Determination of rare earth elements by neutron activation analysis in altered ultramafic rocks from the Akwatia District of the Birim diamondiferous field,Ghana

Summary Rare earth element (REE) analysis using instrumental neutron activation (INAA) was carried out on ultramafic rocks from the Akwatia District of the Birim diamondiferous field, Ghana, with the primary objective of investigating their kimberlitic characteristics. The total REE concentrations range from 113 to 1610 ppm and fall within the interval of those reported in the literature for kimberlites. Despite the marked difference in the REE contents, all the analyzed samples show similar REE patterns that resemble those of kimberlites. However, compared to most of the kimberlites, the ultramafic rocks have small negative Eu anomalies and low light-REE/heavy-REE ratios, suggesting that the rocks have been significantly assimilated by crustal rocks.     

Molecular potential-energy surfaces for chemical reaction dynamics

This paper reviews the construction of molecular potential-energy surfaces by an interpolation method which has been developed over the last several years. The method uses ab initio quantum chemistry calculations of the molecular electronic energy in an automated procedure to construct global potential- energy surfaces which can be used to simulate chemical reactions with either classical or quantum dynamics. The methodology is explained and several applications are presented to illustrate the approach. Received: 22 February 2002 / Accepted: 2 May 2002 / Published online: 6 November 2002 Correspondence to: M. A. Collins e-mail: collins@rsc.anu.edu.au Acknowledgements. The methods described in this overview are the result of collaborations with former members of my group, in particular with Josef Ischtwan, Meredith Jordon, Keiran Thompson and Ryan Bettens. I am also indebted for inspiration gained from many discussions with my colleagues Leo Radom and Donghui Zhang (National University of Singapore). This work has been supported by the Supercomputer Facility of the Australian National University and the Australian Partnership for Advanced Computing.     

Radiochemical methods in nuclear waste management

Radiochemical techniques play an important role in nuclear waste management studies at the Centre for Analytical Research in the Environment. Current research includes the measurement of atmospheric emissions from a reprocessing plant, modelling of environmental pathways, and evaluation of reactor materials for the prediction of releases from ultimate disposal sites. A radiochemical separation procedure has been developed for¹²⁹I, which has been applied to a study of emissions from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant. Atmospheric emissions, rainfall, grass, milk and wild food are analysed to model the ultimate fate of¹²⁹I. A new procedure has been developed for measuring sub-ppm concentrations of chlorine in archive steel samples as part of programme to produce an inventory of arisings of³⁶Cl from nuclear power stations. The method has been extended to other reactor materials and this paper describes the application of the radiochemical method for Magnox alloys, mild steel and cast iron.     

Progress in the accuracy enhancement for elemental analysis by quadrupole-based plasma-SNMS

The elemental quantification in plasma-based SNMS is hampered by the matrix dependence of the detection efficiencies. The signals of elements of unknown compounds can only be converted to concentrations with mean detection factors resulting in concentrations with an uncertainty mainly given by the matrix effect. This situation can be considerably improved by energy measurements of the sputtered particles. The energy distribution (ED) can be used in two ways. First, the exact knowledge of the ED to each detected element allows an element specific integration of the directly sputtered atoms eliminating thermal species from resputtered wall deposition. For a set of copper compounds the spread of the Cu detection factors could be reduced from ± 63% for the conventional measurement to ± 35% using energy resolved data. Second, the shape of the ED of postionised atoms differs considerably from all interfering species, such as clusters as well as twice charged atoms which could superimpose on the atomic signals. A quantitative shape analysis of the measured ED was developed to correct for these interfering species. Examples are given for both superpositions with cluster intensities and interferences with twice charged intensities. To reduce the additional time necessary to obtain the ED, the number of energy resolved data points was reduced in steps down to 3 points only which still reduced a superposition error to half of the value without ED based correction.     

Fixation and reduction of molecular nitrogen by [WH4(PC2H5Ph2)4] and [WH4(PCH3Ph2)4] in a γ-radiation field

Hydride complexes of W(IV) with dpep (diphenylethylphosphine) and dpmp (diphenylmethylphosphine) were irradiated in thf+C₆H₁₂(11) solutions, saturated with N₂+H₂(13). Radiation yields of hydrazine, ammonia and amines were evaluated. The mechanism of reduction of molecular nitrogen is discussed.     

Hydrogen bonding in vitamin B6

Double-well potential energy surfaces for hydrogen bonding in crystalline vitamin B₆ have been associated with molecular environmental effects. New calculations, involving improved representations of a fragmentation model, include the introduction of a second pyridoxinium chloride system within the model in a “dimer-like” configuration. The new results confirm the double-well potential and the prediction of the experimentally observed position for the proton as being due essentially to environmental effects. Atomic difference maps are presented for the charge density distributions, which reflect the nature of the bonding as it depends on the proton position. Mulliken populations are examined particularly in relation to the “intermolecular” transfer of electrons.     

A non local density functional calculation of the diamagnetic susceptibilities and other electronic properties of noble gases and closed-shell ions

The non local weighted-density approximation (WDA) to the exchange-correlation potentialV _xc (r) is used to compute electron densities, ionization potentials and electron affinities of several atoms and ions. Especial care is taken in calculating and discussing 〈r ²〉 in noble gas atoms. Good results are obtained for all those quantities, but it is critical that the WDA is applied in such a way that it preserves the correct larger behaviour ofV _xc (r). A comparison of the calculated electron density with that of the Hartree-Fock method shows the effects of coulomb correlation. The density rearrangements upon the introduction of correlation agree qualitatively with the results of Configuration-Interaction calculations     

Second-order relativistic electron capture

Starting with the impulse approximation, we analyse second-order effects in relativistic electron capture. The relation of this model with relativistic distorted-wave approximations is clarified. In particular it is shown that the second-order spin-coupling terms in the RCDW theory are consistent with the correct form given by perturbation theory. In the semirelativistic limit, the RCDW results are shown to accord with the formulae of Moiseiwitsch for flip and nonflip transitions in the ultra-relativistic limit. This confirms that the continuum-distorted-wave model generalises to relativistic spinors, and highlights the defects of scalar models. We also present a new symmetric eikonal theory which gives reliable results for capture without change of spin, but leads to a divergent total cross section for spin-flip transitions in the second-order term. This effect, which is quite distinct from the spurious spin-flip amplitudes of the scalar symmetric eikonal theory, is taken as further evidence that the eikonal approximation is not valid for magnetic transitions.     

An attempt to prepare and characterize a soil reference material for Cr(VI) and Cr(III)

Reference materials for the speciation and quantification of chromium in contaminated soils were prepared by impregnating diatomaceous earth with BaCrO₄ and Cr₂O₃. The chronium concentrations of these materials were confirmed to be 200 mg/kg both by atomic absorption spectrometry and by instrumental neutron activation analysis, but monthly assays over two calendar quarters of the reference material impregnated with BaCrO₄ revealed the hexavalent chromium was not stable in this matrix.