Plutonium, 90Sr and 241Am in human bones from southern and northeastern parts of Poland

The paper presents the results of our study on ²³⁸Pu, ²³⁹Pu, ²⁴⁰Pu, ²⁴¹Am and ⁹⁰Sr concentration in human bones carried out on a set of 88 individual samples of central Europe origin. Bone tissue samples were retrieved under surgery while introducing hip joint implants. The conducted surgeries tend to cover either southern or northeastern parts of Poland. While for the southern samples only global fallout was expected to be seen, a mixed global and Chernobyl fallout were to be reflected in the others. Alpha spectrometry was applied to obtain activity concentration for ²³⁸Pu, ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, while liquid scintillation spectrometry for ⁹⁰Sr and mass spectrometry to receive ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu mass ratio. Surprisingly enough, and to the contrary to our expectations we could not see any significant differences in either Pu activity or Pu mass ratio between the studied populations. In both populations Chernobyl fraction proved marginal. The results on ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am confirm similarities between the two examined groups.     

Gamma-emitters 90Sr, 238,239+240Pu and 241Am in bones and liver of eagles from Poland

Summary The present study focused on analyzing samples of bones, livers and kidneys of European white-tailed eagles (Halia?tus albicilla) and lesser-spotted eagle (Aquila pomarina). Bone samples were collected for both species, from 7 and 2 individuals, respectively, whereas liver and kidney samples for white-tailed eagle species only, 2 and 1 individuals, respectively. The samples were analyzed for the presence of gamma-emitters and then for ⁹⁰Sr, ²³⁸Pu, ^239+240Pu and ²⁴¹Am. The applied radiochemical method is presented. Activity concentration in ashen bones (600 °C) for ⁹⁰Sr ranged from 4.6±1.2 to 31.0±2.5 Bq/kg, for ^239+240Pu from <1.7 to 21±4 mBq/kg, for ²³⁸Pu from <2.7 to 6.5±1.3 mBq/kg and for ²⁴¹Am from <1.2 to 6.5±4.4 mBq/kg. Relatively high ^239+240Pu activity concentration of 78±9 mBq/kg (for fresh weight) was recorded in a single kidney sample. The liver samples showed activities of magnitude at least one order lower. No clear correlations were found between the activities of different radionuclides.     

Accumulation of90Sr in sheep bones from different regions of Turkey

In this study, the accumulation of⁹⁰Sr in front leg bones of sheep (meta carpus), which were 1–6 years old and originated from different regions of Turkey, was investigated. It was shown that⁹⁰Sr activity strongly depends on the age of the sheep as well as on its origin. Since⁹⁰Sr is produced during the fissioning process of uranium isotopes in nuclear reactions, the effect of radiation due to nuclear bomb experiments, nuclear reactor accidents or other radioactive pollutants in different regions of Turkey can be concluded from the results obtained.     

A new strontium borophosphate,Sr6BP5O20, from synchrotron powder data

Strontium borophosphate, Sr₆BP₅O₂₀, was prepared by a solution synthesis method. The crystal structure was solved ab initio from synchrotron powder data without preliminary knowledge of the chemical formula. The compound crystallizes in space group Ic2. Sr atoms occupy sites coordinated by eight or nine O atoms, and the anionic layer consists of BO₄ and PO₄ tetra­hedra. The eightfold‐coordinated Sr atom lies at a site with twofold symmetry, while one P atom and the B atom are located on special positions of site symmetry .     

Accumulation of Sr in various bones of animal skeleton

In this study, the accumulation of Sr in various bones of animal skeleton were investigated. Data on the elemental content of Sr in animal skeleton are important for the distribution of radiostrontium. Sr is chemically similar to Ca and therefore the concentrations level of Sr were calculated on a Ca weight basis in the animal skeleton.     

Isolation of iron and strontium from liquid samples and determination of Fe and Sr in liquid radioactive waste

This paper describes the method of isolating iron and strontium from liquid samples with a low concentration of ions that enables simple and rapid determination of and . The method consists of binding (concentrating) Fe and Sr at the cation exchanger Amberlite IR-120, their elution from cation exchanger with 4 M HCl or 8 M HNO₃, isolating Fe on the TRU extraction chromatographic column with 4 M HCl or 8 M HNO₃, and isolating Sr on the Sr.spec column with the mixture of 8 M HNO₃+2 M HCl or 5 M HNO₃. After the isolation, is determined by liquid scintillation counting with scintillation solution, while activity of is obtained by Cherenkov counting in 5 M HNO₃. It was shown that successive counting can be used for simultaneous determination of activity. The activity ratio of (up to 20:1) and vice versa does not impact the determination. is also determined immediately after isolation. The measurements in α,β mode can be used to verify any presence of α-emitter (americium) in the fraction of iron and to correct the result. The method was tested by determining and in model samples and radioactive waste samples. The paper also shows that Fe and Zn can be bound to the TEVA and TRU resins from the solutions of HCl, HNO₃, and mixture of HCl+HNO₃. The binding strength depends on the type of resin and the concentration of the acid or the concentration of acids in the mixture. These resin and acids can be used for mutual separation of Fe and Zn and their separation from other elements.     

Determination of the Sr/Ca ratio in bones by XRFA

Radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis was used for the determination of Sr/Ca ratio in bones to test the influence of a diet on this ratio. The significant differences were observed for Sr/Ca ratio in bones of various animals. Only small differences in the Ca/Sr ratio were observed for the samples of variaous prehistoric human bones.     

Improved method for strontium/calcium coprecipitation by phosphate for89Sr and90Sr analysis in food

When Sr and Ca phosphate are precipitated jointly, a well filterable crystalline product is formed either almost immediately by use of Mg or Mn salts, or without these crystallization starters when a waiting period is observed at the very beginning of phosphate precipitation.     

Isotope analysis of strontium by multicollector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry: High-precision combined measurement of 88Sr/86Sr and 87Sr/86Sr isotope ratios

The paper describes a new high-precision method for the simultaneous precise determination of ⁸⁸Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios in a single portion of a geological sample by multicollector inductively coupled mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The isotope analysis is carried out with mass bias effect correction by a combination of internal normalization to the standard Zr-isotope ratio and bracketing standard method (external normalization). Our results for geochemical IAPSO and BCR-1 standard samples are in a good agreement with the published data. The reproducibility of the ⁸⁸Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio varies from ±0.015 to ±0.05?? (depending on the sample features) and, together with the analysis accuracy, is superior to the previously reported methods of MC-ICP-MS analysis. Still ahead is only double spike thermal ionization mass spectrometry with its ±0.02?? reproducibility. However, the new method allows the simultaneous determination of ⁸⁸Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios and its productivity is higher by 5 to 6 times. On the other hand, in sample preparation, it is necessary to strive for at least 95% Sr yield from the chromatographic column; otherwise the sorption-desorption process may lead to a 0.6?? ⁸⁸Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio bias relative to the true value.     

Removal of 90Sr and 241Am from concentrated Hanford chelate-bearing waste by precipitation with strontium nitrate and sodium permanganate

The Hanford Nuclear Site, near Richland, Washington, is developing a method to simultaneously remove chelated ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am from the liquid phase of high-level nuclear waste using sodium permanganate and cold strontium nitrate. This method has been reported previously for treating diluted waste in the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization facility (WTP) that is currently under construction. This method had not been verified previously for treating the more concentrated waste as it sits in the tank farm. There are a number of logistical advantages to performing this process in the tank farm. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to compare the removal of ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am in diluted waste (WTP conditions) and more concentrated waste (tank farm conditions). Both diluted and more concentrated waste from Hanford tank AN-107 was treated with 3.0 M Sr(NO₃)₂ and 3.8 M NaMnO₄, at a constant cold chemical to radionuclide ratio. The amount of ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am removed was monitored through alpha and beta counting. The removal of ⁹⁰Sr was essentially identical at both levels of dilution. The removal of ²⁴¹Am was slightly better in the diluted sample than in the tank farm sample, but the difference was not large (77 % versus 67 % removed). These results indicate that it is reasonable to expect this ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁴¹Am removal process can be employed in the tank farm.     

90Sr and239+240Pu238Pu241Am in some samples of mushrooms and forest soil from Poland

Strontium-90, plutonium and americium activity concentrations in a few samples of forest soils, some species of mushrooms and fern leaves have been determined. These results are compared with cesium activity concentrations in the same materials obtained in a previous work. Radiochemical procedures are described. The origin of the contamination (Chernobyl accident or nuclear test explosion release) is discussed. The⁹⁰Sr activity concentration ranges from 0.6 Bq/kg (mushroom samples) to 48.4 Bq/kg (fern leaves). For^239+240Pu, it ranges from not detected above background (mushrooms, fern) to 10.8 Bq/kg (humus layer of forest soil). The maximum concentration of²⁴¹Am is found to be 2.4 Bq/kg (humus sample) and for²³⁸Pu it is 0.85 Bq/kg (also in the humus sample).     

238Pu, 239+240Pu, 241Am, 90Sr and 137Cs in mountain soil samples from the Tatra National Park (Poland)

Activity concentrations and inventory for ²³⁸Pu, ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Am, ⁹⁰Sr, and ¹³⁷Cs in soil from Tatra Mountains of Poland are presented. Soil samples were collected using 10 cm diameter cores down to 10 cm and sliced into 3 slices. Details of the applied procedure are described with the quality assurance program. The maximum activity concentrations found for various samples were: 1782±13 Bq/kg, 17.4±0.9 Bq/kg, 3.4±0.3 Bq/kg and 84±7 Bq/kg for ¹³⁷Cs, ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Am and ⁹⁰Sr, respectively. The maximum cumulated deposition of ^239+240Pu is 201±8 Bq/m². The origin of radionuclides is discussed, based mostly on the observed isotopic ratio of Pu. Significant correlations were found between ^239+240Pu, ²⁴¹Am and ¹³⁷Cs. The effective vertical migration rate seems to be in the order of: ⁹⁰Sr≫Pu>Am>Cs.     

Rapid determination of 89,90Sr in wide range of activity concentration by combination of yttrium, strontium separation and Cherenkov counting

The methodology for the rapid determination of ^89,90Sr in wide range of activity concentration is given. Methodology is based on simultaneous separation of strontium and yttrium from samples by mixed solvent anion exchange chromatography, mutual separation of ^89,90Sr from ⁹⁰Y by hydroxide precipitation and quantitative ^89,90Sr determination by Cherenkov counting within 3 days. It is shown that Y and Sr can be efficiently separated from alkaline, alkaline earth and transition elements as well as from lanthanides and actinides on the column filed by strong base anion exchanger in nitrate form and 0.25 M HNO₃ in mixture of ethanol and methanol as eluent. Decontamination factor for Ba, La and other examined elements except calcium is low and can not affect quantitative determination in predictable circumstances. Methodology for quantitative determination by Cherenkov counting based on following the changes of sample activity over time is described and discussed. It has been shown that ^89,90Sr can be determined with acceptable accuracy when ⁸⁹Sr/⁹⁰Sr ratio is over 10:1 and that separation of Y enables reliable determination of ⁸⁹Sr and ⁹⁰Sr in wide range of ⁸⁹Sr/⁹⁰Sr ratios (60:1) and in some cases in presence of other yttrium and strontium isotopes. The methodology was tested by determination of ^89,90Sr in Analytics crosscheck samples (nuclear waste sample) and ERA proficiency testing samples (low level activity samples). Obtained results shows that by using of low level liquid scintillation counter it can be possible to determine ⁸⁹Sr and ⁹⁰Sr in wide range of concentration activity (1–1,000 Bq/L/kg) with uncertainty below 10% within 2–3 days. Results also show that accuracy of determination of ⁸⁹Sr (and ⁹⁰Sr) strongly depends on the determination of difference between separation and counting time when activity ratio of ⁸⁹Sr/⁹⁰Sr is high. Examination the influence of media and vial type on background radiation and counting efficiency has shown that lowest limit of determination can be obtained by using of HNO₃ in plastic vials as counting media, because in this combination figure of merit is maximized. For the recovery of 50% and 100 min of counting time estimated MDA is 55 Bq and 90 Bq for ⁹⁰Sr and ⁸⁹Sr, respectively. Analysis of combined uncertainty shows that it mainly depends on uncertainty of efficiency and recovery determination, uncertainty of activities determination for both isotopes and level of background radiation.