Exposure risk assessment of uranium intake of the milk products from the region of Pernambuco,Brazil

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Haloperidol (HP) is a dopamine blocking agent. HP was radiolabeled with 125I using direct electrophilic substitution. Different HP formulations...     

226Ra, 228Ra and 228Ra/226Ra in surface marine sediment of Malaysia

Surface sediment samples were collected at the West (east coast and west coast of Peninsular Malaysia) and East (Sabah and Sarawak) Malaysia in several expeditions within August 2003 until June 2008 for determining the level of natural radium isotopes. Activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra in surface marine sediment at 176 sampling stations were measured. The activity concentrations of both radionuclides in Malaysia (East and West Malaysia) display varied with the range from 9 to 158 Bq/kg dry wt. and 13 to 104 Bq/kg dry wt., respectively. Meanwhile, the ratio distributions of ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra were ranged from 0.62 to 3.75. This indicated that the ratios were slightly high at west coast of Peninsular Malaysia compared to other regions (east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak). The variation of activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra and its ratios were also supported by the statistical analyses of one-way ANOVA and t test at 95 % confidence level, whereby there were proved that the measured values were different between the regions. These different were strictly related to their half-life, potential input sources (included their parents, ²³⁸U and ²³²Th), parent’s characteristic, the geological setting/formation of the study area, environment origin and behavior.     

Chemical analysis of dairy cattle feed from Brazil

The bovine dairy cattle demand diets of high nutritional value being essential to know chemical composition of feed supplied to cows to achieve high levels of quality, safety and productivity of milk. Different roughages and concentrates from Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul states, Brazil, were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Concentrate and roughage samples were differentiated by mass fractions of As, Ba, Mg, P, Rb and Sr. Samples of concentrate from both origins were differentiated by mass fractions of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Ni and Rb.     

Marine radioactivity concentration in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Peninsular Malaysia: 226Ra, 228Ra and 228Ra/226Ra

The present occurrence of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra in marine sediment core and fish from the Exclusive Economic Zone in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia were studied. Sediment core and biota in respectively was collected using multicorer device and purchased from local fishermen at identified stations during the cruise expedition conducted in 2008. The purpose of this study was to determine and to make available an inventory of activity concentration levels and activity ratio for these radionuclides in this region. The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra in sediment core and edible part of fish were ranged between 15.9–46.5 and 27.7–87.1 Bq/kg dry wt and; 0.80–2.13 and <0.95–3.57 Bq/kg fresh wt, respectively. Meanwhile, the activity ratios of ²²⁸Ra/²²⁶Ra in sediment core and fish were varied with the range between 1.63–2.09 and 0.45–2.38, respectively. Refer to those ranges the activity concentrations of radium isotopes were comparable with other region. Thus, it can be concluded that the occurrence of radium isotopes mainly supplied from terrestrial sources and the factors of assimilation efficiency and transfer coefficient of radium may probably effect to the variation activity concentration of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra and its activity ratio in edible part of pelagic and demersal fish obtained in this study.     

Transfer of 226Ra, 85Sr and 137Cs from milk to milk products</p> </p>

Summary Transfer of ²²⁶Ra, ⁸⁵Sr and ¹³⁷Cs from cow and sheep milk to various Syrian dairy products has been evaluated. Dairy products include Kashkivan cheese, braided cheese, Haloom cheese, Sircassian cheese, liquid cheese, native cheese, cottage, thick yogurt, butter and milk cream. The results showed that the percentage of ²²⁶Ra, ⁸⁵Sr and ¹³⁷Cs transferred from cow milk to milk cream (P_t=food processing retention factor′processing efficiency′100%) has reached 32%, 16% and 7%, respectively. Butter and liquid cheese were found to have the lowest percentage of transferred 226Ra, ⁸⁵Sr and ¹³⁷Cs. Most of the obtained P_t values of the studied radionuclides in thick yogurt were relatively low in spite of the high processing efficiencies of thick yogurt. Moreover, the transfer, P_t, of the studied radionuclides from cow milk to the prepared cheese was higher than those values determined for sheep milk. This is due to differences in chemical compositions of each type of milk. On the other hand, the treatment of Native cheese, most commonly consumed cheese in Syria, with different concentrations of NaCl solutions showed that ¹³⁷Cs was completely removed from cheese soaking in 5% NaCl solution (soaking time of 48 hours), while 40% of ²²⁶Ra and 80% of ⁸⁵Sr were also decontaminated using 0-2.5% NaCl solutions and soaking time of 48 hours. Based on the obtained results, industrialization processes of the dairy products that resulted the removal of radionuclides have been identified.</p> </p>     

Factors affecting the electrodeposition of226Ra

The electrodeposition of²²⁶Ra for -spectrometry was reinvestigated to improve reproducibility and yield. Electrodeposition is from 20 ml of 90% propan-2-ol10% 0.05M HNO₃ onto stainless steel disks, using 100 mA at 35 V for 20 minutes and a platinum anode. Half deposition time is 3–4 minutes. The following factors were found important: 1. Maintaining the same anode position. 2. Rotation of cathode. 3. Exclusion of sulphate. 4. Avoiding heating the HNO₃/propan-2-ol plating solution. 5. Exclusion of solubilised resin resulting from passage through ion-exchange columns. 6. Maintaining other impurities at less than 10 g. If these precautions are followed yields are greater than 90%.     

Study of the immobilization of226Ra

A study of the immobilization for²²⁶Ra waste has been carried out. Cement-based concrete was used as a matrix for the solidification of radium waste. The experimental results show that the cement mixture with water/cement between 0.46–0.54 has higher strengh (above 20 MPa), and the compressive strength was not reduced by addition of 1% barite or the radium waste (RaSO₄) into the concrete solid.Sponsored by the National Nuclear Corporation of China.     

224Ra correction for determination of 226Ra in environmental materials

The most commonly available 226Ra determination was too time-consuming to be suited to 226Ra monitoring for the accidental release. The formula for determination of 226Ra was derived by 224Ra correction for WHO's equation. A rapid determination of 226Ra in environmental materials was made possible by using this formula. The 226Ra values of the soil and natural water at Ningyoh-Tohge obtained by the present method were in good agreement with those by the conventional WHO method. It was demonstrated that 226Ra of more than about 37 mBq (1 pCi) in the sample could be determined within 4 days by this method.     

226Ra, 228Ra and 210Pb Isotopes in Some Water Samples of Mines

A method for the determination of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²¹⁰Pb in water samples of mining regions by measuring the and intensities with the help of a liquid scintillation counter is presented. The high-energy part of the -particle spectrum emitted by ²¹⁰Bi is used for the determination of ²¹⁰Pb content in the samples. An attempt is also given to explain the radioactive disequilibrium between ²²⁶Ra and ²¹⁰Pb in the samples investigated.     

Acaricidal and repellent activity of terpenoids from seaweeds Collected in Pernambuco, Brazil

n-Hexane and dichloromethane extracts obtained from Laurencia dentroidea (Rhodophyta) and Canistrocarpus cervicornis (Phaeophyta) were investigated for their acaricidal and repellent properties against Tetranychus urticae under laboratory conditions. The two extracts displayed moderate toxicity and good repellent proprieties, and were significantly more toxic (36-fold) than the positive control (eugenol), whereas eugenol was tenfold more repellent than either seaweed extract. The sesquiterpenoid elatol (1) was isolated from L. dentroidea and the diterpenoid seco-dolastane (4R,9S,14S)-4alpha-acetoxy-9beta, 14alpha-dihydroxydolast-1(15),7-diene (2) from C. cervicornis, the chemical structures of which were characterized by NMR spectroscopic data (1H and 13C) and by comparison with literature data. These compounds exhibited moderate toxicity, but a high degree of repellent activity against T. urticae. The findings suggest that marine natural products, specifically terpenes, can be employed for the development of new pesticides and become prototype agrochemical agents.     

Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 228Ra, 222Rn and their health impact in the groundwater of Jordan

The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²²²Rn were measured in 87 groundwater samples to estimate the activity concentrations of these radionuclides and health impact due to intake of these radionuclides in groundwater of Jordan. The mean activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²²⁸Ra and ²²²Rn in groundwater were found to be 0.293?±?0.005 Bq L^?1, 0.508?±?0.009 Bq L^?1 and 58.829?±?8.824 Bq L^?1, respectively. They give a mean annual effective dose of 0.481 mSv with mean lifetime risk of 24.599?×?10^?4, exceeding the admissible limit of 10^?4. Most of the received annual effective dose (59.15% of the total) is attributed to ²²⁸Ra.

     

Rapid determination of 226Ra in environmental samples

A new rapid method for the determination of ²²⁶Ra in environmental samples has been developed at the Savannah River Site Environmental Lab (Aiken, SC, USA) that can be used for emergency response or routine sample analyses. The need for rapid analyses in the event of a Radiological Dispersive Device or Improvised Nuclear Device event is well-known. In addition, the recent accident at Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant in March, 2011 reinforces the need to have rapid analyses for radionuclides in environmental samples in the event of a nuclear accident. ²²⁶Ra (T1/2?=?1,620?years) is one of the most toxic of the long-lived alpha-emitters present in the environment due to its long life and its tendency to concentrate in bones, which increases the internal radiation dose of individuals. The new method to determine ²²⁶Ra in environmental samples utilizes a rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method for solid samples, calcium carbonate precipitation to preconcentrate Ra, and rapid column separation steps to remove interferences. The column separation process uses cation exchange resin to remove large amounts of calcium, Sr Resin to remove barium and Ln Resin as a final purification step to remove ²²⁵Ac and potential interferences. The purified ²²⁶Ra sample test sources are prepared using barium sulfate microprecipitation in the presence of isopropanol for counting by alpha spectrometry. The method showed good chemical recoveries and effective removal of interferences. The determination of ²²⁶Ra in environmental samples can be performed in less than 16?h for vegetation, concrete, brick, soil, and air filter samples with excellent quality for emergency or routine analyses. The sample preparation work takes less than 6?h. ²²⁵Ra (T1/2?=?14.9?day) tracer is used and the ²²⁵Ra progeny ²¹⁷At is used to determine chemical yield via alpha spectrometry. The rapid fusion technique is a rugged sample digestion method that ensures that any refractory radium particles are effectively digested. The preconcentration and column separation steps can also be applied to aqueous samples with good results.     

Influence of Ba on the electrodeposition of226Ra

A detailed study of the influence of barium on the electrodeposition of²²⁶Ra was made using two different procedures. High yields (80–90%) were attained when the amounts of barium were not very significant. However, the²²⁶Ra yields fell drastically for amounts slightly greater than 0.10–0.15 mg of Ba, according to the electrodeposition procedure. Samples containing trace amounts of barium less than 100–150 g can thus be treated with no barium-radium separation being required.²¹⁰Po was also deposited, although practically no influence of barium on the Po plating was observed. The²²⁵Ra resolution rose uniformly (25 to 55 keV) as the amount of barium rose up to 1 mg. These resolutions allow one to make a direct accurate determination of²²⁶Ra as well as an indirect determination of²²⁴Ra and²²³Ra via measurement of their daughter products.     

Assessment of 226Ra and 228Ra activity concentration in west coast of India

An investigation on the distribution of ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra activity concentration in coastal surface sea water from Okha in Gujarat to Ratnagiri in Maharashtra state along the west coast of India was carried out. In-situ pre-concentration technique was used to measure radium isotopes by passing 1,000 L of seawater through MnO₂ impregnated polypropylene filter cartridges at all the locations. ²²⁶Ra was estimated using gamma ray peak of its daughter radionuclides ²¹⁴Bi and ²¹⁴Pb. ²²⁸Ra was estimated from its daughter ²²⁸Ac. In the coastal waters, ²²⁶Ra and ²²⁸Ra activity concentration were observed to be in the range of 1.5–2.9 and 2.5–8.6 Bq m^?3 with a mean of 2.2 and 4.9 Bq m^?3 respectively. The activity of ²²⁸Ra was observed to be more than ²²⁶Ra in all the locations. The variation in spatial distribution of the radium isotopes activity concentration and its ratio with respect to location is discussed in the paper. The radioactive database obtained represents reference values for coastal environment of India.     

Volatile constituents of two species of Protium from the Atlantic rainforest in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil

The chemical composition of the essential oils from Protium giganteum and P. aracouchine was determined, for the first time, using GC-MS analysis. From the oil of P. giganteum, 32 components were identified, representing 93.9% of the oil, and from P. aracouchine, 29 components, representing 97.8% of the oil. Among the compounds identified in the P. giganteum oil, 93.6% were sesquiterpenes, with beta-caryophyllene (26.0 +/- 0.8%), globulol (9.3 +/- 0.2%), alpha-cadinol (7.0 +/- 0.5%), alpha-humulene (6.4 +/- 0.1%) and germacrene D (6.2 +/- 0.3%) as the major components. Among the 29 compounds identified in the P. aracouchine oil, 95.9% were sesquiterpenes as well, with spathulenol (31.8 +/- 1.6%), alpha-cis-bergamotene (8.8 +/- 0.2%) and viridiflorol (9.7 +/- 0.7%) as the major components.