Identification of ground water contaminations by landfills using precise boron isotope ratio measurements with negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry

 Precise boron isotope ratio measurements with negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry were used for the identification of ground water contaminations by leakages of landfills. BO^- ₂thermal ions were produced to determine the ¹¹B/¹⁰B isotope ratio, which was expressed as δ¹¹B value in ‰ normalized to the standard reference material NIST SRM 951. For example, household waste influences the boron isotope ratio by specific components such as washing powder. In the case of one investigated landfill low δ¹¹B values correlate well with high boron concentrations in contaminated seepage water samples and vice versa for uncontaminated ground water samples. Possible boron contributions of rainwater were taken into account, determining a boron content of 2.3 μg/L and a δ¹¹B value of 13.1‰ for a representative sample. Such low boron concentrations were determined by isotope dilution mass spectrometry (detection limit 0.3 μg/L) whereas higher contents were also analyzed by a spectrophotometric method. However, different sources of contamination could only be identified by the isotope ratio and not by the concentration of boron. Received: 9 December 1996/Accepted: 18 February 1997     

Production and purification of organic reagents labeled with radioisotopes produced by an accelerator

We studied the production of nine typical organic analytical reagents labeled with¹¹C,¹³N and¹⁸F by irradiation with charged particles and bremsstrahlung and the purification of labeled compounds with HPLC and sublimation. As a result, we found that six reagents, α-naphthol, β-naphthol, quinoline, α-nitroso-β-naphthol, 8-hydroxyquinoline, and 1,10-phenanthroline H₂O could be labeled with¹¹C by bombarding a mixture of each reagent and boron with protons. More than 10% of the¹¹C was successfully exchanged with carbon atoms in the original reagents. We also found that sublimation is useful for purifying 8-hydroxyquinoline labeled with¹¹C. The extraction property of¹¹C-labeled 8-hydroxyquinoline between water and chloroform could be easily monitored by radioactivity measurement.     

Recent developments in the analytical application of prompt spectrometry

A survey of the possibilities of analysis by alpha-induced prompt gamma-ray spectrometry is reported for 57 elements at a bombarding energy of 5 MeV. Additional data obtained at 11 and 16 MeV are given. Interference-free sensitivities are presented. The use of the position sensitive detector is introduced to overcome problems such as occur in prompt alpha spectrometry from (p, α) reactions. The technique is illustrated by studies on the reaction¹⁹F(p, α)¹⁶O and severely tested for boron analysis using the reaction¹¹B(p, α)⁸Be and measuring the α₀ and α₁ groups.     

The determination of boron in sedimentary rocks by neutron irradiation and prompt γ-ray spectrometry

Prompt γ-rays following the (n_th, α) reaction on¹⁰B have been measured to determine the boron content of sedimentary rocks. Employing an external reactor neutron beam with only modest flux, it is possible to assay boron at concentrations typically encountered in this material (>5 μg/g). The technique relies on the use of chemical standards and the values obtained for 9 North American shales are compared with measurements performed by emission spectrography. Detection limits and statistical errors as a function of beam time are also discussed. Department of Geology, Mcmaster University, Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)     

Spark source mass spectrometric assessment of boron and nitrogen concentrations in crystalline gallium arsenide

The residual or doped element concentration [E] in GaAs measured by SSMS is only accurate with respect to the relative sensitivity coefficient RSC_E. For a trace element concentration, the RSC_E = [E]_SSMS/[E]_TRUE is set to unity, if no reference material or method is available to approximate the concentration to the true value. For boron a relative sensitivity coefficient of RSC_B = 0.94 ± 0.08 was obtained using TI-IDMS as a reference method. RSC_N = 1 is used for nitrogen determinations. A boron and nitrogen detection limit of 4.4 × 10¹³ cm^–3 is achieved. SSMS was used as reference method to calibrate the FTIR factor f_E = [E] / I_α due to the integrated local vibrational mode absorption I_α of atomic boron and nitrogen in GaAs. A factor of f_B = (12.0 × 2.7) × 10¹⁶ cm^–1 (517 cm^–1) and f_N = (7.4 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁵ cm^–1 (472 cm^–1) was obtained for a boron and nine nitrogen containing GaAs samples at 77 K and 10 K, respectively. Received: 15 December 1998 / Revised: 8 April 1999 / Accepted: 13 April 1999     

Spark source mass spectrometric assessment of boron and nitrogen concentrations in crystalline gallium arsenide

The residual or doped element concentration [E] in GaAs measured by SSMS is only accurate with respect to the relative sensitivity coefficient RSC_E. For a trace element concentration, the RSC_E = [E]_SSMS/[E]_TRUE is set to unity, if no reference material or method is available to approximate the concentration to the true value. For boron a relative sensitivity coefficient of RSC_B = 0.94 ± 0.08 was obtained using TI-IDMS as a reference method. RSC_N = 1 is used for nitrogen determinations. A boron and nitrogen detection limit of 4.4 × 10¹³ cm^–3 is achieved. SSMS was used as reference method to calibrate the FTIR factor f_E = [E] / I_α due to the integrated local vibrational mode absorption I_α of atomic boron and nitrogen in GaAs. A factor of f_B = (12.0 × 2.7) × 10¹⁶ cm^–1 (517 cm^–1) and f_N = (7.4 ± 0.1) × 10¹⁵ cm^–1 (472 cm^–1) was obtained for a boron and nine nitrogen containing GaAs samples at 77 K and 10 K, respectively. Received: 15 December 1998 / Revised: 8 April 1999 / Accepted: 13 April 1999     

Thermal conversions of chitosanium dodecahydro-<Emphasis Type="Italic">closo</Emphasis>-dodecaborate

The thermal behavior of chitosanium dodecahydro-closo-dodecaborate, (C₆O₄H₉NH₃)₂B₁₂H₁₂, was studied by thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, and IR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As this compound is heated at a rate above 10–20 K/min, it ignites at a temperature of about 300°C. As the compound is heated to 1000°C at a rate below 10 K/min in an inert atmosphere, it yields a mixture of carbon and amorphous boron and/or boron carbides. The presence of a small amount of boron oxide in the product is explained by the formation of a partially oxidized hydroborate anion at the early stages of (C₆O₄H₉NH₃)₂B₁₂H₁₂ decomposition via the interaction between oxygen of the chitosanium cation and the B₁₂H₁₂²⁻ anion. Heating the initial compound in air at a rate below 10 K/min yields carbon and boron oxide as the main products. Molten boron oxide protects boron and/or boron carbides and boron nitride forming in small amounts in the particle bulk from oxidation.     

An unusual isotopic fractionation of boron in synthetic calcium carbonate precipitated from seawater and saline water

Inorganic calcium carbonate precipitation from natural seawater and saline water at various pH values was carried out experimentally. The results show the clear positive relationships between boron concentration and δ11B of inorganic calcium carbonate with the pH of natural seawater and saline water. However, the variations of boron isotopic fractionation between inorganic calcite and seawater/saline water with pH are inconsistent with the hypothesis that B(OH)4- is the dominant spe-cies incorporated into the biogenic calcite structure. The isotopic fractionation factors α between synthetic calcium carbonate precipitate and parent solutions increase systematically as pH increases, from 0.9884 at pH 7.60 to 1.0072 at pH 8.60 for seawater and from 0.9826 at pH 7.60 to 1.0178 at pH 8.75 for saline water. An unusual boron isotopic fractionation factor of larger than 1 in synthetic calcium carbonate precipitated from seawater/saline water at higher pH is observed, which implies that a substantial amount of the isotopically heavier B(OH)3 species must be incorporated preferentially into synthetic inorganic carbonate. The results propose that the incorporation of B(OH)3 is attributed to the formation of Mg(OH)2 at higher pH of calcifying microenvironment during the synthetic calcium carbonate precipitation. The preliminary experiment of Mg(OH)2 precipitated from artificial seawater shows that heavier 11B is enriched in Mg(OH)2 precipitation, which suggests that isotopically heavier B(OH)3 species incorporated preferentially into Mg(OH)2 precipitation. This result cannot be applied to explain the boron isotopic fractionation of marine bio-carbonate because of the possibility that the unusual environment in this study appears in formation of marine bio-carbonate is infinitesimal. We, however, must pay more attention to this phenomenon observed in this study, which accidentally appears in especially natural environment.     

Photon activation analysis of carbon in glasses for fiber amplifiers by using the flow method for the rapid separation of 11C

Summary We have studied the photon activation analysis of carbon in InF₃-based fluoride, chalcogenide and tellurite glasses for fiber amplifiers, and especially the nuclear interference from a matrix produced by (γ,n), (γ,2n), (γ,p) and (n,γ) reactions and a flow method for the rapid and simple separation of ¹¹C. A chemical separation technique is indispensable for determining carbon, because seventeen radionuclides are observed in these glasses. The flow method can sequentially be undertaken, the fusion of an irradiated sample with an oxidizer, the conversion of ¹¹C into ¹¹CO₂, and the absorption of ¹¹C in ethanolamine solution. We used a mixture of Pb₃O₄ and B₂O₃ as the oxidizer. There is interference with the ¹¹C measurement because ¹⁸F and ⁶⁸Ga are produced in fluoride and chalcogenide glasses by the ¹⁹F(γ,n), ²³Na(γ,αn) and ⁶⁹Ga(γ,n) reactions, respectively, and also absorbed in ethanolamine solution. Therefore, this flow method can only be applied to tellurite glasses. The chemical yield provided by the flow method was close to 100% when determining carbon in Japanese Iron and Steel Certified Reference Materials (JSS) by using lithium carbonate as a standard sample. We determined that the carbon concentrations in four kinds of tellurite glass were 7 to 14 ppm.     

The undecahydrodecaborate anion B<Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Stack><Subscript>11</Subscript><Superscript>−</Superscript></Stack> as the starting reagent in exopolyhedral substitution and complexation: Theoretical and experimental prerequisites

Using the electron density functional theory (B3LYP approximation) with the 6-31G* basis set, the potential energy surface of the undecahydrodecaborate anion B₁₀H₁₁⁻ was calculated and the activation energies and the activation barriers for the elementary reactions of proton H* migration around the boron polyhedron were estimated. Analysis of the calculation results in comparison with the experimental data accumulated recently implies that the salts of the B₁₀H₁₁⁻ anion represent a new type of starting compounds for exopolyhedral substitution and complexation involving decaborate anions. Of particular interest is the targeted preparation of isomers of metal complexes containing a decaborate anion depending on the use of B₁₀H₁₀²⁻ or B₁₀H₁₁^¨- as the starting reagent. Certain trends in the reactivity of B₁₀H₁₀⁻ and B₁₀H₁₁⁻ anions can be explained in terms of the simple analysis of Mulliken charge distribution on atoms.     

How boron incorporation during Si1−xGex chemical vapor deposition degrades the Ge profile

The effect of boron incorporation during chemical vapor deposition of SiGe thin films from silane, germane, diborane, and hydrogen gas mixtures is investigated. It is shown that boron incorporation during SiGe thin-film growth degrades the Ge profile under certain growth conditions when the boron concentration is high enough (>10¹⁹ cm⁻³). In single-wafer atmospheric-pressure processes we find that no Ge concentration depression occurs at deposition temperatures above 675 °C. In multi-wafer atmospheric-pressure processes we find an increasingly occurring depression of the Ge concentration along the wafer stack, even at temperatures above 675 °C. In low-pressure processes, high-level in-situ doping of SiGe with boron is possible at temperatures as low as 550 °C without any degradation of the Ge profile. Thus LPCVD is superior to APCVD with respect to high-level in situ doping of SiGe with boron. The presence or absence of Ge profile degradation in boron-doped SiGe thin films is explained by the discussion of growth rate enhancement phenomena. Received: 15 September 1997 / Accepted: 7 November 1997     

Estimation of uncertainty in measurement of boron in Zr–Nb alloy samples by BF4 − ion selective electrode

Boron doped zirconium–niobium alloy is employed for neutron reactivity control in advanced nuclear reactors. An accurate knowledge of the boron content and uncertainty associated with the measurement result is essential for reactivity calculations. In view of the refractory nature of the alloy, boron determination in these matrices is a challenging task for analytical chemists. Also due to non-availability of matrix-matched reference materials, direct solid analysis cannot be resorted to. With this in view, a simple and sensitive method based on potentiometric determination of boron as tetrafluoroborate with tetrafluoroborate ion selective electrode has been developed. After dissolving the sample, boron was quantitatively converted to BF₄ ⁻ with the addition of HF. Potential response was measured with Orion 9305 BN BF₄ ⁻ ion selective electrode. The response of the ion selective electrode was Nernstian in the range of 0.1–100.0 μg/g of boron in the solution. The method has been validated by two independent methods namely spectrophotometry and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). All identifiable sources of uncertainties in the methodology have been individually assessed. The combined uncertainty is calculated employing uncertainty propagation law. The expanded relative uncertainty in the measurement (coverage factor 2) is 6.50%.     

Structural analysis of boron compounds using 11B-3QMAS solid state NMR

The structural analysis of three boron compounds, boron carbide (B₄C), silicon tetraboride (SiB₄) and hexagonal-boron nitride (h-BN), were performed using 2D ¹¹B-triple quantum MAS (3QMAS) solid state NMR capable of averaging the second-order quadrupolar interaction of ¹¹B that cause line broadening, splitting and low frequency shift of the central transition (−1/2, 1/2). The coordination number around the boron atom and structural symmetry of each boron compound is discussed by means of the isotropic chemical shift Δσ and the quadrupolar coupling constant C_Q calculated from 3QMAS spectra. Δσ of SiB₄ is quite larger than that of B₄C, which is thought to be caused by its structural distortion and distribution. Δσ of h-BN was found to be higher frequency shift obviously than that of B₄C and SiB₄ because of the difference of the boron coordination number, three-coordinated in h-BN and six-coordinated in B₄C and SiB₄. h-BN has very large C_Q compared to other two boron compounds since the h-BN forming a two-dimensional network has less structural symmetry than B₄C and SiB₄.     

[1-B<Subscript>10</Subscript>H<Subscript>9</Subscript>N<Subscript>2</Subscript>]<Superscript>−</Superscript> and [1-CB<Subscript>9</Subscript>H<Subscript>10</Subscript>]<Superscript>−</Superscript> anions: an attempt of quantum chemical calculations

Comparative quantum chemical calculations of structural parameters, chemical shifts of ¹¹B NMR spectra, and atomic charges in 10-vertex boron hydride anions [1-CB₉H₁₀]⁻ and [1-B₁₀H₉N₂]⁻ were performed using the restricted Hartree-Fock method with the 6-31++G(D,P) basis set. Dedicated to Academician G. A. Abakumov on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1853–1855, September, 2007.     

A new preparative method for the synthesis of oxonium derivatives of the decahydro-<Emphasis Type="Italic">closo</Emphasis>-decaborate anion

A new method for the synthesis of oxonium derivatives of the closo-decaborate anion in high yields was described. Reactions of the anion B₁₀H₁₀ ²⁻ with cyclic ethers (tetrahydrofuran (THF) and tetrahydropyran) in the presence of dry HCl are stepwise processes. Depending on the reaction temperature and time, either mono- or disubstituted products were obtained. Their structures were determined using ¹¹B, ¹³C, and ¹H NMR and IR spectroscopy, ESI mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis for boron.     

Application of bremsstrahlung activation analysis for the determination of carbon and nitrogen in sodium

Carbon and nitrogen are determined by means of the photonuclear reactions:¹²C(γ n)¹¹C and¹⁴N(γ, n)¹³N. This article presents a simultaneous chemical separation method for the isolation of¹¹C and¹³N. It is based mainly on combustion of the sample, after irradiation and etching, in a mixture of oxidising acid fused salts (B₂O₃ and Pb₃ O₄) containing a dispersing agent (NaCl and KCl) and the respective carriers. Each analysis takes about 40 min altogether. Minimum carbon and nitrogen contents of a few 10⁻² μg·g⁻¹ can be measured. The influence of the main competitive nuclear reactions on neighbouring elements, including the sodium itself, is examined.     

Iodide interaction with natural pyrite

¹²⁹I is one of the major dose-determining nuclides in the safety analysis of deep storage of radioactive waste. Iodine forms anionic species that hardly sorb on the surfaces of common host-rock minerals. Recently, interest has arisen on the role of pyrite, an accessory mineral capable of binding anionic selenium. Whereas the interaction of selenium with pyrite is well documented, corresponding results on iodine sorption are still scarce and controversial. Pyrite is present in argicilleous rocks which are being considered in many countries as potential host rocks for a radioactive waste repository. The uptake of iodide (I⁻) on natural pyrite was investigated under nearly anoxic conditions (O₂ < 5 ppm) over a wide concentration range (10⁻¹¹–10⁻³ M total I⁻) using ¹²⁵I as the radioactive tracer. Weak but measurable sorption was observed; distribution coefficients (R _d) were less than 0.002 m³ kg⁻¹ and decreased with increasing total iodide concentration. Iodide sorption was connected to the presence of oxidized clusters on the pyrite surface, which were presumably formed by reaction with limited amounts of dissolved oxygen. The results obtained indicated that pyrite cannot be considered as an effective scavenger of ¹²⁹I under the geochemical conditions prevailing in underground radioactive waste geologic storage.     

Glassy carbon and boron doped glassy carbon electrodes for voltammetric determination of linuron herbicide in the selected samples

In this study the application of home-made unmodified (GC) and bulk modified boron doped glassy carbon (GCB) electrodes for the voltammetric determination of the linuron was investigated. The electrodes were synthesized with a moderate temperature treatment (1000°C). Obtained results were compared with the electrochemical determination of the linuron using a commercial glassy carbon electrode (GC-Metrohm). The peak potential (E _p ) of linuron oxidation in 0.1 mol dm⁻³ H₂SO₄ as electrolyte was similar for all applied electrodes: 1.31, 1.34 and 1.28 V for GCB, GC and GC-Metrohm electrodes, respectively. Potential of linuron oxidation and current density depend on the pH of supporting electrolyte. Applying GCB and GC-Metrohm electrodes the most intensive electrochemical response for linuron was obtained in strongly acidic solution (0.1 mol dm⁻³ H₂SO₄). Applying the boron doped glassy carbon electrode the broadest linear range (0.005–0.1 μmol cm⁻³) for the linuron determination was obtained. The results of voltammetric determination of the linuron in spiked water samples showed good correlation between added and found amounts of linuron and also are in good agreement with the results obtained by HPLC-UV method. This appears to be the first application of a boron doped glassy carbon electrode for voltammetric determination of the environmental important compounds.      

Determination of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in nickel by charged particle activation analysis

Summary The determination of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in nickel by charged particle activation using the reactions ¹⁰B(d, n)¹¹C, ¹²C(d, n)¹³N, ¹⁴N(p, )¹¹C and ¹⁶O(³He, p)¹⁸F is studied. The interference of ¹¹B(p, n)¹¹C with the ¹⁴N(p, )¹¹C reaction is taken into account. ¹¹C, ¹³N and ¹⁸F are separated by oxygen combustion followed by trapping of ¹¹CO₂ in NaOH and by steam distillation of ¹³NH₃ and of H₂Si¹⁸F₆, respectively. The results obtained were 0.129±0.035 g g^–1 for boron, 86.4±8.3 g g^–1 for carbon, 1.077±0.037 g g^–1 for nitrogen and 8.91±1.00 g g^–1 for oxygen. The results for nitrogen and oxygen agreed satisfactorily with those of other analytical methods.Grateful acknowledgement is made to Prof. J. Hoste for his interest shown in this work, to J. Pauwels (B.C.M.N., Geel) for providing the samples, to B. F. Schmitt (Bundesanstalt für Materialprüfung, Berlin) for helpful information concerning the radiochemical separation of ¹¹C and to the NFWO and the IIKW for financial support.