Determination of137Cs and134Cs in air samples collected near Belgrade /Yugoslavia/ following the Chernobyl accident

This paper presents the results of measurements of¹³⁷Cs and¹³⁴Cs content in air sampled during May 1986. Maximum concentrations:¹³⁷Cs 2.94±0.01 Bq m^–3 and¹³⁴Cs 1.38±0.01 Bq m^–3 were registered on May 3. Several other long lived radionuclides having -energies in the region 33 keV to 1365 keV were registered in the same samples two years later. The results of measurements of the total -activity in air for the same period are also presented.     

The radiolysis of bis/1,2-dicarbollyl/cobalt/III/ acid in H2O−CCl4 two-phase system

The radiation-induced oxidation of bis/1,2-dicarbollyl/cobalt/III/ acid to 8-monohydroxy-, and 8,8-dihydroxy-derivatives was observed in two-phase system of 4 to 96 vol. % of CCl₄ and H₂O. Carbon tetrachloride increases the radiation yields of the oxidation of the acid in the investigated dose region, nature of the radiolytic products being the same. The partial radiation yields in the system were ascertained.     

Results of three years of monitoring239,240Pu and238Pu concentrations in airborne effluents from the V-1 nuclear power plant with VVER 440 reactors in Jaslovské Bohunice in Czechoslovakia

The concentration of^239,240Pu and²³⁸Pu in airborne effluents in the years 1985–1987 from two reactors VVER 440/total power of 880 MW/ of a nuclear power plant V-1 in Jaslovské Bohunice in Czechoslovakia, was determined. The concentration of^239,240Pu in effluents ranged from 1.0 to 30.8 Bq.m^–3 and of²³⁸Pu from 1.6 to 41.1 Bq.m^–3. The activity ratio²³⁸Pu/^239,240Pu in airborne effluents kept within the range of 1.0–2.4. Total annual discharged activities of^239,240Pu in 1985, 1986 and 1987 were 28.5, 12.7 and 12.2 kBq, respectively. Total annual discharged activities of²³⁸Pu in 1986 and 1987 were 16.6 and 15.1 kBq, respectively.     

Influence of thiobisphenols on the photo-oxidation of low density polyethylene

The influence of thiobisphenols, some products of their thermo-oxidative transformation and model compounds on the photo-oxidation of low density polyethylene (Ld PE) has been studied. Thiobisphenols are found to have a pro-oxidant effect in the early period of exposure, which increases with their concentration. On the other hand, the carbonyl build up was retarded in a later irradiation period. Similar effects have been observed with some thiobisphenol transformation products, bis(3,5-di-tert. butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) sulphide and its oxidation products, sulphoxide and sulphone, respectively, and model 4,4′-methylenebis(2-methyl-6-tert. butylphenol). Dodecyl 3,3′-thiodipropionate retarded the carbonyl build up during the whole period of ultraviolet irradiation. Kinetic data show that a concentration of 0·1% by weight of thiobisphenols is the most effective in retarding the carbonyl build up in Ld PE films. The formation of non-alcoholic oxygenated structures seems to be a specific effect of the sulphur containing compounds under study.     

Development and validation of high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for determination of amygdalin

ABSTRACT

A new method for the extraction and quantitative determination of amygdalin has been proposed. Accelerated solvent extraction was applied for the extraction, and reversed-phase high-performance thin-layer chromatography method was developed, validated, and applied for the determination of amygdalin in the extracts of apricot, plum, almond, and peach kernels. The chromatographic system used was RP-18 silica, as stationary phase and acetonitrile/water (50:50, v/v), as mobile phase. Densitometric scanning was performed at 210 nm. The method was validated with respect to specificity, linearity, precision, and accuracy. The results showed that the peak area responses were linear within the concentration range of 2.5–50.0 µg/spot (R² = 0.9984). The limit of quantification was 4.28 µg/spot, and the detection limit 1.28 µg/spot. The intra-day and inter-day reproducibility, in terms of %RSD, were in the range of 0.81–1.15 and 1.32–1.89, respectively. The accuracy data were in the range from 99.98 to 100.56%. The method is linear, quantitative and reproducible, and could be used as an efficient and economical green chromatographic procedure for the determination of amygdalin in the fruit kernel.     

Degradation of azithromycin using Ti/RuO<Subscript>2</Subscript> anode as catalyst followed by DPV,HPLC–UV and MS analysis

The electrodegradation of azithromycin was studied by its indirect oxidation using dimensionally stable Ti/RuO₂ anode as catalyst in the electrolyte containing methanol, 0.05 M NaHCO₃, sodium chloride and deionized water. The optimal conditions for galvanostatic electrodegradation for the azithromycin concentration of 0.472 mg cm^?3 were found to be NaCl concentration of 7 mg cm^?3 and the applied current of 300 mA. The differential pulse voltammetry using glassy carbon electrode was performed for the first time in the above-mentioned content of electrolyte for the nine concentration of azithromycin (0.075–0.675 mg cm^?3) giving the limits of azithromycin detection and of quantification as: LOD 0.044 mg cm^?3 and LOQ 0.145 mg cm^?3. The calibration curve was constructed enabling the electrolyte analysis during its electrodegradation process. The electrolyte was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The electrooxidation products were identified and after 180 min there was no azithromycin in the electrolyte while TOC analysis showed that 79% of azithromycin was mineralized. The proposed degradation scheme is presented.     

Disposable multichannel immunosensors for 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid using acetylcholinesterase as an enzyme label

An improved version of the disposable multichannel immunochemical biosensor for the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) based on a screen-printed amperometric transducer and monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against 2,4-D is reported. Entrapment within a thin Nafion film was used for the direct immobilization of MAb at the electrode surface. The amount of the tracer (2,4-D conjugated to acetylcholinesterase) bound in a competitive immunochemical reaction was determined amperometrically using acetylthiocholine iodide as substrate. The measuring procedure (times of incubation with tracer and substrate, pH, tracer concentration) was optimized. The sensor was able to detect less than 0.01 μg/L of free 2,4-D in water. One analysis (8 samples) was completed in 30 min (20 min for immunochemical reaction, 5 min incubation with substrate, 5 min measurement). The performance of the immunosensor (two configurations) was evaluated on real samples (tap water) with added 2,4-D. The determined amounts (mean values 0.097 to 0.105 and 0.89 to 1.13) corresponded well with the added contents of 2,4-D (0.100 and 1.00 μg/L, respectively).     

Distribution of fallout radionuclides through soil surface layer

The distribution of¹³⁷Cs through soil layers has been investigated by field sampling. The investigation deals with¹³⁷Cs concentration found after the Chernobyl accident. The relationship between important soil characteristics, total precipitation and cesium distribution are analyzed. Cesium is strongly sorbed in the top soil layer and its migration downward is limited. Measurements performed over a 3-year period revealed that approximately 20–38 per cent of total¹³⁷Cs is located in the upper soil layer.