Thermal neutron capture gamma-rays from natural cerium and osmium

A revised table of energy and intensity of prompt gamma-rays from thermal neutron capture in natural cerium and osmium is recommended for use in high resolution analytical prompt gamma-ray spectroscopy.     

2-D reconstruction of elemental distribution within a sample using neutron capture prompt gamma-rays

The technique of emission tomography employing neutron capture prompt gamma-rays is described. Experiments have been carried out to demonstrate this technique employing a high flux reactor neutron beam using an HPGe detector and a scanning system which incorporates a BBC microcomputer for control, data acquisition, image reconstruction and display. Neutron tomography of the same object was also performed in order to correct the emission tomography results for the neutron flux depression within the sample. The images produced represent the intensity of the induced gamma-ray of interest, and hence the concentration of the isotope of interest.     

Determination of elemental sulfur in coal by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for the determination of S0 in coal based on the extraction with cyclohexane with subsequent quantitative analysis of elemental sulfur in the extract by GC/MS is described. The quantity of elemental sulfur was determined in four coal samples with different distribution of sulfur forms. The effect of solvent and extraction time on the efficiency of sulfur removal was studied. The elemental sulfur extracted from coal occurred in the form of S6, S7 and S8. Calibration solutions were prepared from freshly recrystalized elemental sulfur. It was found that the injection temperature has a crucial influence on the m/z 64 ion chromatogram.     

添加剂对燃煤电石渣固硫的促进作用

在煤的燃烧过程中采用钙基固硫技术脱除SO2等气体污染物,是实现煤高效清洁燃烧的有效措施之一。传统钙基固硫剂价格低廉,但普遍存在固硫剂利用率低,固硫反应速率与硫析出速率不一致,以及高温下形成的固硫产物易于分解等缺点。研究表明,在钙基固硫剂中掺入微量添加剂可以有效提高钙基固硫剂的固硫率。添加剂主要起两大作用,一是对煤的燃烧过程有助燃和促进作用,提高钙基利用率;二是在燃烧过程中形成耐热稳定的物相或熔融物相包裹固硫物相,从而抑制固硫物相的分解,阻止SO2的排放。     

Leakage radiations in a medical electron accelerator facility--X-rays and capture gamma-rays

Absorbed dose rates of photons are measured in the maze of a medical electron accelerator facility. Radiations in the maze include high energy recoiled electrons other than low energy reflected X-rays. An ionization chamber for low energy X-rays is used for measurement, and is put in a build-up cap thick enough to obstruct the recoiled electrons of which contribution to the chamber output comes sometimes equal to that of X-rays. Dose rates of capture gamma-rays in the maze are estimated applying the calculation of neutron dose equivalent rates reported in the preceding paper. It is proved that capture gamma-rays are dominant in the dose rates measured in the maze at 14 MV X-ray generation. The estimated absorbed dose rates of total photons including capture gamma-rays and reflected X-rays agree with the measured ones in the range from +10% to -27%.     

Determination of sulfur in cosmetic products using ion-selective electrode

A method for the indirect voltammetric determination of sulfur is proposed. A solution of hydrazine hydrate was used as an alkaline medium to transform sulfur into sulfide. The optimal conditions were chosen for sulfur determination using ion-selective electrode and the results agree with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Determination of sulfur in organic compounds using a barium-selective electrode

A procedure was developed for determining sulfur (>1.5 abs %) in sulfur-containing organic compounds. The procedure was based on the combustion of a sample portion in a flask filled with oxygen followed by the potentiometric titration of sulfate ions with barium nitrate in a water-acetone solution. In distinction from analogous procedures, halogens and metals contained in the analyzed compound did not interfere with the determination of sulfur. The error of determination was below 3 rel %.     

Determination of sulfur in coal and ash slurry by high-resolution continuum source electrothermal molecular absorption spectrometry

We propose a procedure for the determination of sulfur in coal slurries by high resolution continuum source electrothermal molecular absorption spectrometry. The slurry, whose concentration is 1 mg mL^− 1, was prepared by mixing 50 mg of the sample with 5% v/v nitric acid and 0.04% m/v Triton X-100 and was homogenized manually. It sustained good stability. The determination was performed via CS molecular absorption at 257.592 nm, and the optimized vaporization temperature was 2500 °C. The accuracy of the method was ensured by analysis of certified reference materials SRM 1632b (trace elements in coal) and SRM 1633b (coal fly ash) from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, using external calibration with aqueous standards prepared in the same medium and used as slurry. We achieved good agreement with the certified reference materials within 95% confidence interval, LOD of 0.01% w/w, and RSD of 6%, which confirms the potential of the proposed method.     

Determination of fluorine by the spectrometry of prompt gamma-rays

The use, for analysis, of prompt gamma-rays excited by 5 MeV alpha-particles from the reactions¹⁹F(α,α′γ)¹⁹F,¹⁹F(α, nγ)²²Na and¹⁹F(α, pγ)²²NE, was studied. The precision of the analyses depended on the gamma-ray energy used for the measurement. Relative standard deviations were ±1.8, ±0.9 and ±1.3% using the 110-, 197- or 1275 keV gamma-rays. The method was tested with N. I. M. standard materials of calcium fluoride and fluorspar, and was used as a rapid method for the determination of fluorine in cements.     

Determination of PCBs in tetrachlorinated quinone using gas chromatography with electron capture detection

A simple, sensitive method for determining polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in industrial product 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone with GC/ECD detection has been developed. The method based on liquid-liquid extraction from tetrachlorinated quinone dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide was found to be efficient for the determination of the levels of the investigated pollutants. A series of extraction and purification steps were designed for the sample pretreatment. The congener specific averages of recoveries were 82-96% for Aroclor 1242 and 1254 at a total spiking level of ca. 0.4 mug g(-1) sample. The reproducibilities of replicate determinations of different congeners were typically 5-19% except one with the average 13% R.S.D. (n=3). This method was applied to evaluate the background levels of PCBs in tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone, of which the corresponding PCB levels varied from 0.014 to 1.5 mug g(-1).     

Determination of suspended particles of submicron size in high-purity sulfur using laser ultramicroscopy

Suspended particles were determined in sulfur by laser ultramicroscopy after transferring the test sample to the liquid state while retaining the spectrum of particle sizes. An automated laser particle analyzer for high-purity liquids is described, and the results of analyses of samples of high-purity sulfur are presented     

Optimization of parameters of sampling and determination of reduced sulfur compounds using cryogenic capture and gas chromatography in tropical urban atmosphere

Reduced sulfur compounds, RSCs (H₂S, COS, CH₃SH, CH₃SCH₃, CS₂ and CH₃S₂CH₃) play a role in global cycle and acid rain formation. At trace levels RSCs in air are difficult to collect, store and analyze because of their highly adsorptive and reactive properties. This work optimizes parameters of sampling and instrumental determination of RSCs for urban measurements. The method used is based on cryogenic sampling and gas chromatography provided with a cryofocusing trap and flame photometric detection.Greater sampling efficiency was obtained with liquid argon as freezing fluid and air flow rate of 150 mL min^? 1 for two hours. Best results have been obtained with preconcentration for 3 min and injection volume of 3 ml. For H₂S, CH₃SH and CH₃S₂CH₃ the method showed a precision of 89%, limit of detection of 0.10 µg m^? 3 and limit of quantification 0.3 µg m^? 3. For CH₃SCH₃ and CS₂ the corresponding values were 89%, 0.15 µg m^? 3 and 0.5 µg m^? 3 and for COS were 75%, 0.18 µg m^? 3 and 0.8 µg m^? 3 respectively. Sampling efficiency varied between 70–80% for all the RSCs. Accuracy of H₂S from field measurements obtained with parallel measurements using a continuous monitor varied between 88 and 98%. The optimized methodology proved to be suitable for field measurements in urban tropical atmospheres with different characteristics.     

Determination of sulfur dioxide in air

The determination of sulfur dioxide in air is based on a preliminary purification with a cellulose filter and 80% isopropanol and absorption of sulfur dioxide by means of two midget impingers in 0.3 N hydrogen peroxide. The formed sulfate is titrated in an aliquot with 0.005 M barium perchlorate employing Chlorophosphonazo III (CPA) as an indicator. The method is suitable for 0.3–19.0 mg of sulfur dioxide per 50 liters of air. The standard deviation of the titration is ±0.02 ml per consumption of 5.00 ml and is four times smaller than that of the Thorin method.     

Determination of moisture in cheese and cheese products

Variables related to oven-drying samples of cheese and cheese products to determine moisture content were examined to provide more efficient and reproducible methods. Over 6500 samples of cheese were analyzed in an effort to modify the current AOAC procedure. The gravity atmospheric oven was unsuitable for use in accurate moisture analysis because of wide temperature differentials within the oven cavity. Use of this for oven moisture determination resulted in higher variance, which corresponded to the high temperature variation within the oven. Cheese sample preparation using an Oster blender yielded consistently lower variance in final moisture content than did preparation of cheese samples with a hand grater, rotary grater, and plug and plunger. Sample size of 3 +/- 0.25 g maximized surface area-to-volume ratios and yielded a lower error in final moisture content because of better control of ambient weight loss rates. Use of combination of disposable 5.5 cm diameter aluminum sample pans with 5.5 cm diameter glass fiber filter pads for covers produced a smaller standard deviation for moisture analysis than did the AOAC pan and insert cover and filter paper covers. All pans must be pre-dried for at least 3 h at 100 degrees C, and the glass fiber covers should be pre-dried for 1 h under the same conditions. All dried pans and covers must be stored in a desiccator with active desiccant. Equipment upgrades from the existing AOAC standard methods provide safer more efficient methods of analysis.     

Estimation of sulfur in coal by fast neutron activation

A simple method is described for estimation of sulfur in coal using fast neutron activation of sulfur, i.e.³²S(n,p)³²P and subsequent measurement of³²P -activity (1.72 MeV) by a Geiger-Müller counter. Since the sulfur content of Indian coal ranges from 0.25 to 3%, simulated samples of coal containing sulfur in the range from 0.25 to 3% and common impurities like oxides of aluminium, calcium, iron and silicon have been used to establish the method.     

Determination of fungicides in water using liquid phase microextraction and gas chromatography with electron capture detection

A hollow fiber liquid phase microextraction (HF-LPME) and gas chromatographic-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) method for the determination of six fungicides (chlorothalonil, hexaconazole, penconazole, procymidone, tetraconazole, and vinclozolin) in 3 ml of water was described. The method used 3 μl of toluene as extraction solvent, 20 min extraction time with pH 4, stirring at 870 rpm, and no salt addition. The enrichment factors of this method were from 135 to 213. Limits of detection were in the range of 0.004-0.025 μg/l. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) at 0.1 and 5 μg/l of spiking levels were in the range 3-8%. Recoveries of six fungicides from farm water at a spiking level of 0.5 μg/l were between 90.7 and 97.6%. The method compared favorably with the traditional method in terms of the sample size, analysis time, and cost.     

Determination of traces of sulfur in titanium

Summary The sample is dissolved in hydrochloric acid, and the evolved hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide are absorbed in hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide solutions. After complete dissolution, the sulfur in the absorbents and that remaining in the sample solution are converted with a hydriodic acid-formic acid-red phosphorus reducing mixture to hydrogen sulfide, which is absorbed in a zinc acetate solution and determined by the photometric methylene blue method. A few ppm of sulfur in titanium is determined with an error of ± 10% within 4 to 5 hours.

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Zusammenfassung Die Probe wird in Salzsäure gelöst; Schwefelwasserstoff und Schwefeldioxid, die dabei entstehen, werden in Wasserstoffperoxid und Natronlauge absorbiert. Nach vollständiger Auflösung der Probe wird der Schwefel in den Absorptionslösungen und der in der Probelösung enthaltene Schwefel mit Hilfe eines reduzierenden Gemisches aus Jodwasserstoffsäure, Ameisensäure und rotem Phosphor zu Schwefelwasserstoff umgesetzt, der in Zinkacetat absorbiert und als Methylenblau photometrisch gemessen wird. Wenige ppm Schwefel in Titan können in 4 bis 5 Stunden auf ± 10% genau bestimmt werden.

     

Determination of total and speciated sulfur content in petrochemical samples using a pulsed flame photometric detector

The pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) has the advantage of being able to measure the concentration of individual sulfur compounds and total sulfur content in a petrochemical sample in a single gas chromatography run. Because it is an equimolar response detector, the PFPD's sulfur response is independent of a compound's molecular structure, and this feature allows quantitation of the total or speciated sulfur content in complex samples using a single calibrant. This paper is a survey describing a variety of applications using the PFPD for sulfur quantitation in petrochemical matrices. Several different approaches to quantitation are described, and simple techniques for circumventing the quenching of the sulfur signal by coeluting hydrocarbon peaks are discussed. Examples from a range of real-world samples are presented.