Simultaneous measurements of indoor radon and thoron and inhalation dose assessment in Douala City,Cameroon

ABSTRACT

Radon, thoron and associated progeny measurements have been carried out in 71 dwellings of Douala city, Cameroon. The radon–thoron discriminative detectors (RADUET) were used to estimate the radon and thoron concentration, while thoron progeny monitors measured equilibrium equivalent thoron concentration (EETC). Radon, thoron and thoron progeny concentrations vary from 31?±?1 to 436?±?12 Bq?m^–3, 4?±?7 to 246?±?5 Bq?m^–3, and 1.5?±?0.9 to 13.1?±?9.4 Bq?m^–3. The mean value of the equilibrium factor for thoron is estimated at 0.11?±?0.16. The annual effective dose due to exposure to indoor radon and progeny ranges from 0.6 to 9?mSv?a^–1 with an average value of 2.6?±?0.1?mSv?a^–1. The effective dose due to the exposure to thoron and progeny vary from 0.3 to 2.9?mSv?a^–1 with an average value of 1.0?±?0.4?mSv?a^–1. The contribution of thoron and its progeny to the total inhalation dose ranges from 7 to 60?% with an average value of 26?%; thus their contributions should not be neglected in the inhalation dose assessment.     

Planarity of ethylene/linear polyene analogues focused on π-electron holding ability of the components

Ethylene/polyene analogues composed of heavier group 14 elements, such as silicon and germanium, do not prefer a planar structure. In the repulsion dominant (RD) model of our previous study mainly focusing on the planarity of hexasilabenzene, it was demonstrated that electron repulsion promotes nonplanarization of heavy benzene analogues. In this study, we have investigated a correlation between intramolecular π-electron transfers (polarization effect) and planarity in various linear unsaturated compounds in order to deepen the RD model. Herein, it was revealed that the ability to hold π-electrons in the planar molecular structure is characteristic of each element. For example, carbon can hold more than one π-electron, whereas silicon and germanium cannot tolerate even one π-electron to keep the planar structure. Thus, π-accepting substituents on the heavy atom were found to make the heavy ethylenes and linear polyenes planar by controlling the number of π-electrons on each skeletal atom.     

Development of non-destructive isotopic analysis methods using muon beams and their application to the analysis of lead

Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry - Elemental isotopic ratios are measured in various research fields and provide useful information regarding age, origin, geological and biological...     

Evaluation of immobilized-lysozyme by means of TOF-SIMS

Evaluation of immobilized-proteins on bio-devices is important for the development of sophisticated devices. Lysozyme molecules immobilized on substrates were evaluated by means of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Two types of the lysozyme-immobilized samples were prepared by controlling the binding parts, i.e., the amino groups or carboxyl groups, of the protein. The TOF-SIMS spectra of each sample were analyzed with mutual information to select fragment ions specific to each sample. According to the results, differences between the samples being immobilized in the different ways are suggested, and the surface structure of the lysozyme molecule immobilized at amino groups is determined based on three-dimensional structure of lysozyme in the Protein Data Bank.     

Shimalactone Biosynthesis Involves Spontaneous Double Bicyclo-Ring Formation with 8π-6π Electrocyclization

Shimalactones A and B are neuritogenic polyketides possessing characteristic oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane and bicyclo[4.2.0]octadiene ring systems that are produced by the marine fungus Emericella variecolor GF10. We identified a candidate biosynthetic gene cluster and conducted heterologous expression analysis. Expression of ShmA polyketide synthase in Aspergillus oryzae resulted in the production of preshimalactone. Aspergillus oryzae and Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformants expressing ShmA and ShmB produced shimalactones A and B, thus suggesting that the double bicyclo-ring formation reactions proceed non-enzymatically from preshimalactone epoxide. DFT calculations strongly support the idea that oxabicyclo-ring formation and 8π-6π electrocyclization proceed spontaneously after opening of the preshimalactone epoxide ring through protonation. We confirmed the formation of preshimalactone epoxide in vitro, followed by its non-enzymatic conversion to shimalactones in the dark.     

Analysis of Cu segregation to oxide–metal interface of Ni‐based alloy in a metal‐dusting environment

Hard X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HX‐PES) has been realized using high‐brilliance synchrotron radiation. High‐energy photon excitation enables us to probe photoelectrons with larger escape depth compared to conventional PES. This allows us to conduct, without destruction, a study of the embedded interface of materials as the oxide‐ metal interface. We apply HX‐PES to investigate for Cu segregation in the oxide–metal interface during metal‐dusting corrosion. The effective concentration of Cu in the segregation was estimated a few times higher than the bulk concentration. These results on the interface layer can explain the variation in the corrosion resistance. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Removal and regeneration of aqueous divalent cations by boehmite

Boehmite (Al(OH)O) was employed for the removal of aqueous Mg(2+), Cu(2+), Cd(2+), Pb(2+), and Co(2+) at 298 K. Although boehmite was able to remove these divalent cations, the greater removal rate with boehmite of Pb(2+) (28.7%) than with Mg(2+), Cu(2+), Cd(2+), and Co(2+) (5.6, 25.3, 10.9, and 13.3%, respectively) was observed under acidic conditions. Under stronger alkaline conditions, in which the lead species was completely dissolved, a greater removal rate of Pb(2+) (more than 80%) was observed under the corresponding conditions employed for the acidic conditions. The removed lead species could not be dissolved from boehmite in an acidic solution while an evident dissolution of lead species was detected using an aqueous NaOH solution. The results shown in the present study reveal that boehmite can be employed as a reagent for the removal and regeneration of aqueous metal cations.     

Oxidative Annulation of Arenecarboxylic and Acrylic Acids with Alkynes under Ambient Conditions Catalyzed by an Electron‐Deficient Rhodium(III) Complex

It has been established that an electron‐deficient Cp^E rhodium(III) complex catalyzes the oxidative [4+2] annulation of substituted arenecarboxylic and acrylic acids with alkynes under ambient conditions (at RT–40 °C, under air) without using excess amounts of substrates to produce the corresponding substituted isocoumarins and α‐pyrones in high yields. Minor modification of reaction conditions depending on the coordination ability of alkynes realized the high efficiency.