Extraction of pertechnetate anion as a ligand in metal complexes with tributylphosphate

The extraction of the pertechnetate anion has been investigated in the systems tributylphosphate (TBP)—solvent (carbon tetrachloride, n-heptane, chloroform)—metal salt (uranyl nitrate and chloride, thorium nitrate)—ammonium salt. In the absence of a metal, the solvates HTeO₄. iTBP (i=4) are extracted, while in the presence of uranium and thorium, the distribution of technetium corresponds to the formation of the mixed complexes: UO₂(NO₃)(TeO₄)·2TBP, UO₂Cl(TcO₄)·2TBP and Th(NO₃)₃ (TcO₁)·2TBP. The effective constants of the reactions H⁺+TcO ₄ ⁻ +i(TBP)_org←(HTcO₁·iTBP)_org, and (ML_n·2TBP)_org+TcO ₄ ⁻ ←(ML_n−1TcO₄·2TBP)_org+L were established in the above systems. The extraction of pertechnetate ion is more effective when it is coordinated to a cation solvated by TBP than the extraction in the form of pertechnetate acid solvated by TBP.     

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.     

Determination of natural uranium in biological samples using the solid state nuclear track detector method

For the solution of most of the problems which are connected to the biological and physiological role of natural uranium in plants and animal organisms about 10⁻¹⁴ g uranium should be determined. However most of the physico-chemical methods for the determination of natural uranium in biomaterials are time-consuming and possess considerable error. On the basis of addition and inner standard methods a version of Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors (SSNTD) method has been developed in order to determine the natural uranium in biospecimens. According to the experimental data simple relations have been obtained for the calculation of uranium concentration in biomaterial and minium uranium concentration in biosolution which can be measured by the detector used. Under irradiation of SSNTD at a thermal neutron flux of (3–5)·10¹⁵n·cm⁻² the detector sensitivity is 2.30·10⁻⁹ g U/ml for glass detectors; 9.60·10⁻¹⁰g U/ml for the detectors made from artificial mica.     

Chromatographic separation of uranium(VI) from other elements using L-valine and poly[dibenzo-18-crown-6]

A selective and effective column chromatographic separation method has been developed for uranium(VI) using poly[dibenzo-18-crown-6]. The separation was carried out in L-valine medium. The adsorption of uranium(VI) was quantitative from 1.0 × 10⁻⁴ to 1 × 10⁻¹ M of L-valine. Amongst various eluents 2.0–8.0 M hydrochloric acid, 1.0–4.0 M sulfuric acid, 1.0–5.0 M perchloric acid, 6.0–8.0 M hydrobromic acid and 5.0–6.0 M acetic acid were found to be efficient eluents for uranium(Vl). The capacity of poly[dibenzo-18-crown-6] for uranium(VI) was 0.25 ± 0.01 mmol/g of crown polymer. Uranium(VI) was separated from number of cations and anions in binary mixtures in which most of the cations and anions show a very high tolerance limit. The selective separation of uranium(VI) was carried out from multicomponent mixtures. The method was extended to determination of uranium(VI) in geological samples. The method is simple, rapid and selective with good reproducibility (approximately ∼2%).     

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.     

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.     

The structure and thermal behaviour of sodium and potassium multinuclear compounds with hexamethylenetetramine

Sodium and potassium thiocyanate complex compounds of formulae [Na(hmta)(H₂O)₄]₂²⁺·2SCN⁻ (1) and [K₂(hmta)(SCN)₂] _n (2) have been synthesized and characterised by IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry coupled with differential thermal analysis, elemental analysis and X-ray crystallography. Each sodium and potassium cation is six co-ordinated, the sodium by one monofunctional hmta molecule, three terminal water molecules and two bridging water molecules, and the potassium by two bridging tetrafunctional hmta molecules and four bridging tetrafunctional thiocyanate ions. The coordination polyhedra of the central atoms can be described as distorted tetragonal bipyramids. The complex cations and anions of (1) are interconnected by multiple intramolecular O(water)—H···N(hmta/NCS) and O(water)—H···S hydrogen bonds to the three dimensional net. In each complex cation the intramolecular O–H···O hydrogen bonds link two terminal water molecules bonded to two metal cations. The compound (2) forms the three dimensional hybrid network in which the classical two-dimensional coordination polymers are linked by inorganic SCN⁻ spacers to the third-dimension. Thermal analyses show that the compounds decompose gradually in three (for 1) and two (for 2) steps with formation of Na₂SO₄ and K₂S as the final products, respectively, for 1 and 2.     

Spectrophotometric determination of trace amounts of iodide-ions in form of ionic associate with brilliant green using electrochemical oxidation

A combined method involving electrochemical oxidation of iodide to iodate at a platinum electrode followed by extraction in CCl₄ of ionic associates of iodine-iodide complexes with brilliant green, formed in excess of iodide, was developed for the spectrophotometric quantification of iodide. The slope of the calibration curve yields a molar extinction coefficient of ɛ = 3·10⁵ L mol⁻¹cm⁻¹. This method can be used for the quantification of iodide in the concentration range of 3·10⁻⁷ − 3·10⁻⁶ mol L⁻¹ with a detection limit of 5·10⁻⁸ mol L⁻¹. The interfering effect of other ions on the determination of the iodide concentration was also investigated. The method was successfully applied for the determination of iodide in real samples of NaCl and spring water. Relative standard deviation is 1–2%.     

Solvent extraction of zirconium from hydrochloric acid solutions by sulphoxides and their mixtures

The solvent extraction of zirconium from HCl solutions by dipentyl sulphoxide (DPSO), dioctyl sulphoxide (DOSO), tributyl phosphate (TBP), and their mixtures in various solvents has been studied. At a given H⁺ strength, the extraction coefficient η of the metal increases with an increase in Cl⁻ activity whereas it is almost independent of H⁺ at constant Cl⁻. Under otherwise identical conditions, η increases with an increase in the extractant concentration but is virtually independent of the metal ion concentration over a wide range. The species extracted are ZrCl₄·DPSO, ZrCl₄·DOSO, and ZrCl₄·2TBP. In the case of mixtures, the slope of the log η−log M extractant plot for one component decreases with an increase in the concentration of the second component, the lines crossing at a common point. Extraction is favoured by solvents of low dielectric constant. It is possible to separate zirconium from thorium and uranium by solvent extraction with sulphoxides.     

HPLC determination of cefotaxime and cephalexine residues in milk and cephalexine in veterinary formulation

An HPLC method was developed and validated for the determination of the cephalosporins cefotaxime and cephalexine in skimmed bovine milk. The analytical column, Kromasil C₁₈ (250 mm × 4.0 mm, 5 μm) was operated at ambient temperature. Mobile phase consisted of CH₃OH-acetate buffer (pH = 4.0) and it was delivered isocratically at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min⁻¹. Total analysis time was less than 5 min. Caffeine was used as internal standard (5 ng · μL⁻¹). UV detection was performed at 265 nm. Method validation was performed by means of intra-day (n = 5) and inter-day accuracy and precision (n = 8), sensitivity and linearity. Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) were 0.1 and 0.3 ng · μL⁻¹, respectively. The method was applied to the analysis of a veterinary drug (CEPOREX) containing cephalexine. The results were quite accurate with the relative error varying from −8.0 to −3.5%. Solid-phase extraction was applied to remove all matrix interference from milk samples. High extraction recoveries (average 84–121%) were achieved by using Abselut NEXUS cartridges with acetonitrile as eluent and a rinsing step with water and n-butanol. A pre-concentration step was necessary in a 1/10 level to reach the EU MRL concentration level (100 μg · kg⁻¹). RSD values were less than 7% for both cephalosporins. Correspondence: Ioannis N. Papadoyannis, Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece     

Fast-neutron activation analysis with short-lived nuclides

At the GKSS Research Center Geesthacht, a new 14 MeV activation facility—a 5·10¹² n/s neutron generator combined with a fast rabbit system (KORONA)—is being installed. Homogeneous neutron flux at a level of 5·10¹⁰ n·cm⁻²·s⁻¹ and sample transfer times of 140 ms to a 16m distant detector station are characteristic features of the facility described in the paper. With special consideration of short-lived nuclides and including cyclic activation, the analytical prospects with the intense neutron source are discussed, and sensitivities for 78 elements are presented.     

Preparation and characterization of loess sediment for use as a reference material in the annual radiation dose determination for luminescence dating

Loess sediment was prepared and characterized with well-established K, Th and U contents, and corresponding ⁴⁰K, ²³²Th and ^235,238U activities, intended for use as a reference material in the annual radiation dose determination for luminescence dating. To this purpose, loess was collected in Volkegem, Belgium, and — after drying, pulverizing and homogenizing — characterized via k ₀-INAA and HPGe gamma-ray spectrometry. This led to 12 kg material with a grain size below 50 μm, with established K, Th and U homogeneity, with the ²³²Th and ²³⁸U decay series proven to be in equilibrium, and with the following K, Th and U reference data: K = 16.5±1.5 g·kg⁻¹ (⁴⁰K = 497±45 Bq·kg⁻¹); Th = 10.4±0.6 mg·kg⁻¹ (²³²Th = 42.2±2.5 Bq·kg⁻¹); U = 2.79±0.12 mg·kg⁻¹ (²³⁸U = 34.5±1.5 Bq·kg⁻¹; ²³⁵U = 1.59±0.09 Bq·kg⁻¹; ^235+238U = 36.1±1.7 Bq·kg⁻¹). These data were confirmed via comparison with the results from NaI(Tl) field gamma-ray spectrometry, thick-source ZnS alpha-counting and thick-source GM beta-counting (after converting all data to Gy·ka⁻¹). The reference material is available (as aliquots up to 200 g) from the Ghent Luminescence Laboratory to all interested luminescence dating laboratories upon motivated request.     

Initiation of ethylene polymerization on organoelement cations L<Subscript>2</Subscript>MMe<Superscript>+</Superscript> (M = Ge,Sn) with intramolecular coordination bonds: a theoretical study

The initiation of ethylene polymerization on L₂MMe⁺ cations (M = Ge, Sn; L = alkoxy, alkyl, phenoxyiminate, β-diketonate) was studied by the PBE/TZ2P density functional method. It was found that ethylene insertion into the M—C bond of the L₂MMe⁺ cations is energetically favorable (ΔG ⁰ = −7.6—−13.6 kcal mol⁻¹). The calculated energy barriers to reactions lie in a wide range 39.8 to 75.6 kcal mol⁻¹. The lowest energy barriers were obtained for tin cations bearing hexa- and heptafluoroacetylacetonate substituents. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 7, pp. 1338–1347, July, 2008.     

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 Zirconium (IV) and Aluminium (III) in Waste Water

 Zirconium (IV) was determined spectrophotometrically by reaction with quercetin as primary ligand and oxalate as secondary ligand. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) was used as protective colloid to solubilize the formed zirconium quercetin oxalate ternary complex. The molar absorptivity of the 1:3:1 (zirconium–quercetin–oxalate) complex is 7.31 × 10⁴ L·mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹ at 430 nm with a stability constant of 8.2 × 10²⁰ and its detection limit is 0.16 mg/L. Beer’s law is rectilinear up to 1.46 mg/L of zirconium (IV). The sensitivity index is 1.25 ng cm⁻². The reaction of aluminium (III) with quercetin in presence of PVP as a surfactant has been studied spectrophotometrically. The molar absorptivity of the 1:3 (aluminium–quercetin) complex is 8.09 × 10⁴ × L·mol⁻¹·cm⁻¹ at 433 nm, its stability constant is 2.6 × 10¹³ with sensitivity index of 0.33 ng·cm⁻² and its detection limit is 0.08 mg/L. The optimal conditions for the quantitative determination of zirconium and aluminium were studied. The proposed methods are examined by statistical analysis of the experimental data. The methods are free from interference of most cations and anions. The proposed methods have been used to determine zirconium and aluminium in industrial waste water. Received May 30, 2001; accepted November 2, 2001; published online July 15, 2002     

Thermoluminescence of photoirradiated petroleum luminophores of pyrolytic origin

Photothermoluminescence (PTL) of petroleum luminophores of pyrolytic origin was studied over a wide temperature range (−196 to 250°C). Problems related to the mechanism and stages of photochemical processes in petroleum luminophores are discussed. It was revealed that low-temperature PTL maximums at −165, −108, and −75°C are due to recombination of trapped electrons with radical cations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) during the freezing out of the motions of H, O₂, and R^·. High-temperature (relative to the luminophore freezing points) PTL maximums at 52, 105–120, and 130–140°C are due to processes associated with the oxidation of R^·, PAHs, and olefins by ³O₂ and ¹O₂.     

Etude des possibilites de dosage du lithium par activation au moyen de protons et de deutons de moyenne energie

The determination of lithium by measuring⁷Be, produced by proton or deuteron activation, has been studied. The extent of interference from boron or beryllium, which also form⁷Be, was measured. The calculated sensitivity limits when activating for one hour with 10μA beams of 14 MeV protons or 25 MeV deuterons are, for lithium, 1·10⁻¹ and 2.5·10⁻² ppm and for boron, 2·10⁻¹ and 1·10⁻¹ ppm, respectively.      

Intra- and intermolecular quenching of carbazole photoluminescence by imidazolidine radicals

Mechanisms of carbazole photoluminescence quenching by the free and chemically bound nitroxyl radicals in the model bound system “carbazole (CBZ)—imidazolidine nitroxyl radical R^•” were investigated and the photophysical properties of the system were studied and compared with those of free CBZ and R^• in solution. The quantum yield and lifetime of fluorescence from the local singlet excited state of the carbazole moiety in the bound CBZ—R^• system is three orders of magnitude lower than in free CBZ. The lifetime of the local triplet excited state of the carbazole moiety in the bound system is shorter than 50 ns. The rate constants for intermolecular quenching of the singlet and triplet excited states of free CBZ by R^• in acetonitrile were found to be (1.4±0.1)·10¹⁰ and (1.5±0.2)·10⁹ L mol⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. The most plausible mechanisms of both free and covalently bound carbazole luminescence quenching by nitroxyl radicals are exchange energy transfer and acceleration of internal conversion due to electron exchange.     

Development of Accurate Chemical Equilibrium Models for Oxalate Species to High Ionic Strength in the System: Na—Ba—Ca—Mn—Sr—Cl—NO<Subscript>3</Subscript>—PO<Subscript>4</Subscript>—SO<Subscript>4</Subscript>—H<Subscript>2</Subscript>O at 25 °C

The development of an accurate aqueous thermodynamic model is described for oxalate species in the Na—Ba—Ca—Mn—Sr—Cl—NO₃—PO₄—SO₄—H₂O system at 25 °C. The model is valid to high ionic strength (as high as 10 mol·kg⁻¹) and from very acid (10 mol·kg⁻¹ H₂SO₄) to neutral and basic conditions. The model is based upon the equations of Pitzer and co-workers. The necessary ion-interaction parameters are determined by comparison with experimental data taken from the literature or determined in this study. The proposed aqueous activity and solubility model is valid for a range of applications from interpretation of studies on mineral dissolution at circumneutral pH to the dissolution of high-level waste tank sludges under acidic conditions.     

Interference by neutron induced second order nuclear reaction in activation analysis of rare earths

In determining the trace impurities existing in high-purity rare earth samples by the neutron activation analysis, there are much interference due to nuclides induced from neutron induced second order nuclear reaction. This paper presents the degree of interference calculated over the ranges of irradiation time from 10⁵ to 10⁷ sec and of thermal-neutron flux from 1·10¹² to 1·10¹⁵ n·cm⁻²·sec⁻¹. According to the results of these calculations, degree of interference under the neutron irradiation condition for 288 hrs in the thermal-neutron flux of 3·10¹³n·cm⁻²·sec⁻¹ is concluded to be 6.4·10⁶ ppm Gd in Eu, 2.2·10⁴ ppm Sm in Eu, 1.9·10⁴ ppm Ho in Dy, 1.1·10³ ppm Eu in Sm, 1.1·10² ppm Ce in La and 1.1·10 ppm Tb in Gd, respectively. Especially, the Gd determination in the Eu target is extremely affected by¹⁵³Gd formed from the¹⁵¹Eu (n, γ) reaction. On the contrary, this reaction is effective in producing¹⁵³Gd activity.