Determination of trace concentration of boron in ADU by the nuclear track technique

A method for the determination of boron concentration in extracted (NH₄)₂ U₂O₇·H₂O (ADU) has been used. One ml of the aqueous solution is irradiated with thermal neutrons from a 10 Ci Am/Be neutron source with a flux of 0.2·10⁵ n·cm^–2·s^–1 and thermal column in the IRT-5000 with a flux of about 10⁷ n·cm^–2·s^–1. The alpha-activity due to the reaction¹⁰B(n, )⁷Li is recorded by a CR-39 alpha track detector. After the exposure, the alpha tracks are made visible in an optical microscope at magnification of 800X by etching the detector in 6N NaOH, and the track density is determined using calibration curves of known concentrations of boron. The boron concentration of the extracted ADU was found to be 5 ppm.     

A gas flow proportional detection system for the determination of boron in aerosol samples and other sample types

This work describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a lucite bodied proportional gas detection system for the analysis of boron in selected samples via detection of the charged particles produced in the 10B(n,)⁷Li reaction induced by thermal neutrons. The detector was designed for internal placement of samples; the sample types of major interest were airborne aerosols collected on filters or particulate impaction plates. Samples were irradiated with the detector in the thermal neutron field produced in the graphite thermal column of the University of Lowell's one megawatt research reactor. Determined sensitivities for boron varied from 6.2·10^–8 to 1.73·10^–6 cpm·ng^–1 (n·cm^–2J·s^–1)^–1 depending on the physical characteristics of the samples. For a nominal counting time of ten minutes the lower limit of mass detection of natural boron was determined to be 12.1 nanograms. The analytical method was applied to the estimation of boron in fourteen samples of natural aerosols collected on membrane filters. Analysis of prepared samples and natural aerosol samples by ICP emission showed good agreement with analysis via the (n,) reaction. Application of the method to other sample types was demonstrated by the determination of boron in samples of borosilicate glass and borated polyethylene.     

Photometrische Bestimmung von Bor in hochreinen Chemikalien

Zusammenfassung Bor reagiert in Form des Tetrafluoroboratkomplexes mit dem basischen Farbstoff Methylenblau unter Bildung eines mit 1,2-Dichlorethan extrahierbaren Ionenassoziatkomplexes. Die optimalen Bedingungen für die photometrische Bestimmung von Mikromengen Bor werden ermittelt und das vorgestellte Verfahren hinsichtlich Empfindlichkeit, Genauigkeit und kleinster bestimmbarer Menge charakterisiert.Die Borbestimmung ist im Bereich von 0,25–2,5 g Bor mit einer relativen Standardabweichung von 3,8% für 1,0 g Bor möglich. Der molare Extinktionskoeffizient beträgt ₆₆₅=8,2·10⁴1·mol^–1·cm^–1, die Nachweisgrenze nach Kaiser 0,125 g Bor.Das Verfahren wurde zur Bestimmung von 10^–6 bis 10^–5% Bor in folgenden hochreinen Chemikalien eingesetzt: Methanol, Ethanol, Isopropanol, Aceton, Mineralsäuren, Essigsäure, Ammoniak und Wasserstoffperoxid.

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Photometric determination of boron in high-purity chemicals

Summary Boron reacts with fluoride to form borofluoride which itself reacts with the basic dye methylene blue forming a complex which can be extracted into 1,2-dichloroethane. Optimum conditions were established for the determination of microamounts of boron by an extraction-photometric method. The procedure presented has been characterized with regard to sensitivity, precision and detection limit.Boron can be determined within a range from 0.25 to 2.5 g with a relative standard deviation s _rel=3.8% for 1 g B. The absorptivity is ₆₆₅=8.2·10⁴1·mol^–1·cm^–1, the detection limit according to Kaiser was found to be 0.125 g B.The procedure was used to analyse high-purity chemicals (10^–6–10^–5% B) such as organic solvents, mineral acids, acetic acid, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide etc.

     

Determination of boron traces in rye grass BCR 281 by isotope dilution mass spectrometry

Summary A method for the isotope dilution mass spectrometric (IDMS) determination of boron in rye grass at the 5 g · g^–1 level has been developed. The mass spectrometric measurements are performed using negative thermal ionization at masses 42 (¹⁰B¹⁶O¹⁶O^–) and 43 (¹¹B¹⁶O¹⁶O^–). The ¹⁰B/¹¹B ratios are corrected for the ¹⁰B¹⁶O¹⁷O^– contribution at mass 43 and for mass fractionation. The chemical blank is determined using the standard addition method. The numerical calculations are done with a least square fit computer program. The method has been applied for the certification of boron in BCR 281 (Rye Grass). The boron content of this reference material has been established as (5.64±0.56) g·g^–1.

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Bestimmung von Borspuren in Rye Grass BCR 281 durch Isotopenverdünnungs-Massenspektrometrie

     

Immobilization of Urease and Cholinesterase on the Surface of Semiconductor Transducer for the Development of Light-Addressable Potentiometric Sensors

Various methods for the immobilization of urease and butyrylcholinesterase on the insulator surface of a laser-scanned semiconductor transducer (LSST) have been tested and compared for the development of an enzyme-based light-addressable potentiometric sensor (LAPS). The method of preparing photocurable membranes on LAPS is presented, and a new type of enzyme LAPS with photocurable polymeric enzyme membranes has been elaborated. It was found that sensors prepared by means of covalent bonding and cross-linking with inactive protein (type SIII) and with photocurable membrane matrices (type SIV) are more prospective. The enzyme LAPSensors with photocurable membranes demonstrate a degree of sensitivity close to the theoretical value and working ranges of 6.3·10^–5–1.1·10^–2 and 1·10^–4–1·10^–1molL^–1 urea for acrylamide and acrylate-based membrane matrices, respectively, and 2.5·10^–4–2·10^–1molL^–1 butyrylcholine for an acrylamide membrane matrix. It is shown that such sensors can be also used for the analysis of enzyme inhibitors.     

Multinuclear macromolecule metal complexes 2. Preparation and characterization of Prussian blue and its analogs bonded to pofy(vinylamine hydrochloride)

Prussian blue and its analogs bonded to poly(vinylamine hydrochloride) (PVAm · HCl) containing Fe^II or Fe^III and M²⁺ (M=Fe, Co, Cu) in a 11 molar ratio were obtained by the reaction of [Fe(CN)₆] ^n– (n=3,4) with M²⁺ ion-PVAm · HCl mixture in aqueous solution. Under a limited polymer concentration (T_VAm/T_Fe over 10), these polymer complexes thus obtained were stable and soluble in water. By casting these solutions, colored films can be produced. The formation of Prussian blue and its analogs bonded to PVAm · HCl was also investigated by the Benesi-Hildebrand method. The molar extinction coefficients of intervalence charge transfer (Fe^IIFe^III, Co^IIFe^III, Fe^IICu^II) band for MFe(CN)₆]^(n–2)– bound to PVAm · HCl (M=Fe, Co, Cu) were found to be 10,100–9601 · mol^–1 · cm^–1 at 25 C. The formation constants were found to be in the range of 10⁷ to 10¹⁰ M^–1. The changes of enthalpy (H) and entropy (S) were found to be in the range of –10.4 to –22.5 kJ · mol^–1 and 5.7 to 52.9 J · K^–1 mol^–1 respectively, at 25C.     

Extraction-spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) with PAR and N-octylacetamide

A new and simple method for selective spectrophotometric determination of uranium(VI) with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and N-octylacetamide into benzene over pH 7.0–9.0 is described. The molar absorptivity of the complex with 9 different amides is in the range of (0.40–3.2)·10⁴ 1·mol^–1·cm^–1 at the absorption maximum. Out of these, the most sensitive compound N-octylacetamide (OAA) was chosen for detailed studies in the present investigation. The detection limit of the method is 0.008 g U·ml^–1. The system obeys Beer's law in the range of 0–5 g U·ml^–1. The method is free from interferences of most of the common metal ions except vanadium(V) and copper(II), which are masked by proper masking agents. The composition of the complex is determined by curve-fitting method. The method has been applied for the recovery of the metal from rock samples and synthetic mixtures.     

Optical and gamma irradiation studies of morin in ethanol

Spectral studies of morin in aqueous ethanol and other alcohols have been carried out as a function of its concentration and that of ethanol, and the pH of aqueous buffer. The effect of gamma radiations on morin solution in ethanol was also studied as a function of dose in the range of 0.15–2.28 kGy and of morin concentration (10^–5–10^–4 mole·dm^–3). Morin concentration in ethanol solution showed a linear response for G values to a dose of 1.83 kGy. Molar absorption coefficients () for morin in ethanol have been estimated to be _260nm=2.28·10⁴ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 and _291nm=8.22·10³ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 for unirradiated and _{291 nm}=1.75·10⁴ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1 for irradiated solutions to a dose of 1.83 kGy.     

Pulse radiolysis investigations on the reactions of primary radiolytic species of water with atropine

On pulse radiolysis of N₂O saturated aqueous solutions of atropine, an optical absorption band (_max at 320 nm,e=2.81·10³ dm³·mol^–1·cm^–1) was observed, which is assigned to the product of reaction of OH radicals with the solute. This absorption decayed following second order kinetics with a rate constant of 4.5·10⁸ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The rate constant for the reaction of OH radicals with atropine as estimated by following the build-up kinetics is 2.7·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The H atoms also reacted with this compound to produce a transient absorption band behaving similarly to the one observed in the case of reaction with OH radicals. The transient species formed in both cases is assigned to a radical derived by H atom abstraction by H/OH radicals from the parent compound. This radical was unreactive towards 2-mercaptoethanol. e _aq ^– was found to react with atropine forming a transient band with _max at 310 nm (=3.55·10³ dm³·mol^–1). Its decay was also second order with a rate constant of 1.64·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. The bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of e _aq ^– with atropine as estimated from the decay of e _aq ^– absorption at 720 nm is 3.9·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1. Specific one-electron oxidizing and reducing agents (such as Cl ₂ ^– , Tl²⁺, SO ₄ ^– and (CH₃)₂COH, CO ₂ ^– , respectively) failed to oxidize or reduce this compound in aqoues solutions. The radical anion of atropine formed by its reaction with e _aq ^– was found to reduce thionine and methyl viologen with bimolecular rate constant of 3.8·10⁹ and 3.2·10⁹ dm³·mol^–1·s^–1, respectively.     

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of geochemical and cosmochemical samples: A fast and reliable method for small sample analysis

We have developed a fast and reliable procedure to routinely measure the abundances of up to about 35 elements even in small (<1 mg) samples. Depending on the type of samples, they are either irradiated for about 8 hours at a flux of about 2·10¹²n·cm^–2·s^–1, or up to 100 hours at a flux of about 6·10¹³n·cm^–2·s^–1. As standards, high-purity synthetic multielement standards and well-characterized geological reference materials are used. Synthetic standards are used as primary standards because they have several advantages over secondary (geological) standards. Three to four counts are done one each sample, starting 1–3 days after the end of the irradiation. We use high-purity germanium (HpGe) detectors with high efficiencies and very good energy resolution (1.6–1.8 keV at 1332 keV). To allow high throughput rates we use fast preamplifiers and gated integrator spectroscopy amplifiers with fast fixed conversion time ADCs. The signals are fed into an acquisition interface module (AIM) and via Ethernet into a Micro VAX. To allow better peak deconvolution, 8k spectra are taken where possible. A specially designed annular NaI(TI) guard detector allows Compton suppression spectrometry. The system uses standard software and was tested with sets of geological standards and has given reliable results for a wide variety of samples, e.g., cosmic spherules in the 30–200 g weight range.     

Spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of cadmium using Cd(II)-KI-Crystal violet system in the presence of triton X-100 and PVA

A new highly sensitive spectrophotometric method for determination traces of cadmium using Cd-(II)-KI-Crystal Violet system in the presence of Triton X-100-poly(vinyl) alcohol (PVA) mixture has been developed. The apparent molar absorptivity of the system is 1.77 × 10⁵ 1-mol^–1 cm^–1 and its Sandell's sensitivity is 6.35 × 10^–4 g·Cd·cm^2–. Beer's law is obeyed up to 0.32 g·Cd(II)·ml^–1. The method has been applied to determine Cd(II) in waste water, rice and pork meat samples with satisfactory results.     

Spectrophotometric and first-derivative spectrophotometric determination of cadmium witho-hydroxybenzenediazoaminoazobenzene (HDAA)

The synthesis ofo-hydroxybenzenediazoaminoazobenzene (HDAA) is described. Cadmium forms with HDAA in the presence of Triton X-100 a 13 complex, which gives a maximum absorption at 520nm with an apparent molar absorptivity of 1.97 × 10⁵1 · mol^–1 · cm^–1 in pH 10 borax buffer solution and 1.52 × 10⁵1 · mol^–1 · cm^–1 in ammoniacal medium. In both media, Beer's law is followed in the range of 0 –10 g of cadmium in 25ml of solution and the coefficients of variation do not exceed 1.5%. A derivative method has been employed to determine cadmium in certain waste water samples without separation.     

The New Fluorescence Enhancement System Eu<Superscript>3+</Superscript>-ARADE-HMTM-Al<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and its Analytical Application

A new bis-Schiff base ligand, N,N-bis-(4-N-aminothiourea-2-amylidene)-4,4-diaminodiphenyl ether (ARADE), was synthesized. Its complex with Eu³⁺ in DMF emits the intrinsic fluorescence of Eu³⁺. The fluorescence intensity of the Eu³⁺-ARADE system was enhanced about 60-fold by the addition of hexamethylene tetramine (HMTM) and potash alum. This is a new fluorescence enhancement phenomenon. The excitation and emission wavelengths are 375nm and 615nm, respectively. Under optimal conditions, the fluorescence intensities vary linearly with the concentration of Eu³⁺ in the range of 7.8×10^–9–1.75×10^–5mol·L^–1 with a detection limit of 5.2×10^–9mol·L^–1, or with the concentration of Al³⁺ in the range of 3.1×10^–7–9.7×10^–5mol·L^–1 with a detection limit of 2.7×10^–7mol·L^–1. The interferences of some rare earth metals and other inorganic ions were described. This method was applied to the determination of Eu³⁺ in high purity yttrium oxide and the analysis of Al³⁺ in alloy steel standard samples. The mechanism of fluorescence enhancement was also studied.     

Extractive spectrophotometric determination of palladium from acidic high activity nuclear waste

A simple and rapid method for spectrophotometric determination of palladium from highly acidic and highly radioactive nuclear waste using -benzoin oxime (ABO) as extractant and isobutyl methyl ketone (hexone) as diluent has been developed. The method can be employed over a wide range of nitric acid concentrations and for palladium concentrations in the range of 1·10^–5M to 4·10^–4M in the organic phase. The molar absorptivity was found to be 4·10³l·mol^–1·cm^–1. Influence of various heavy metal ions, fission products and corrosion products was studied. The method was found to give a precision and accuracy better than 4% at 100 g of palladium.     

Spectrophotometric determination of iron in aluminium metal and some non-ferrous alloys

A new, sensitive and selective spectrophotometric method is suggested for the determination of traces of iron(III) based on complex formation with hematoxylin in presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Addition of CTAB shifted the absorption maximum of the iron-hematoxylin complex from 630 to 640 nm and increased its molar absorptivity from 9.88 × 10⁴ to 1.16 × 10⁵ 1·mol^–1·cm^–1. The method adhered to Beer's law up to 0.4 and 0.2 g/ml of iron in presence and absence of CTAB, respectively. The corresponding values of Sandell's sensitivity were 0.5 and 0.6 ng·cm^–2. The effect of reagent and surfactant concentrations, pH and standing time were investigated. EDTA, tartrate and sodium fluoride were used as masking agents for most of the interfering ions. The method was successfully used for the determination of iron in aluminium metal and some non-ferrous alloys.     

Sensitive spectrophotometric determination of tin with Pyrogallol Red and cetyldimethylbenzylammonium ions

Summary Tin(IV), in the presence of cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (CDBA), forms with Pyrogallol Red (PR) a complex SnPR-CDBA. This complex floates at the interface between hexane and aqueous medium. It dissolves in acetone and can be advantageously used for the determination of tin. The molar absorptivity is 6.5×10⁴ l·mole^–1·cm^–1 at 480 nm. The method is selective when citric acid is used as masking agent. Phosphate, fluoride, EDTA, nitrite and sulphide interfere.

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Zusammenfassung Zinn(IV) bildet mit Pyrogallolrot (PR) in Gegenwart von Cetyldimethylbenzylammoniumchlorid (CDBA) einen Komplex. Dieser wird flotiert, in Aceton gelöst und zur Bestimmung von Zinn verwendet. Der molare Absorptionskoeffizient bei =480 nm beträgt =6,5·10⁴ l·mol^–1 cm^–1. Die Methode ist selektiv, wenn Zitrate zur Maskierung verwendet werden. Es stören Phosphat, Fluorid, ÄDTA, Nitrit und Sulfid.

     

Extraction and spectrophotometric determination of uranium in phosphate fertilizers

An extraction and spectrophotometric method for determination of trace amounts of uranium in phosphate fertilizers is described. It is based on the extraction of uranium with trioctylphosphine oxide in benzene and the spectrophotometric determination of uranium with Arsenazo III in buffer-alcoholic medium. The maximum absorbance occurs at 655 nm with a molar absorptivity of 1.2·10⁴ l·mol^–1·cm^–1. Beer's law is obeyed over the range 0.6–15.0 g·ml^–1 of uranium(VI). The proposed method has been applied successfully to the analysis of phosphate fertilizers with phosphate concentrations of 45% P₂O₅.     

A study by pulse radiolysis of the radiation-chemical transformation of aqueous solutions of hydrazine in the presence of oxygen

It is shown by pulse radiolysis that in aqueous solutions of hydrazine containing oxygen the radical N₂H₃ reduces oxygen to O₂ ^– at pH > 7 (k 3·10⁹ dm³· mole^–1·sec^–1), while this reaction does not occur for the protonated form N₂H₄ ⁺ at pH < 7 (k, 5·10⁶ dm³·mole^–1·sec^–1). The rate constants for the disappearance of O₂ ^– have been determined in the pH range from 4 to 12. Rate constants have been calculated for the reaction of O^– with N₂H₄ [k=(1.6 ±0.2)·10⁹ dm³·mole^–1·sec^–1] and of O₃with N₂H₄ [k=(1.2 ±0.2)·10⁶ dm³· mole^–1·sec^–1].Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 341–345, February, 1991.