Procedures to define Pu isotopic ratios characterizing a contaminated area in Palomares (Spain)

Plutonium isotopic ratios have been calculated in soils contaminated by the Palomares accident which occurred in 1966 (Almería, Southeastem Spain). Contrasted techniques have been used to determine the radionuclide activities:²³⁸Pu and^238+240Pu were analysed by -spectrometry prior purification on anion-exchange resins, the ratio²³⁹Pu/²⁴⁰Pu was estimated by -spectra deconvolution and²⁴¹Pu was directly measured by liquid scintillation counting and indirectly through quantification of in-grown²⁴¹Am from aged plutonium discs. The mean activity ratios²³⁸Pu/²³⁹Pu,²³⁹Pu/²⁴⁰Pu,²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu, backdated to 1966, were 0.027±0.002 (1), 4.5±0.2 (1) and 8.2±0.8 (1), respectively, characterizing the accident of Palomares as the source term of the measured plutonium.     

Investigation of New Ion-Conducting ORMOLYTES: Structure and Properties

Two families of hybrid organic-inorganic composites exhibiting Li⁺ ionic conduction (ORMOLYTES) have been prepared by the sol-gel process. The first family, prepared from a mixture of 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane, O,O Bis (2-aminopropyl)-polyethyleneglycol (or O,O Bis (2-aminopropyl)-polypropyleneglycol) and lithium salt, presents chemical bonds between the organic and the inorganic phase and an ionic conductivity higher than 10^-4 S m^-1 at room temperature. Their properties have been related to their structure using liquid state NMR measurements of ⁷Li between -100°C and +100°C and the DMTA technique. In the second family, prepared by ultrasonic method from a mixture of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), polyethyleneglycol (PEG) and lithium salt, the organic and inorganic phases are not chemically bonded. Ionic conductivity has been studied as a function of the polymer chain length and concentration. Values of up to 10^-2 S m^-1 at room temperature have been obtained (with a silica-PEG₃₀₀ system, PEG/TEOS = 40% in weight). Again, structure was investigated by liquid state ⁷Li NMR measurements.     

Transfer activity coefficient of the proton in water-pyridine mixtures. A comparison of some extrathermodynamic assumptions

Various water-pyridine mixtures have been selected in order to compare several of the most popular extrathermodynamic assumptions involved in the determination of the transfer activity coefficient of the proton, _t(H⁺). Two techniques have been utilized for this purpose: voltammetry [study of the ferrocene, ferricyanide, or thallium(1) systems] and potentiometry at equilibrium (emf measurements of various galvanic cells, including liquid junctions and hydrogen electrode or silver electrode as a test electrode). The assumptions have been classified into various groups [e.g., _t(Z^p+)=_t(Z^q+) or _t(X^–)=_t(Y⁺)], and the values of _t(H⁺) have been experimentally determined in each case. The results vary depending upon the basic assumption (several pH units); less important differences (e.g., 0.5 pH unit) occur within a given group, and this may be assigned to the nature of the reference species chosen. A simple model of solvation has been also examined; the application of the law of mass action to the corresponding equilibrium provides results close to the _t(X^–) =_t(Y⁺)type of assumptions which ultimately leads to most self-consistent results.     

Redox reactions of basic fuchsin in homogeneous aqueous media

The pulse-radiolysis technique has been employed to understand the reaction mechanism and to characterize the transient species involved in the redox processes taking place in the radiation chemistry of basic fuchsin (BF⁺). One-electron reduction and oxidation reactions of BF⁺ have been carried out in homogeneous aqueous solutions employing various reducing (e _aq ^– , (CH₃)₂COH, CO ₂ ^– ) and oxidizing (N ₃, Br, Cl ₂ ^– Br ₂ ^– ) radicals. The absorption spectra of the transients formed in the above reactions have been attributed to semi-reduced and semi-oxidized species of BF⁺, respectively. The kinetic and spectroscopic properties of these transients have been evaluated. The reaction with H and OH radicals have also been performed and compared with those of specific one-electron reducing and oxidizing radicals. These reactions have been inferred predominantly by addition to BF⁺. Protolytic equilibria involving semi-reduced species of basic fuchsin have been studied over the pH range from 2 to 10 and the pK _a has been determined to be 3.9.     

The Molecular Structure and NMR Properties of P-Phosphinoylmethyl Aminophosphonium Salts

The molecular structures of two aminophosphonium salts (bromide and tetrafluoroborate) have been determined by X-ray analysis. They have similar conformations and hydrogen bond (HB) networks: the N–H acid proton is bonded to the anion and, in the case of the fluoroborate, to the oxygen atom of the phosphine oxide, forming a pseudo six-membered ring closed by a weak N–HO intramolecular hydrogen bond (IMHB). These compounds have been studied by multinuclear NMR in solution, including the ¹⁵N-labeled derivatives, to determine a complete set of coupling constants. A coupling of 1.5 Hz between the ¹⁵N and the ³¹P nuclei, separated by three bonds, was observed experimentally for the bromide in CDCl₃ solution, which appears to be a classical ³ J _N-P across the covalent bonds and not a ^3h J _N-P across the IMHB.     

Molecular structure of mixed adsorption layers surfactant—polymer at a liquid—liquid interface

Isotherms of the binding of dodecyl sulfate anions (DDS^–)and Na⁺ counterions during their coadsorption with a nonionic polymer. proxanol (PR). at the interface of dodecane-water emulsions have been measured by conductometry and Na-selective potentiometry. The adsorption of DDS^– and PR is concurrent. The affinity constant of PR to the interface determined by the Langmuir model decreases as the concentration of PR increases, and the surface concentration of DDS^– tends to a nonzero limiting value at high concentrations of PR. The surface (_o) and electrokinetic () potentials at the interface have been determined at various polymer concentrations by the spin probe and electrophoresis methods. The average dielectric permeability and density of polymer segments in We adsorption layer have been determined by ESR. The lower boundary of the hydrodynamic thickness of the polymer adsorption layer at the interface has been estimated from the dependences of _o and on the ionic strength.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1653–1661, July, 1996.     

Determination of gaseous nitrogen in gas mixtures using low pressure microwave induced plasma emission spectrometry

A microwave induced plasma emission spectrometer operating at low energy (30 W) and low plasma gas pressure (2.510^-2 Pa) has been used for the quantitative measurement of molecular nitrogen in natural gases. The samples have been introduced into the plasma using a counterflow principle to produce emission spectra of diatomic molecular fragments in low excitation states (advantage: minimized interferences). The N₂ concentration has been determined by measuring the intensity of the N₂-line at 337.13 nm (C³_u-B³_g-system; (0,0)vibrational transition) and of the NH-line at 336.03 nm (A³_i-X^2--system; (0,0)-vibrational transition). A linear correlation between concentration and signal intensities has been obtained in the range of 0.00% to 14.24% (v/v). The method possesses a detection limit of 0.01 ppm (v/v) for the determination of N₂, and a reproducibility of 1.33% (RSD).     

Determination of boron isotopic variations in aquatic systems with negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry as a tracer for anthropogenic influences

A technique for precise boron isotope ratio measurements with a high detection power has been developed by negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (NTIMS). Relative standard deviations in the range of 0.03–0.3% have been obtained for the determination of the ¹¹B/¹⁰B isotope ratio using nanogram amounts of boron. Ba(OH)₂ has been applied as ionization promoter for the formation of negative thermal ions. By adding MgCl₂ better reproducibilities of the measurement have been achieved. A possible interference of BO^-₂ ions at mass number 42 by CNO^- could be excluded by the sample preparation technique used. Contrary to other NTI techniques no dependence of the measured isotope ratio on the boron amount used has been observed. Anthropogenic and natural saline influences in ground water have been successfully identified by boron isotope ratio determinations with this NTIMS method, due to the different isotopic composition of boron in natural and anthropogenic substances. In sewage, the boron isotope ratio is substantially influenced by washing powder, which contains low ¹¹B/¹⁰B ratios (expressed in ¹¹B values normalized to the standard reference material NIST SRM 951). In contaminated ground water, low ¹¹B values are normally correlated with high boron and high chloride concentrations. On the other hand, ¹¹B shifts to higher values in less contaminated samples. For ground water with saline influences, only the ¹¹B determination, and not the boron or chloride content, allowed the correct identification of this natural source of contamination.     

The measurement of the isotopic composition of plutonium in an Irish Sea sediment by mass spectrometry

Samples from sediment cores, collected from a site close to the Sellafield outfall and dated using conventional - and -spectrometry, have been analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS). This has provided information on the isotopic composition of plutonium in the liquid discharges from Sellafield; such information is not available using conventional -spectrometry alone. There was very good agreement between the²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu ratios obtained by the two MS methods. More recent discharges have been characterised by a progressive decrease in the relative proportion of²³⁹Pu.     

CN chemiluminescence in N2 + CH4 Flowing afterglow at low temperatures

The spectra of flowing microwave post-discharge excited in N₂ and N₂ + CH₄(N₂ + C₂H₂) gas mixtures have been studied at low temperature (77 K). The molecular spectra of CN emitted by the collision-induced N + C and N + CH chemiluminescent reactions in the low-temperature afterglow system have been thoroughly investigated. The intensity of different CN (B²⁺-X²⁺) vibrational bands is very sensitive to low hydrocarbon concentration in nitrogen used as the working gas. Detection of hydrocarbon species has been demonstrated from concentrations of CH₄ and C₂H₂ in N₂ greater than 10¹⁰ molecules · cm^–3.     

Titanosilicates as Supports for an Enzymatic Alcoholysis Reaction

Novel [Cr^III(amp)(bipy)(Cl)] (1) (H₂amp = N-(hydroxyphenyl)salicyldimine; bipy = 2,2-bipyridyl) and [Cr^III(app)(bipy)(Cl)]⁺ (2) (H₂app = N-(hydroxyphenyl)pyridine-2-carboxaldimine; bipy = 2,2-bipyridyl) complexes have been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical methods. Complexes 1 and 2 have been employed as catalysts in the oxidation of both saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons using tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BuOOH). The significance of the results with respect to oxo-functionalization of C-H bonds both in unsaturated and saturated hydrocarbons is noted.     

On the theoretical determination of the electron affinity of ozone

Summary Multiconfigurational electron correlation methods have been analyzed in order to theoretically compute the electron affinity (EA) of ozone. The near-degeneracy correlation effects, which are so important in O₃ and O ₃ ^– , have been described using complete active space (CAS) SCF wave functions. Remaining dynamic correlation effects are computed using second-order perturbation theory (the CASPT2 method). The best calculated adiabatic value (including zero-point energy corrections), 2.19 eV, is about 0.09 eV larger than the experimental value. Comparative studies using size-consistent coupled pair functional approaches (CPF and ACPF) have also been performed. The harmonic frequencies in O ₃ ^– have been determined to be: ₁=992, ₂=572, and ₃=879 cm^–1, which gives a zero-point energy of 0.151 eV.     

Crystalline Inclusions Formed in C+N+BF2 Coimplanted on Silicon (111)

In the present work, high-doses (10¹⁷–10¹⁸cm^–2) of carbon, nitrogen, and boron (BF₂⁺) ions were coimplanted on silicon (111) substrates at 21, 25 and 77keV, respectively. Two series of samples have been implanted (series A and B) and subsequently annealed. Series A samples have been implanted at room temperature and treated one minute by rapid thermal annealing (RTA) and 3 hours at 1200°C. Series B samples have been implanted at 600°C and subsequently annealed at 1200°C during 3 hours. The annealing in both series has been carried out in N₂ at atmospheric pressures.The structure of the buried layers has been determined by conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (CTEM and HRTEM). Polycrystalline silicon and new crystalline phases are observed by electron diffraction patterns. The polycrystalline silicon inclusions have been confirmed from analysis of HRTEM images.     

The application of radioactive isotope99Mo to the reconstituted MoFe protein

By substututing⁹⁹Mo for the Mo in the reconstituted MoFe protein, the nuclear quadrupole interactions (NQI) of⁹⁹Mo have been measured using the perturbed angular correlations (PAC). Two well-defined electric quadrupole interaction parameters have been observed. The configuration of the M-Center of the MoFe protein is identified by the quadrupole couplign constant _Q1(412(9)MHz) and the asymmetry parameter ₁(0.49(5)). Other parameters, V_Q2(1939(13)MHz) and ₁(0.90(1)), may correspond to a deformation M—Center of MoFe protein.     

Cp*MCpMoFe(CO)7(μ3-S), Cp*MoCpMFe(CO)7(μ3-S) (M = W,Mo) and Cp*WCp*MoFe(CO)7(μ3-S). Crystal structure of CpMoCp*WFe(CO)7(μ3-S)

CpMoFeCo(CO)₇(₃-S) reacts with Cp^*M(CO)₃Cl or CpM(CO)₃Cl (M=W, Mo) to gave the mixed-metal clusters Cp^*WCpMoFe(CO)₇(₃-S) (1), Cp^*MoCpMoFe(CO)₇(₃-S) (2), CpWCp^*MoFe(CO)₇(₃-S) (3), CpMoCp^*MoFe(CO)₇(₃-S) (4) and Cp^*WCp^*MoFe(CO)₇(₃-S) (5). The title clusters have been characterized by i.r., ¹H/¹³C-n.m.r. spectroscopy and their compositions have been confirmed by elemental analyses. The X-ray crystal structure analysis shows the two independent enantiomeric molecules of clusters (1) in one crystal structure unit.     

Research for technique of preparing high-intensity241Am low-energy gamma-source

Systematically complicated technique used for preparing high-intensity (more than 8.0 GBq/cm²)²⁴¹Am -source by a new enamel technique is presented. High intensity²⁴¹Am -sources with activities ranging from 3.7 to 37 GBq have been made by this new technique. The activity and photon output have been measured. The results were compared with the data reported by the Radiochemical Centre Amersham in their specification. The photon output of²⁴¹Am -source produced by us meets the technical specification of²⁴¹Am -sources produced by Amersham. Moreover, the highest intensity can reach 1789 mCi/cm². The overall utilization ratio of²⁴¹Am activity (59.5 keV) is 31.2%.