Ultra-sensitive determination of K, Th, U and other trace impurities in liquid organic scintillators by NAA

We present a NAA method to determine ultratraces of K, Th, U and other trace impurities in liquid organic scintillators, which are known as ultrapure detector materials for neutrino or dark matter experiments. A combined optimization of relevant factors for sensitive NAA has been realized, leading to a sensitivity for U down to 10⁻¹⁶g/g. Samples of 250 ml have been irradiated up to 120 h at a thermal neutron flux of 5–8·10¹²·n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹. Acidic extraction, wet ashing and TBP-extraction are used for radiochemical separations. Finally, coincidence techniques are applied for increased sensitivity.     

Neutron activation analysis of uranium in human bone,drinking water and daily diet

Uranium in human bone, drinking water and daily diet has been determined by neutron activation analysis using the²³⁸U(n, γ)²³⁹U reaction. An improved scheme for the separation of the²³⁹U is proposed; with this scheme, after neutron irradiation in a 100 kW TRIGA reactor, a uranium content as low as 5·10⁻¹¹ g can be determined reliably, rapidly and easily. A wide range of uranium concentrations, from about 0.1 ppb up to about 10 ppb has been found in the bones of normal Japanese. Water from several Japanese city water services, and the daily diet taken in two Japanese cities, have been found to contain an average 9·10⁻⁹ g/l and 1.5 μg per person-day uranium, respectively.     

The determination of uranium in biological materials by neutron activation analysis using the fission product134I

A method for the determination of uranium based on²³⁵U thermal neutron fission, has been developed and employed on samples of ashed fish tissue and seaweed. The method involves a post-irradiation ion exchange separation of iodine isotopes. The 884 keV photopeak of¹³⁴I is used for measurement. Uranium detection limits in the samples concerned have been estimated to be 1·10⁻⁸g in terms of natural uranium. The precision achieved in analysing several series of 3–5 samples was 4–10 per cent. The accuracy of the method was tested by employing an independent neutron activation procedure based on²³⁹U measurement. The accuracy of both methods was checked by analysing NBS SRM 1571 ‘Orchard Leaves’.     

Removal of natural uranium from water produced in the oil industry using Algerian bentonite

Batch sorption experiments have been carried out to remove natural uranium (NORM) from water obtained together with crude oil and natural gas, using Algerian bentonites. The effect of some important factors such as S/L ratio, pH, initial concentration, particle size was evaluated and a kinetic study performed. The value of the distribution coefficient (K _d) at equilibrium for natural uranium varied from 30 to 600 cm³·g⁻¹ and 50 to 1100 cm³·g⁻¹ (∼10% margin error) using natural bentonite and drilling bentonite, respectively. The isotherms showed that the data are consistent with both Freundlich and Langmuir models.     

Experimental comparison of the relative yield of 3γ/2γ positron annihilation using semiconductor and scintillation detectors

The yield of three photon positron annihilation is measured using semiconductor and scintillation detectors in a comparison for applications in positron emission tomography, particularly in the exploitation of three photon positron annihilation imaging where good energy resolution and good efficiency are required. In this experimental study four detectors, High-purity Germanium (HPGe), Sodium Iodide (NaI(Tl)), Lanthanum Chloride (LaCl₃:10%Ce³⁺) and Lanthanum Bromide (LaBr₃:5%Ce³⁺) were used. The peak-to-peak method was used with a ²²Na source to determine these yields. Aluminium was employed as a reference material as its high electron density reduces positronium formation and lifetimes. Teflon was also used in order to enhance the formation of ortho-positronium, since quenching is low, leading to increased three photon positron annihilation. The relative 3γ/2γ yields obtained were (3.04±0.11)·10⁻², (2.17±0.11)·10⁻², (3.26±0.10)·10⁻² and (2.03±0.11)·10⁻² for LaBr₃:Ce, LaCl₃:Ce, NaI(Tl) and HPGe detectors, respectively. Among these detectors LaBr₃:Ce proved to be the detector of choice for three photon imaging applications as it has both good energy resolution and efficiency.     

Study of kinetics,equilibrium and isotope exchange in ion exchange systems. II

The kinetics of isotope exchange in the²³⁸U(VI)-²³³U(VI)-strongly acidic cation exchanger Ostion KS system was studied in the temperature range 275–307K and for total uranium concentration 2.94·10⁻⁴–1.75·10⁻² mol·l⁻¹ in UO₂(NO₃)₂ solution. The experimental results were evaluated by means of the “two-film mass-transfer model” and by the use of Fick's diffusion equations which have been proved more suitable for the system studied than McKay's equation. The influence of the temperature was evaluated using the Arrhenius equation. The diffusion character of the process follows also from the value of the activation energy (15.12 kJ·mol⁻¹). In comparison with the UO ₂ ²⁺ ↔H⁺ ion exchange⁶ the isotope exchange studied is faster and less dependent on temperature (the activation energy is substantially lower).     

Improvement in the determination of traces of uranium in aqueous medium having high dissolved organic carbon and chloride ion by alpha-spectrometry

During this work the determination of uranium in the range of μg·L⁻¹ to tens of μg·L⁻¹ was done by alpha-spectrometry after electroplating the aliquots of water sample using (NH₄)₂SO₄ as an electrolyte. In general, the determination of uranium by alpha-spectrometry needs its separation from other transuranics specially thorium. The process described here does not involve any sample digestion and radiochemical separation of uranium from other transuranics. In this method an aliquot (1 to 3 mL) of the sample was dried and dissolve in (NH₄)₂SO₄ and thereafter the sample was electroplated on a stainless steel (SS) planchet by using an electrochemical cell of special design. The proposed techniques have a distinct advantage over the determination of uranium by adsorptive stripping voltammetry (AdSV) in which uranium-chloranilic (2,5-dichloro-3,6-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone) acid complex was used for concentrating the uranium from the solution. Since in the case of AdSv, the determination of uranium was not possible for samples having dissolved organic carbon (DOC) more than 15 mg·L⁻¹ and Cl⁻ concentration is in the range of 40,000 μ·g⁻¹. In the case of spike experiments with ²³²U the recovery was observed in the range of 90–95% in aqueous medium having higher concentration of Cl⁻ and DOC as indicated above.     

Extraction of U(VI) with Cyanex 302

U(VI) was quantitatively extracted from 1·10⁻³M HNO₃ using 5·10⁻³M Cyanex 302 in xylene and was stripped from organic phase with 5M HCl. The optimum extraction conditions have been evaluated by studying parameters like acidity, effect of diluents, extractant concentration and period of equilibration. Based on this data, the separations of uranium from binary and complex metal mixtures and its recovery from uranmicrolite tailings (leachate) were successfully tested. Uranium can be determined with a relative standard deviation of 0.4%.     

Determination of microamounts of neptunium by differential pulse polarography

Neptunium is produced in significant amounts in the “light-water” reactors and must be controlled at different steps of fuel reprocessing. For this purpose, we have developed a method of differential pulse polarography. A tight cell containing 10 ml solution is set up in a Faraday cage. Adjustment to the tetravalent state, Np(IV), is carried out electrochemically on a mercury layer and the Np(IV) concentration is determined by differential pulse polarography, using a dropping mercury electrode. In 0.5M sulfuric acid medium, the redox potential of the reversible couple Np(IV)/Np(III) is-0.3V/SCE. Concentrations as low as 5·10⁻⁷M neptunium can be measured and detection at the 2·10⁻⁷ M level is still possible. (0.5μg in the polarographic cell). Precision is about 2% in the 10⁻⁵M and 10% in the 10⁻⁶M range. The method has been applied to aqueous and organic (TBP_dodecane) solutions. Neptunium can be determined without separation in the presence of plutonium or uranium at M/Np ratios of 10³ and 5·10⁴, respectively. In the presence of fission products a separation is needed.     

Coprecipitation as a means for the determination of zirconium traces by isotope dilution analysis in the presence of substoichiometric amounts of complexones

The possibility of using coprecipitation on Cu(OH)₂·nH₂O and Fe₂O₃·nH₂O precipitates to separate a part of zirconium unreacted with complexone in the presence of a 100-fold amount of impurities has been examined. The reaction between ethylenedia-minetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and zirconium 10⁻³−10⁻⁵ M has been used as substoichiometric reaction. A zirconium determination in the concentration range of 10⁻⁴−10⁻⁶ g/ml in artificial mixtures and steel samples has been developed using the systems of EDTA-Zr−Cu(OH)₂·nH₂O and EDTA−Zr−Fe₂O₃·nH₂O.     

Applications of gamma-spectrometry in determining chlorine in aqueous solutions

A method is described for the radioanalytical determination of traces of chlorine in aqueous solutions without radiochemical separation or purification. Using a gamma-spectrometer with monocrystal scintillator, the sensitivity of the analysis is about 1·10⁻⁸ g of chlorine/ml, the time of analysis being 15 minutes. For the selective determination of chlorine in aqueous solutions containing a large amount of impurities, a bicrystal scintillation sum-coincidence spectrometer was employed with 120×100 mm NaI(Tl) crystals and thus the³⁸Cl cascade radiation could be used. Application of the sum-coincidence spectrometer allowed a reliable determination of 1·10⁻⁷ g of Cl/ml against a background of 1·10⁻⁵ g of Na/ml.     

Neutron activation analysis of rare earth impurities in metallic uranium

A method with a sensitivity of 2·10⁻⁷ to 1·10⁻¹⁰% has been developed for determining Yb, Ho, Dy, Gd, Eu, Sm and La impurities in metallic uranium by means of neutron activation. The method is based on a preliminary chromatographic separation of the total amount of rare earth elements from uranium by passing the solution in sulphuric acid through KU-2 cation exchange resin and eluting the traces of uranium retained by the resin with a solution of ascorbic acid. The rare earth impurities are then eluted from the resin with 4–5N HCl, evaporated, and irradiated for 20 hours with a neutron flux of 1.2·10¹³ n·cm⁻²·sec⁻¹. Subsequently the traces of the rare earth elements are co-precipitated with Fe(OH)₃, dissolved in concentrated HCl and separated from the iron and other impurities by passing the solution through Dowex 1X8 anion exchange resin in the chloride form. The individual rare earth elements are then separated from each other using KU-2 cation exchange resin and a solution of ammonium α-hydroxyisobutyrate as the eluant.     

Epithermal neutron activation analysis of uranium by neptunium-239 using high resolution gamma-spectrometry

The possibility to use the most intensive gamma-peak of²³⁹Np for INAA of uranium with epithermal neutrons and high resolution Ge(Li)-spectrometry is evaluated. A way for calculation of the peak area of overlapping peaks of¹⁵³Sm and²³⁹Np is proposed. This can be used in other similar cases in the practice of NAA. On this basis a scheme for NAA of uranium in geological objects is proposed. Lower detection limit is 8·10⁻⁸ g U the precision 5–10% (relative standard deviation). The accuracy is demonstrated by the analysis of some geological standard reference materials.     

Effective complex formation in the interaction of 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (Deferiprone or L1) with uranium(VI)

In an effort to develop new chelating agents for the decorporation of uranium and other actinides, the interaction of the clinically used 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (Deferiprone or L1) with hexavalent uranium was investigated by using UV-VIS spectroscopy and solubility measurements. The complex stoichiometry estimation carried out by the Job plot method indicated that under normal conditions up to pH 8.0 a 1[U(VI)]∶1[L1] complex is formed. The stability constant of the UO₂L1⁺ complex was determined by spectroscopic and solubility experiments and found to be log β₁₁=9.1±0.3. The molar extinction coefficient at pH 7.6 for the complex at 500 nm was estimated to be 650 l·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹. At ligand concentrations higher than 6·10⁻⁴ mol·l⁻¹ the formation of a precipitate was observed. The stoichiometry UO₂(L1)₂ was identified following FTIR measurements of the red precipitate and UV/VIS spectroscopy after dissolution.     

Search for uranium in high purity silicon

Detection of small quantities of uranium in silicon wafers has been carried out by neutron activation followed by observation of fission product¹⁴⁰La. Irradiations of about one week were made at a flux of 6·10¹⁴n cm⁻² s⁻¹ and the activity of the 1596 keV line was determined. Counting rates of as low as 1 count per minute have been observed. This indicates uranium concentrations of about 5·10¹⁰ atoms per cubic centimeter of silicon or about 0.01 mg/g, assuming activity from other fissionable nuclides to be negligible.     

Epithermal neutron activation determination of uranium in environmental waters by neptunium-239 after preconcentration on activated carbon

A method for the analysis of uranium in natural waters based on preconcentration of uranium on activated carbon, irradiation with epithermal neutrons, and a high resolution gamma-spectrometry of²³⁹Np was developed. The chemical yield of uranium preconcentration is determined by treating a parallel sample to which a known uranium quantity is added. The lower limit of determination amounts to 1.4·10⁻⁸ g uranium per liter. The possible interfering in gamma-spectrometry of neptunium-239 was discussed too. The applicability of the proposed method is shown by the analysis of uranium in sea-, river-, geothermal-, drinking- and rain-water samples.     

Measurement of alpha-decay constant to fission cross section ratio for actinides using solid state nuclear track detectors

A simple technique based on the measurement of the ratio of alpha-decay constant to neutron induced fission cross section for pure actinides using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) is developed for the identification of the actinides in trace levels in pure solutions. The alpha-decay constant to fission cross section ratios for depleted U,²³⁸Pu and²⁴⁰Pu have been measured for the epicadmium neutron induced fission of these actinides. The measured values are (6.19±0.34)·10⁶, (6.95±0.26)·10¹², (2.12±0.95)·10⁹ and (2.18±1.58)·10¹¹ sec⁻¹·cm⁻², respectively. These ratios can be used for the trace level identification of pure actinides.     

Radioactivation analysis of aluminium,vanadium, copper,molybdenum, zinc and uranium in natural water samples using organic coprecipitants

A method is described for the determination of trace metal ions, V, Al, Cu, Mo Zn, and U, in natural water samples by neutron activation analysis, using organic coprecipitation as a preconcentration method. The preconcentration of trace elements was accomplished by converting the dissolved trace metal ions into the oxine chelates atpH 5.2 and extraction of the chelates witho-phenylphenol which is a liquid above 56 °C and solidifies at room temperature. After cooling the extraction system, the fine particles of the organic phase were collected on a millipore filter and the precipitate was air-dried in a clean environment. The solid extract was wrapped up in a sheet of clean polyethylene and subjected to neutron irradiation in a reactor for less than 10 min at a thermal flux of 2·10¹³ n·cm⁻²·sec⁻¹. γ-Ray spectrometry by a coaxial Ge(Li) detector connected to a 1024-channel PHA was performed on the irradiated sample without further chemical separation, and thus the ppb level concentration of the elements in natural water samples could be determined. The fundamental study of the collection of the trace elements is also described.     

Voltammetric study of the interaction of the ofloxacin–copper complex with DNA, and its analytical application

The electrochemical behavior of the ofloxacin–copper complex, Cu(II)L₂, at a mercury electrode, and the interaction of DNA with the complex have been investigated. The experiments indicate that the electrode reaction of Cu(II)L₂ is an irreversible surface electrochemical reaction and that the reactant is of adsorbed character. In the presence of DNA, the formation of the electrochemically non-active complexes Cu(II)L₂-DNA, results in the decrease of the peak current of Cu(II)L₂. Based on the electrochemical behavior of the Cu(II)L₂ with DNA, binding by electrostatic interaction is suggested and a new method for determining nucleic acid is proposed. Under the optimum conditions, the decrease of the peak current is in proportional to the concentration of nucleic acids in the range from 3 × 10⁻⁸ to 3 × 10⁻⁶ g · mL⁻¹ for calf thymus DNA, from 1.6 × 10⁻⁸ to 9.0 × 10⁻⁷ g · mL⁻¹ for fish sperm DNA, and from 3.3 × 10⁻⁸ to 5.5 × 10⁻⁷ g · mL⁻¹ for yeast RNA. The detection limits are 3.3 × 10⁻⁹, 6.7 × 10⁻⁹ and 8.0 × 10⁻⁹ g · mL⁻¹, respectively. The method exhibits good recovery and high sensitivity in synthetic samples and in real samples.     

The Spontaneous Fission Decay Constant of 238U Using SSNTD

This work reports the results of 5 measurements of the ²³⁸U decay constant for spontaneous fission, _f carried out using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD), resulting in a mean value of _f = (8.35±0.24)· 10^–17 y^–1. The neutron fluence of the irradiations needed for these measurements were monitored with thin films of natural uranium.