Search for molecular effects in range corrections: Lithium determination by proton bombardment

Three different proton-induced reactions were used to analyze 19 pure lithium compounds of known composition. Prompt alpha-particles were measured from the reaction⁷Li(p, )⁴He at E_p=4.5 MeV and prompt gamma-rays of 429 and 479 keV from the ractions⁷Li(p,n)⁷Be and⁷Li(p,p)⁷Li, respectively, at E_p=4.5 MeV. Elemental stopping powers were calculated from tables and used to compute the stopping power of the target matrices by Bragg's Law. Apparent discrepancies in the measured yield could point to deviations from Bragg's Law and hence to molecular effects. The maximum value for any molecular effect was found to be <5.5%.     

Characterisation of lead rhodizonate as barium and radium adsorber from fresh water

A series of metal -diketonates were irradiated with bremsstrahlung of maximum energy of 50 MeV and the recoil behavior of⁷Be, formed from¹²C of ligands through¹²C(, n)⁷Be reaction, was investigated.⁷Be nuclides thus formed were detected partially as central metal atoms of the complexes. Complex yields of⁷Be were compared and an anomalously high yield was observed in tris-acetylacetonatocobalt(III) [Co(acac)₃].     

The search for molecular effects in range corrections: Chlorine determination by proton bombardments

The prompt gamma-rays 1219-keV³⁵Cl p/1, O/ and the 1763-keV³⁵Cl p/2, O/ induced by 5 MeV protons were measured during irradiation of 15 pure chlorine compounds of known composition. Stopping powers of target materials were calculated from tables and the use of the Bragg-Kleeman rule. Apparent discrepancies in the measured yields could point to deviations from the Bragg-Kleeman rule and hence to molecular effects. The value of any molecular effects was found to be 7.9%.     

Determination of iodine concentration in aqueous solutions by proton activation analysis: preliminary results for digested human thyroids

The aim of our studies is to check the possibilities of using proton activation analysis as a competitive method over other analytical techniques applied for iodine determination. It is well known that long-term irradiation of biological samples leads to their decomposition and formation of gaseous radiolysis products, which increase the pressure inside the sample container. In case of using proton beam another problem with liquid samples appears. It is the production of ⁷Be via spallation reactions ¹⁶O(p, spall)⁷Be. The Compton effect from ⁷Be γ-line increases the detection limits for isotopes with low-energy γ-lines. AIC-144 cyclotron at The Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Science can accelerate protons up to energy of 60 MeV which is sufficient for (p,5n) reaction needed to obtain ¹²³I (T _1/2 = 13.27 h, Eγ = 159 keV, I = 83%) from stable ¹²⁷I, thus the Compton effect from ⁷Be was the main factor perturbing the analysis. Separation and removal of ⁷Be is required to improve the detection limit. The paper presents a method and an example of its application to the determination of iodine concentration in digested fragments of human thyroids obtained during surgical treatment of patients with different types of thyroid tumor.     

Chemical behaviour of7Be recoils formed through12C/γ, nα/7Be reaction in several phthalocyanine complexes

The chemical effect of⁷Be recoils formed through a¹²C/, n/⁷Be process from ligand carbon atoms was investigated in a several phthalocyanines. It was found that⁷Be-phthalocyanine was synthesized by⁷Be recoil. Net radiochemical yields of⁷Be-phthalocyanine were estimated to be 10–20% for copper and zinc phthalocyanines, while for metal-free phthalocyanines, yields above 90% were obtained.     

Die Deprotonierung von Metall-Aquoionen I.: Be · aq2+ Solvatations-Isomerie

The reaction of Be · aq²⁺ with OH^? leeds not only to loss of protons by the metalaquo ion but also to structural changes in the solvation sphere. These can be studied by following the pH variations during the first decisecond after mixing the solutions of metal salt and alkali hydroxide. The equilibrium Be²⁺ ? BeOH⁺ is reached within 5 milliseconds if acid free Beryllium solutions are used. If the metal solution is strongly acidic, however, the establishment of the equilibrium needs more time because of the slowness of the process H⁺ + BeOH⁺ → Be²⁺ (k ～ 10⁵ M^?1, s^?1). The extraction of two protons produces in the first instance an unstable Be(OH) species which transforms into the stable isomer Be(OH)₂ (solvatation isomerism) in a first-order reaction of half-life of 7 ms. This isomerisation causes almost complete disappearance of BeOH⁺ from the equilibrium Be²⁺ ? BeOH⁺ ? Be(OH)₂. (KAKIHANA & SILLEN state that the relaxed solutions contain only Be²⁺, Be(OH)₂, Be₃(OH) and some Be₂OH³⁺.) The formation of the polynuclear species Be₃(OH) needs about 30 seconds to go to completion.     

Determination of boron in magnesium oxide by charged particle activation analysis

The determination of boron in magnesium oxide using the¹⁰B/p, /⁷Be,¹⁰B/d, n/⁷Be, and¹⁰B/d, n/¹¹C reactions is described. Lithium interferes the nuclear reactions leading to beryllium-7. Combination of a proton and deuteron irradiation, each followed by measurement of the induced beryllium-7 activity, allows a simultaneous determination of boron and lithium. The¹⁰B/d, n/¹¹C reaction is free from nuclear interferences. The boron concentration ranges from 1.5 to 850 g g^–1. The results obtained by the two methods are in good agreement.Senior Research Associate of the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research.     

Etude des possibilites de dosage du lithium par activation au moyen de protons et de deutons de moyenne energie

The determination of lithium by measuring⁷Be, produced by proton or deuteron activation, has been studied. The extent of interference from boron or beryllium, which also form⁷Be, was measured. The calculated sensitivity limits when activating for one hour with 10μA beams of 14 MeV protons or 25 MeV deuterons are, for lithium, 1·10⁻¹ and 2.5·10⁻² ppm and for boron, 2·10⁻¹ and 1·10⁻¹ ppm, respectively.      

The in vivo neutron activation analysis of calcium in the skeleton of normal subjects,with hypokinesia and bone diseases

A facility developed for the in-vivo neutron activation analysis (IVNAA) of calcium in some parts of tubular limb bones, in the hand, foot and spine is described. The⁴⁸Ca(n, )⁴⁹Ca reaction is used, the gamma-rays of⁴⁹Ca (E=3.08 MeV, T_1/2=8.8 min) are measured. The irradiation is carried out with five of ten²³⁸Pu–Be neutron sources with a source stength of 5·10⁷ n s^–1 each arranged in a bath filled with water. NaI(T1) detectors (from 2 to 4 in number) of 150×100 mm size supplied with lead and shadow shielding are used in the counting unit. The construction of the facility started in 1972 and has been in operation since 1974. It has been used for the examination of patients suffering from limb bone tumors, of children with rickets-like and similar diseases and for studies in space medicine.     

The multielement potential of fast neutron cyclic activation analysis

Cyclic neutron activation analysis (CNAA), has, in recent years been developed as a useful analytical tool for the assay of short-lived isotopes in single element situations. The work described in this paper investigates the potential of the technique for composite samples having a wide range of elements that produce short-lived and long-lived isotopes on neutron irradiation. Accelerator-derived neutrons with average energies of 3 MeV, 6MeV and 14MeV were employed in what has been dubbed Fast Neutron Cyclic Neutron Activation Analysis (FNCAA). The approach to multi-element analysis entailed: (a) determination of cycle parameters in single element samples via the reactions²⁷Al(n, p)²⁷Mg (9.6 min,E =840keV), and¹³⁷Ba(n, n)^137mBa(2.3min,E =662keV), (b) a test of the method on a composite rock sample, (c) determination of analytical sensitivities using both powdered kale and rock standards and (d) a comparison of analytical results with other techniques. The results obtained in all these measurements are presented and discussed.     

Studies in heavy ion activation analysis

¹⁵N induced radioactivation was used to study the possible trace determination of light elements with 1Z17. 55 nuclear reactions were investigated with ion beam energies ranging from E_1ab=10 MeV to E_1ab=30 MeV. Three elements were found to be determinable non-destructively, selectively and sensitively: Li, Be and Mg. Nuclear interferences have also been defined and quantified. The technique has been tested by analyzing NBS standards. Finally, Li and Be have been determined in glass samples and Mg in various types of alumina.     

Excitation functions of proton-induced nuclear reactions on124Xe: Production of123I

Highy enriched gaseous¹²⁴Xe /99.9%/ is used to perform instrumental measurements of excitation functions of the¹²⁴Xe/p, 2n/¹²³Cs and¹²⁴Xe/p, pn/¹²³Xe reactions up to the proton energy of 33 MeV. Differential and integral yields of¹²³I have also been determined /6.6 h after irradiation/.     

Radioisotope production at the Kazakhstan cyclotron

Cyclotrons play an important role for production of carrier-free radioisotopes for various applications in the nuclear medicine, industry, ecology and science. Kazakhstan variable energy isochronous cyclotron, K = 50 MeV, is a 150 cm compact-pole 3 sector positive ion machine. It generates different beams of light ions: protons 6-30 MeV, deuterons 12.5-25 MeV, ³He-ions 18.5-62 MeV, alpha-particles 25-50 MeV. In the last years the cyclotron is rather intensively used for radioisotopes production to meet the needs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main users of radioisotope products are the Institutions of Healthcare Ministry and enterprises of oil-chemistry, metallurgy, mining, scientific institutes etc. In this submission a survey on radionuclides production including ²⁰¹Tl, ⁶⁷Ga, ⁵⁷Co, ¹⁰⁹Cd, ⁸⁸Y, ⁸⁵Sr is presented. Practically at all production stages (target preparation, extraction, purification and concentration of a product) original approaches were realized: (1) at target production by means of electrolysis the modes of reverse plating of the material for irradiation and technological layers were finalized, and at ⁶⁷Ga production new extraction with better characteristics were used; that made the deeper purification from zinc, copper and iron possible. At the development of the technologies of the sealed sources production the following results were obtained: (1) ¹⁰⁹Cd production for X-ray fluorescence analysis, and production of experimental samples for Mössbauer sources ⁵⁷Co at rhodium and palladium backings. The tracers ²³⁷Pu, ⁸⁸Y and ⁸⁵Sr used for development of the set of methods for ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am determination in the samples from Semipalatinsk Test Site were produced via nuclear reactions with alpha-particles on ²³⁵U and protons on ⁸⁸Sr, ⁸⁵Rb targets. Produced radiopharmaceutical preparations ²⁰¹Tl chloride and ⁶⁷Ga citrate are supplied to medical centers of Almaty.     

Production of123I using the CV-28 cyclotron at IPEN-CNEN/SP

These studies had the purpose of establishing the optimal conditions for the production of¹²³I through the¹²⁴Te (p, 2n)¹²³I reaction, using the CV-28 Cyclotron (E_max=24 MeV for protons) at IPEN-CNEN/SP. Two different targets (TeO₂ and TeO₂+2% Al₂O₃) were irradiated in order to check their physical resistance against beam current (up to 12 A) and length of irradiation (10 min — 2h), and to evaluate the recovery of the radioiodine produced, by a dry distillation process with a high frequency induction furnace. Later on, enriched¹²⁴TeO₂ (96.2%) targets were irradiated, and¹²³I was produced routinely with a production yield of (3. 31±0.07) mCi/Ah, 1.7% of¹²⁴I at EOB and radiochemically pure.     

Determination du fluor dans les milieux aqueux par activation au moyen de photons gamma

An apparatus ensuring identitical irradiation conditions for three samples and a standard of large volumes is reported. The interference caused by the protons originating from the¹⁶O(γ, p)¹⁵N reaction is determined. Results show that the secondary rection¹⁸O(p, n)¹⁸F induced by the protons of the former reaction gives an apparent fluorine content in natural waters of 0.015 μg/g for a maximum gamma photon beam energy of 21 MeV.      

Particle-induced-gamma-ray-emission spectrometry applied to the determination of light elements in individual grains of granite minerals

The quantitative determination of Li, Be, B, F is feasible using a sensitive and non-destructive method by the analysis of the prompt -rays induced with charged particles (PIGE). The irradiation source is a Van de Graaff accelerator, and -analysis has to be performed during the irradiation. Measurements were made at the CERI laboratory in Orléans with the PIGE method using a 100×300 m² focused beam of 3MeV particles. Among the applications, micas along a drill core from the Beauvoir granite were analyzed. Bulk analyses of light elements in the drill core have previously been made. Coarse-grained micas were selected, individually irradiated and directly analyzed in polished thin sections from different elevations in the drill core. The sensitivity depends on the cross-sections of the nuclear reactions, on the particle current and on the duration of the irradiation. With a particle current irradiation of 25 nA during 1000 seconds, a 20 ppm limit of detection is reached for Be, 25 ppm for Li, 900 ppm for B and 450 ppm for F. A large variation of Be contents in the micas was found at equal drill hole elevations, and there was no strong correlation between whole-rock compositions and the mineral chemistry. The latter have been determined both by PIGE and by mineral separation and ICP analyses. On the other hand, a strong Li–F correlation was observed between the fluor-polylithionite and muscovite end-members, supporting previous analyses from equal elevation wells on sorted micas. Be–Li correlation is poorly defined, but the contents of the micas analyzed remained between the contents of bityite (Be–Li bearing mica) and lepidolites (Li-bearing micas) end-members. This suggests a solid-solution between the end-members, the extent of which is very narrow because the Be contents were not higher than 500 ppm. The detection limit is a function of the spatial resolution, because the current of the incident (or p) particles decreases with the impact size. The results show that the analysis of small individual grains of minerals with PIGE can thus be complementary to other analytical methods such as the electronic microprobe.     

Simultaneous production of96Tc and111In by α-particle irradiation of stacked Nb and Ag foils,and their carrier-free separations

In order to produce routinely carrier-free⁹⁶Tc and¹¹¹In, their simultaneous production was examined by means of the stacked foil method. Both niobium and silver foils were arranged on the target holder so as the desired nuclear reactions took place effectively. Simultaneous irradiation of the target with 35 MeV -particles produced effectively¹¹¹In and⁹⁶Tc by the¹⁰⁹Ag(, 2n)¹¹¹In and⁹³Nb(, n)⁹⁶Tc reactions, respectively. Sufficient amounts of radioactivities for tracer uses are obtained by the irradiation at 5 A current for 2 hrs. In addition, carrier-free⁹⁶TcO₄ ^– in a perchloric acid solution could be prepared by the combined use of precipitation and anion-exchange methods. Separation of carrier-free¹¹¹In from the silver matrix was done by means of solvent extraction using acetylacetone as a chelating agent.     

On the use of relative deceleration values for the determination of magnesium by PIGE

By spiking the sample and analyte standard with a compound containing a common non-analyte element, to which a relative deceleration property for 5 MeV protons has been ascribed, relative deceleration values for these target materials could be obtained by PIGE. These values are used to correct for matrix effects in elemental analysis using PIGE techniques. Following this approach, the determination of magnesium in the reference standards BSC 308, Cr XXXI, SARM 8 and SARM 9 was investigated by measuring the yield of the 390 keV²⁵Mg p(2,1) and 585 keV²⁵Mg p(1,0) -rays. Lithium carbonate was employed as the non-analyte spike and magnesium oxide as the analyte comparator.     

Preparation of carrier-free group tracers from a gold target irradiated by high-energy heavy ions

A rapid radiochemical separation procedure has been finished by using of radiochemical separation and -spectrum measurement methods. In this isolation procedure, tantalum nuclides produced by the irradiation of natural tungsten targets with 14 MeV neutrons were extracted by methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) in the system of HF-HNO₃ mixed solutions. It has been found that tantalum was rapidly and efficiently separated in the isolation procedure and the decontamination factors of tungsten were more than 10⁴. The procedure is simultaneously used to separate tantalum from tungsten bombarded with intermediate energy (47 MeV/u)¹⁸O beams. The measured -spectra showed that tantalum can be separated from most elements produced in the nuclear reactions except for a few elements.     

Photoluminescence study of silicon solar cells irradiated with large fluence electrons or protons

In order to investigate the anomalous degradation of space silicon solar cells which was found in large fluence region, photoluminescence measurements are carried out for the cells irradiated with 1 MeV electrons with a fluence exceeding 1×10¹⁶ e/cm² and 10 MeV protons with a fluence exceeding 1×10¹³ p/cm². For both irradiation, the intensity of boron-related bound exiton line decreases with fluence and it disappears at the fluences where the anomalous degradation occurs. The dominant defect is a complex of an interstitial carbon and an interstitial oxygen (C_I–O_I). The generation of five-vacancy-defects was also observed for the proton irradiation. Variations of photoluminescence line intensity are discussed in terms of displacement damage dose calculated based on non-ionizing energy loss (NIEL).