣样品，其样品是在固定量的被测元素溶液中各自分别加入不同量的共存元素镝、钬、铒、铥和镱，摄谱后测量各被测元素的光谱线强度对共存元素在溶液中各个不同浓度作关系曲线。     

黔西南卡林型金矿床稀土元素地球化学特征

分析了黔西南地区板其、、丫他及戈塘等卡林型金矿床的(La/Yb)N、(La/Sm)N、∑REE及LREE/HREE等稀土元素的含量及参数特征.结果表明,该区金矿床相对富集LREE;该区戈塘金矿具有明显的MREE富集及正Eu异常的特点,表明成矿热液应该是一种还原性流体,来源于深部或至少经历过对富含斜长石源区的水-岩反应矿...     

Distribution of rare earth elements in the estuarine and coastal sediments of the Daliao River System, China

The Daliao River System (DRS) estuary in Liaodong Bay features a highly industrial, urbanized, and agricultural catchment. The objective of this study was to determine the content, behavior, and distribution of the rare earth elements (REEs) in the estuarine and coastal sediments. To this end, 35 sediment samples were collected from the estuarine and coastal area and analyzed for REEs, Fe, Al, and Mn. The mean concentrations in mg kg^?1 of the sediments were 33.4 (La), 64.1 (Ce), 7.9 (Pr), 29.0 (Nd), 5.4 (Sm), 1.2 (Eu), 4.2 (Gd), 0.78 (Tb), 4.0 (Dy), 0.84 (Ho), 2.3 (Er), 0.40 (Tm), 2.3 (Yb), and 0.37 (Lu). The REE concentrations in the sediments were significantly correlated with one another (r ²  = 0.959–0.988) and the concentrations of Fe, Al, and Mn (r ²  = 0.768–0.870). The total concentration ∑REE ranged from 73.5 to 203.5 mg kg^?1, with an average of 156.0 mg kg^?1 being observed, and generally higher in the estuarine sediments than in the coastal sediments, most likely due to the salt-induced coagulation of river colloids and subsequently their accumulation at the estuarine bottom. The ratio of light REEs (∑LREE) to heavy REEs (∑HREE) was 9.4. Chondrite-normalized REE distributions were observed to be similar for the estuarine and coastal sediments, riverine suspended particles, and watershed soils of the DRS with higher LRRE enrichment than HREE and greater Eu depletion than Ce depletion. These results demonstrate that neither geochemical processes that carry soils to estuarine sediments nor long-term industrial and agricultural activities alter the distribution or fractionation of the REEs in the study area.     

Ion-exchange chromatography of glycolatocomplexes of rare earths

Summary The ion-exchange behavior of glycolatocomplexes of the rare earths (Sc, Y and lanthanides) with 1-octanesulfonate as the hydrophobic ion has been investigated in aqueous glycolate media. The system is capable of separating adjacent light intra rare earths, La-Ce-Pr-Nd-Y-Sm, and heavy rare earths, Ho-Er-Tm-Yb-Lu-Sc, from each other with good resolution by gradient elution at room temperature. Intermediate rare earths, Dy-Tb-Gd-Eu-Sm, are difficult to separate from each other. The position of Y in the eluate is different from that found with most other eluent systems used for rare earth separations, being between Nd and Sm.     

FT-IR study of rare earth 4-aminobenzenesulfonate complexes

The crystal structure of lanthanum 4-amino-benzenesulfonate complex has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystal data indicate that lanthanum and neodymium 4-amino-benzenesulfonates are isomorphous. The FT-IR spectroscopic study of rare earth 4-amino-benzenesulfonate complexes showed that the spectra of light rare earth (La, Nd, Sm, Eu) complexes are similar and so are the spectra of heavy rare earth (Dy, Er, Y) complexes. There are remarkable differences between the spectra of light rare earth and heavy rare earth complexes. Based on above results, we infer that light rare earth (La, Nd, Sm, Eu) complexes are isomorphous and three heavy rare earth (Dy, Er, Y) complexes are of a different structure but also isomorphous.     

Simultaneous determination of 14 lanthanides and yttrium in rare earth ores by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A method is described for simultaneous determination of 14 lanthanides and yttrium in monazites and xenotimes by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The ore samples were decomposed by heating with nitric acid/perchloric acid or hydrofluoric/nitric/perchloric acids, or sulfuric acid, or by fusion with sodium carbonate. Among these methods, treatment of the samples with sulfuric acid, by evaporation to dryness followed by dissolution of the residue with hydrochloric acid is recommended; it provided complete decomposition for the five monazites and xenotimes examined. The accuracy and precision of the results were significantly influenced by spectral interferences of the rare earth elements themselves; correction methods and factors are given. The chondrite-normalized rare-earth patterns were examined to characterize the monazite and xenotime samples.