Automatic Separation System Research Articles

A novel strategy for sequential separation of Th(IV) from highly acidic wastewater based on solid phase extraction

The potential applications and advantages of thorium(Th) in the development of the nuclear industry make the effective separation of Th(IV) crucial for depleted fuel management and environmental safety. However, selectively capturing of Th(IV) from high-concentration nitric acid remains a challenging task. In this work, a novel solid-phase extraction resin (TOPO/XAD-7) was successfully synthesized by vacuum impregnation of trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) into an acrylic-based polymer (XAD-7 resin). It exhibited excellent adsorption abilities for Th(IV), including wide highly concentration acid tolerance (0.01–6 mol L−1 HNO3), high adsorption capacity of 59.79 mg g−1, fast adsorption kinetic (< 60 min) and super elevated selectivity. The adsorption mechanism of the resin involves neutral chelation extraction, with the PO group being the main adsorption binding site. Additionally, the resin was demonstrated good reusability and stability under extreme conditions (high acidity, high temperature and high radiation). Furthermore, dynamic column experiments conducted using an automated separation system validated the practical application of TOPO/XAD-7 resin for the separation of Th(IV) and U(VI)/Th(IV) in wastewater, achieving high element recovery (> 99.5%) and a high U(VI) decontamination factor (3.5 × 105). This work confirms the excellent potential of TOPO/XAD-7 resin for the separation and enrichment of Th(IV) in nuclear wastewater.

Efficient capture of ReO4−/TcO4− on anion exchange resin from wastewater

It is still a challenge to capture TcO4− from wastewater due to its nature of non-complexing and radioactive. Herein, two types of anion exchange resins (D201 and IRA-410 resin) were selected and explored the adsorption properties for perrhenate (ReO4−, as a surrogate for TcO4−). It is found that both D201 and IRA-410 resin exhibited fast adsorption kinetic (within 120 min), and superior adsorption capacities, which could reach 671.1 mg g−1 and 561.8 mg g−1 for D201 and IRA-410 resin, respectively. In addition, D201 and IRA-410 resin showed excellent adsorption selectivity for ReO4− in the presence of a variety of 1000-fold competing anions (NO2−, Cl−, SO42−, and PO43−). Importantly, the two resins still demonstrated outstanding performance after acid/alkaline soaking, calcination procedures as well as high doses of ionizing radiation, they also could remove ReO4− from simulated Hanford and SRS wastewater by automatic separation system. Finally, the anion-exchange mechanism was revealed by characterization and DFT. This work demonstrates that D201 and IRA-410 resin are efficient adsorbents for 99Tc removal from nuclear wastewater and provides a basis for designing other novel anion exchange materials for capturing ReO4− and TcO4−.

Ultrafast and selective capture of 99TcO4-/ReO4- from wastewater by hyper-branched quaternary ammonium group-functionalized resin

99Tc primarily exists high mobility in the natural aqueous environment due to its extremely high solubility and non-complexing features, which can easily cause radioactive pollution. We herein report a general strategy for constructing a novel resin (SiPAN-PEI) with multiple positive charges nitrogen, exhibiting ultrafast adsorption kinetics (< 3 min), superior adsorption capacities (463.96 mg g−1), and excellent selectivity in the presence of excess competitive anions, which exceed those of most commercial resins. Moreover, based on impressive structure stability in extreme conditions, SiPAN-PEI can still maintain superior adsorption abilities after suffering irradiation, calcination, and immersion in strong acid. In addition, the separation performance kept excellently after five loading-washing-eluting cycles and the total adsorption ratio can still reach 97 %. Outstandingly, SiPAN-PEI can remove most of ReO4- from simulated nuclear wastewater through a sequential injection automatic separation system and can reduce the concentration of ReO4- to the maximum concentration standard set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in a short time. Leveraging density functional theory calculations and other characteristics clearly elucidated adsorption mechanism of anion-exchange between Cl- and TcO4-/ReO4-. In terms of superior adsorption property, SiPAN-PEI is demonstrated to be a pretty candidate for 99Tc elimination from wastewater.

Accurate determination of ultra-trace REEs in seawater using a membrane desolvation Q-ICP-MS coupled with an online automatic separation system

A highly precise method, based on a traditional Q-ICP-MS coupled with an online automatic separation system and membrane desolvation sample introduction device, was developed for accurate determination of ultra-trace REEs in seawater samples.

Conveniently synthesis of porous crown-based resin with efficient 90Sr capture from highly acidic wastewater

Effective removal of radioactive 90Sr is crucial for both management of spent nuclear fuel and recovery of radioactive strontium resources, while it’s still a great challenge due to the presence of high acid levels and intense radiation. Herein, a novel porous resin (DtBuCH18C6@CG-71) were synthesized by introducing 4′,4″(5″)-di-tert-butyldicyclohexano-18-crown-6 onto CG-71 resin using vacuum impregnation. The DtBuCH18C6@CG-71 resin maintains superior adsorption abilities in extreme conditions, including high acid resistance (3–12 mol/L HNO3), substantial γ-irradiation (200 kGy 60Co), and elevated temperatures (50–100 ℃). Impressively, even when exposed to a high concentration of matrix ions (59 elemental ions), the Sr(II) adsorption ratio onto DtBuCH18C6@CG-71 resin remains near 100 % even in highly acidic condition, which performance outpaces most of commercial resins. Dynamic column tests using an automated separation system further confirmed the superior ability of DtBuCH18C6@CG-71 in term of extracting Sr(II) from wastewater. Given its impressive features, cost-effectiveness, and scalability, DtBuCH18C6@CG-71 resin holds promising potential for 90Sr disposal in nuclear wastewater.

Deep Learning Algorithm as an Alternative of Automatic Classification of Dirty Eggs

Egg, which is one of the daily needs, contains important nutrition like protein, vitamins, mineral and 75 Kcal. Thus, one of the external qualities of eggs becomes one of the considerations in determining egg quality. The poor condition of the egg shell can be unhealthy and harmful. The dirty eggs and the clean ones are important elements in an automatic separation system since they relate to the consumer’s economic and health values. An element such as dirt at the eggshell leads the raise of Salmonella bacteria and will be worse if the bacteria get into the eggshell. An automatic method of egg selection is crucial to determining the egg's quality before it reaches the consumer. Selecting and classifying egg manually is inefficient for the seller, due to it takes more time and complicated processes. The development of an automatic method is required to categorize and simplify the manual system. Deep Learning Algorithm become one of remarkable solution in developing the method of classification and qualified egg. The method of deep learning algorithms is a computational process that is simpler than other computing methods. The process of egg selection is conducted based on the dirtiness of the eggs. The result of this system is able to classify accurately and efficiently to the select whether the egg has good or bad quality, in order to simplify the breeders’ job.

Development and Modeling of an Onion Harvester with an Automated Separation System

One of the most important problems during the implementation of any technology is to reduce labor costs, energy, and resource conservation while increasing the yield of cultivated crops and, as a result, reducing the cost of production. Despite a significant amount of scientific research devoted to the problem of energy and resource conservation in the cultivation and harvesting of agricultural crops and the development of mechanization tools that ensure the high-quality performance of technological operations, there remain issues that have not been fully resolved to date. In addition, not all the results of known theoretical and experimental studies can be directly applied to intensify the process of harvesting root crops since the quality indicators of marketable products depend on the type and technological parameters of the separating working bodies. This article presents the design of a rod elevator with an adjustable angle of inclination of the web, which reduces damage to commercial products of root crops and bulbs with maximum completeness of separation. A laboratory facility has been developed to substantiate the design and technological parameters of a separating system with an adjustable web inclination angle. Based on the results of theoretical and experimental studies, a machine for harvesting onions with an adjustable blade inclination angle has been developed, which provides an increase in the quality indicators of onion harvesting at optimal values of the parameters: (1) translational speed of movement of the rod elevator with an adjustable web inclination angle of 1.7 m/s with a 98.4% completeness of separation and 1.7% damage to the bulbs; (2) translational speed of the movement of the machine for harvesting root crops and onions 1.0 m/s with a 98.5% separation completeness and 1.1% damage to the bulbs; (3) digging depth of the digging plowshare equal to 0.02 m, with an onion heap separation completeness of more than 98% and product damage of less than 1.4%. The results of theoretical and experimental studies of a rod elevator to substantiate the design and technological parameters during its interaction with a heap of onion are presented. Basic design and technological parameters of the studied rod elevator are substantiated, namely, the distance S1 of the movement of the rod of the actuators, the angle a1 of the longitudinal inclination of the surface of the rod elevator relative to the horizon, and differential equations of motion of the onion-sowing pile element on the surface of the rod elevator with an adjustable angle of inclination of the web.

Development of a fully automatic separation system coupled with online ICP-MS for measuring rare earth elements in seawater.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are useful geological indicators of marine geochemistry. However, extremely low concentrations (sub-ng L−1) and high-salt matrices result in inefficient measurements. A fully automatic separation system (ELSPE-2 Precon) is used in the online determination of ultra-trace REEs in seawater using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. This system mainly comprises three sections: (i) an auto-sampler (eas-2A) with 120 positions; (ii) a poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) resin column (Prin-Cen Col007) with iminodiacetic and ethylenediaminetriacetic acid functional groups to eliminate the high-salt matrix (e.g., Na, Ca, K, Mg, Al, Ba, Fe, Sr, P, and S) and preserve the target REEs; and (iii) a Trp002 cleanup column for the reduction of the reagent and procedural blank values. The detection limits (3σ) were in the range 0.002 (Dy)–0.097 ng L−1 (La), and the long-term reproducibility (8 h) was between 80% and 120% for all REEs in a 3.5% NaCl matrix solution. The accuracy of this method was verified using a seawater reference material (NASS-6), and the measured REE concentrations were consistent with those previously reported. The proposed online system was used to investigate coastal water samples with varying salinities from the Pearl River Estuary (Guangdong, China). Variations in the REE distribution patterns of different layers of seawater were observed, which could be due to the mixing of potentially light rare earth element-enriched bottom seawater. Moreover, a positive Gd anomaly in river water and seawater might be attributed to anthropogenic pollution from hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry.

Selective separation of amines from continuous processes using automated pH controlled extraction

An automated separation system is described for identifying the optimal conditions for purifying an amine from a mixture.

A novel online preparative high-performance liquid chromatography system with the multiple trap columns-valve switch technique for the rapid and efficient isolation of main flavonoids from Epimedium koreanum Nakai.

In this work, a new online preparative high-performance liquid chromatography was developed for the fast and efficient separation of complex chemical mixtures from natural products. This system integrates two chromatographic systems into an online automatic separation system using the technique of multiple trap columns with valve switching. The sample was first separated into 18 subfractions in the online preparative high-performance liquid chromatography, and the sample eluents were then diluted and captured online on 18 trap columns by the multiple trap columns technique, respectively. Each subfraction retained on the trap column was transferred online to the separation column for the second separation. Finally, the target compounds were purified by appropriate separation conditions and multiple heart-cutting strategies. Importantly, the system was successfully used to separate 18 high-purity flavonoids from the crude extract of Epimedium koreanum Nakai online in one step. The entire separation time was approximately 20 h, and the structures were characterized by the high-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance. This online preparative high-performance liquid chromatography system represents an efficient and rapid separation system that has the potential for a wide array of applications in the separation of complex chemical components from natural products.

Automated extraction chromatographic radionuclide separation system for analysis of 90Sr in seawater

After the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster, the demand for a rapid method for the detection of environmental radioactivity increased drastically. Since the development of extraction chromatography using resins, analytical methods have advanced significantly in terms of simplicity and required labor. Herein, a home-made automated separation system that is applicable radio-extraction chromatographic separation techniques is reported. A simple, rapid, and high-throughput method was developed using this home-made automated separation system to analyze radiostrontium in seawater in emergency and routine situations. For emergency situations, radiostrontium in seawater is pre-concentrated on a cation exchange resin and consecutively purified using the Sr-resin. Fifty minutes are required for the purification of 90Sr in four samples (100 ml). The minimum detectable activity (MDA) for 90Sr is 0.2 Bq kg−1 at 100 min counting, with a recovery of 70% and counting efficiency of 95% in the scintillation mode. For routine monitoring, 90Y that is in equilibrium with 90Sr is first separated from the sample matrix using DGA. Treatment of 30 L of each seawater sample requires ~2 h. The MDA for this method is 0.3 mBq kg−1 at 400 min counting with a recovery of 70% and counting efficiency of 67% in the Cerenkov mode. By employing the developed method, the measured 90Sr in seawater collected from the coastal area of Korea is 0.92 ± 0.18 mBq kg−1, which is comparable to that reported previously. The measurements were obtained using a liquid scintillation counter, and the entire separation process was performed by employing the home-made separation system.

Simultaneous analysis method of 89 Sr and 90 Sr in liquid sample using automated separation system

Simultaneous analysis method of 89 Sr and 90 Sr in liquid sample using automated separation system

Optimization and Validation of a New Capillary Electrophoresis Method with Conductivity Detection for Determination of Small Anions in Red Wines

A capillary electrophoresis (CE) method has been developed and validated for determination of organic acids (oxalate, tartrate, malate, malonate, pyruvate, succinate, acetate, citrate, and lactate) and inorganic anions (sulfate and phosphate) in red wines. The separations were carried out in an automated separation system equipped with wide-bore (300 μm i.d.) fluoroplastic capillary and contact conductivity detector used for monitoring the separation and quantification of the analytes. The fast method (analysis time less than 5 min.) provided a good linearity of calibration curves (R 2 > 0.9920) for the studied acids, as well as a good reproducibility of migration times (RSD < 1.5%). In total, 17 red wines were analyzed with the proposed method, including Vranec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot wines from various geographic areas (Demir Kapija, Kavadarci, Negotino, and Veles) in Macedonia. The used fully automated separation system (sample dilution not included) predetermined the developed CE method for routine analysis.

Efficient preparation of high-quality 64Cu for routine use

IntroductionCopper-64 is an attractive radionuclide for positron emission tomography and is emerging as a radiotherapeutic agent. The demand of 64Cu with low metallic impurities has increased because of its wide applications when incorporated with antibodies, peptides, and proteins. In this study, we propose a new separation method to produce high-quality 64Cu using a cation exchange column, as well as an automated separation system suitable for large-scale production. Methods64Cu was produced from an electrodeposited 64Ni target via the 64Ni(p,n)-reaction with a 24MeV HH+ beam at 10eμA (electrical microampere) conducted for 1–3h. The irradiated target was transported to a hot cell and disassembled remotely. 64Cu was separated by a solvent mixture of HCl and acetone on a cation-exchange resin, AG50W-X8. The chemical purity of 64Cu final product was evaluated using ion-chromatography coupled with a UV detector and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy for quality as well as metallic impurities. ResultsWe obtained 64Cu in dried form at a yield of 5.2–13GBq at the end of separation, or 521±12MBq/eμAh as the final product within 2.5h of processing time. The metallic impurities were a satisfactory low level in the order of ppb. Major contaminants of Co and Ni were lower than those samples obtained by a widely accepted separation using an anion-exchange resin. ConclusionUsing a cation-exchange resin and a systematic operation, we successfully reduced the contamination level of the 64Cu product. As a straightforward separation method, which shortened the entire processing time, we obtained a satisfactory amount of high-quality 64Cu available for routine use.

Development of an UV-Based Imaging System for Real-Time Aflatoxin Contaminated Dried Fig Detection and Separation

Tarımsal ürünlere aflatoksin bulaşmasından kaynaklanan hastalık riskleri ve ekonomik kayıplar önemli bir sorundur. Bu çalışmada; gerçek zamanlı aflatoksinli kuru incirin tespiti ve ayrılması için bir prototip sistem geliştirilmiş ve denenmiştir. Karanlık bir odada bulunan sistemin temel parçaları; 365 nm dalga boyuna sahip UV ışık kaynakları, CCD kameralar, optik sensörler, görüntü işleme ve otomasyon yazılımları, kuru incirleri üzerinde taşıyan bantlar ile otomatik denetimli ayırma üniteleri şeklindedir. Sürecin algılama bölümünde; kuru incirlerin ışık yansıtma etkinliğini arttırmak için, her bir taşıyıcı bant sisteminde alüminyum bir çatı üzerine yerleştirilmiş dört adet UV siyah ışık lamba bulunmaktadır. İki kameradan oluşan görüntüleme düzeneği; yüksek çözünürlüklü ve düşük bulanıklığa sahip iki adet 9 mm lens ve iki adet CCD renkli algılayıcıdan oluşmaktadır. 8.12 ms’lik pozlama süresine sahip olan görüntüleme sistemi; görüntüleri, hareket halindeki kuru incir örneklerinden 0.18 m s-1 birinci bant ve 0.06 m s-1 ikinci bant hızlarında alabilmektedir. Kuru incirlerin her iki yüzeyini de tarayabilmek için, sistemde iki adet kamera kullanılmıştır. Aflatoksinli incirler; otomatik bir ayırma sistemi kullanılarak, pnömatik olarak ayrılmıştır. Prototip sistem, 400 adet kuru incir kullanılarak test edilmiştir. Prototip sistem, aflatoksinli kuru incirlerin saptanmasında ve ayrılmasında % 98 başarı oranına ulaşmıştır. Sistemin çevirme etkinliği % 82, saatlik makine kapasitesi ise 34.56 kg h-1 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Bunlara ek olarak, toplam sistem etkinliği % 80.36 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Böylece sistem, aflatoksinli kuru incirlerin gerçek zamanlı tespiti ve ayrılması için etkili ve uygun bulunmuştur.

Development of a UV-based Imaging system for real-time detection and separation of dried figs contaminated with aflatoxins

The risks of diseases and economical losses resulting from aflatoxin contamination to the agricultural products are a significant problem. In this study, a prototype system for real-time detection and separation of dried figs contaminated with aflatoxins was developed and tested. The main components of the system are 365 nm wavelength UV light sources, CCD cameras, optical sensors, image processing and automation software, belt conveyors that carry dried figs, and automatic separation units in a dark room. Four UV black-light lamps were installed on the aluminum roof of both the belt conveyor systems, to enhance the effectiveness of reflective illumination of the dried figs in the detection leg of the process. The monitoring set up consisted of two cameras with high resolution and low distortion 9 mm lenses, and two CCD color sensors. The imaging system, which had an exposure time of 8.12 ms, could capture images of dried fig samples moving on the belt at speeds of 0.18 m s and 0.06 m s for belt 1 and belt 2, respectively. The system uses two cameras, as both sides of the dried figs were required to be scanned. Figs contaminated with aflatoxins can be separated pneumatically, by an automatic separation system. The prototype system was tested by using 400 dried figs. The prototype system achieved a 98% success rate in the detection and separation of the dried figs contaminated with aflatoxins. Turnover efficiency and hourly machine capacity of the system were calculated as 82% and 34.56 kg/h, respectively. Additionally, total system efficiency was calculated as 80.36%. Thus, the system was found effective and convenient for real-time detection and separation of the dried figs contaminated with aflatoxins.

EFFECT OF PLATELET-RICH PLASMA MIXED WITH A POLYMERIC BONE FILLING MATERIAL ON SINUS FLOOR AUGMENTATION IN RABBITS

Sinus augmentation is a common approach for patients with severe alveolar ridge atrophy but an ideal material to increase the bone volume for dental implantation is still needed. The present study evaluated the effect of a newly developed polymeric bone-filling powder (formed from acrylic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide, ANa) mixed with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for bone generation in a rabbit model of sinus augmentation. A total of 12 New Zealand White rabbits were randomly divided into three groups based on filling material. All animals underwent a bilateral maxillary sinus augmentation. PRP was prepared using an automatic separation system to obtain a high platelet concentration. ANa powder was individually mixed with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or PRP for sinus floor elevation. The left maxillary sinus received the ANa/PBS filling, whereas the right maxillary sinus received a mixture of ANa/PRP gel. Equal volumes of filling material were inserted in each maxillary sinus. Thus, defects with no implantation served as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 4 and 12 weeks, and then all specimens were harvested for micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and histological analysis. On micro-CT evaluation, ANa/PRP significantly increased the bone volume in maxillary sinus augmentation relative to the negative control and ANa/PBS after 12 weeks. New bone areas with osteocytes and osteon formation were found in all three groups at 12 weeks post-implantation. This study confirms that ANa mixed with PRP can effectively increase the bone volume in the sinus cavity. This benefit for sinus augmentation may increase the success of dental implantation because of the formation of a thin layer of alveolar bone.

Portable automated separation system for routine purification and/or pre-concentration of radionuclides based on column chromatography

In recent years the purification and/or pre-concentration of radionuclides before the measurement has grown increasing interest in analytical chemistry. In this study, a new compact and portable stand-alone equipment permitting automatisation of various separation tasks is developed. The new system allows performing quick and reliable automated separation of the selected radionuclide. Since there is no need for permanent manual control of the separation procedures (automatic loading of the sample, washing and stripping solution on the column are controlled via a computer program) the system can be operated overnight. The new system posses the possibility of more variable control for the separation process via new developed user-friendly software, is shielded against the chemical vapors and could be universally equipped with any available chromatographic column. For the automated separation of U, Pu and Am isotopes (achieved recoveries were in the range of 65–95 %, depending on the element separated. The data, presented, show that the application of the module should be also straightforward for other elements: simply by changing the chromatographic columns with the resin having high chemical selectivity for the target ion. The developed separation column module, software and hardware can be readily adapted in any laboratory to meet defined analytical requirements.

High speed detection of potato and clod using an acoustic based intelligent system

Discriminating between potato tubers and clods is the first step in developing an automatic separation system on potato harvesters. In this study, an acoustic-based intelligent system was developed for high speed discriminating between potato tubers and soil clods. About 500kg mixture of potato tubers and clods were loaded on a belt conveyer and were impacted against a steel plate at four different velocities. The resulting acoustic signals were recorded, processed and potential features were extracted from the analysis of sound signals in both time and frequency domains. A multilayer perceptron neural network with a back propagation algorithm was used for pattern recognition. Altogether, 17 potential discriminating features were selected and fed as input vectors to the artificial neural network models. Optimal network was selected based on mean square error, correct detection rate and correlation coefficient. At the belt velocity of 1ms−1, detection accuracy of the presented system was about 97.3% and 97.6% for potatoes and clods, respectively. Increasing the belt velocity resulted in the reduction of detection accuracy and increase in the number of miss classified samples. By using this system, it is expected that a potato harvester may operate at a capacity of 20tonhr−1 with the accuracy of about 97%.

Development of a relatively cheap and simple automated separation system for a routine separation procedure based on extraction chromatography

A robust analytical method has been developed in our laboratory for the separation of radionuclides by means of extraction chromatography using an automated separation system. The proposed method is both cheap and simple and provides the advantageous, rapid and accurate separation of the element of interest. The automated separation system enables a shorter separation time by maintaining a constant flow rate of solution and by avoiding clogging or bubbling in the chromatographic column. The present separation method was tested with two types of samples (water and urine) using UTEVA-, TRU- and Sr-specific resins for the separation of U, Th, Am, Pu and Sr. The total separation time for one radionuclide ranged from 60 to 100 min with the separation yield ranging from 68 to 98% depending on the elements separated. We used ICP-QMS, multi-low-level counter and alpha spectroscopy to measure the corresponding elements.