Instrumental Nuclear Activation Analysis Research Articles

The inorganic fraction in e-liquids used in vapor products including e-cigarettes

Nowadays, e-cigarettes are largely used, they are considered less dangerous than the traditional cigarettes. Actually, there are a lot of investigations on the health effects of nanoparticles and smoke emitted by them whereas there are very few studies on the e-liquid composition. For the first time this paper would like to investigate the inorganic composition of the e-liquids at different nicotine content (0, 9 and 18 mg mL−1) by means of the instrumental nuclear activation analysis. More than 20 elements at trace/ultra-trace levels were determined: elements such as Na, W, Br, Fe and Co show similar distribution in all the samples, toxic elements as As, Ni and Sb are at μg kg−1 levels whereas Hg is present only in the sample at 0 mg mL−1 nicotine (0.56 µg kg−1). Further, based on transfer rate data of some metals from tobacco to smoke, an evaluation of inhaled element amount during a single vape is also reported.

Multi-elemental composition of Slovenian milk: analytical approach and geographical origin determination

The main objective in multi-elemental analysis in food is to obtain the best results in the shortest time and with minimal contamination and reagent consumption. Three different methods were investigated in the present study to obtain the elemental content in milk samples: energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF), k<sub>0</sub>-instrumental nuclear activation analysis (k<sub>0</sub>-INAA) and the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Quality assurance including intercomparison exercises of these measurements proved entirely satisfactory and was typical of that previously established for this technique. It was found that EDXRF was the cheapest, simplest and environmental friendly method for analysis of multi-elemental composition (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Zn, Br, Rb, Sr) in milk samples, while for determination of Mn, Fe, Cu, Se content and possible identification of pollutants such as As, Cd and Pb ICP-MS was a method of choice due to its excellent sensitivity and accuracy. These two methods were also used to determine the multi-elemental composition in Slovenian raw cow milk from different geographical regions: Alpine, Mediterranean. Dinaric and Panoninan in December 2013. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to explore multi-elemental analysis of milk samples to obtain classification according to geographical regions. Regional discrimination was most successful taking into account Ca, S, P, K, and Cl with prediction ability of 66.7%.

Assessment of Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) in Ikot Abasi L. G. A., Nigeria

Concentrations of major, minor and trace elements in the total suspended particulate (TSP) matter around Ikot Abasi were determined by instrumental nuclear activation analysis (INAA) technique using the thermal neutrons from the first Nigerian nuclear research reactor (NIRR-1) at centre for energy research and training (CERT), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Total suspended particulate (TSP) concentrations ranged between 139±22 µgm-3 and 23±07 µgm-3. The total TSP concentrations from different source groups revealed the commercial sector as the highest contributor of TSP level to the area with a value of 254.64 µgm-3. This value is slightly higher than the µgm-3 standard set by the federal environmental protection agency FEPA. The INAA of the TSP samples show the presence of Al, Na and Mn. Their contributions range between 19.8±3.7 – 119.1±10.1 ppm for Al; 57.4±10.2 - 184±16 ppm for Na and 1.2±0.3 – 4.7±0.4 ppm for Mn in the TSP samples around the study area.

Source identification of inorganic airborne particle fraction (PM10) at ultratrace levels by means of INAA short irradiation

Many studies have focused their attention on the determination of elements of toxicological and environmental interest in atmospheric particulate matter using analytical techniques requiring chemical treatments. The instrumental nuclear activation analysis technique allows achieving high sensitivity, good precision, and excellent limit of detection without pretreatment, also considering the problems related to the radioisotope characteristics (e.g., half-life time, interfering reactions, spectral interferences). In this paper, elements such as Al, As, Br, Cl, Cu, I, La, Mg, Mn, Na, Sb, Si, Ti, and V are studied in atmospheric PM10 sampled in downtown Rome: The relative radionuclides after activation of the sample are characterized by very short (ranging from 2.24 to 37.2 min) and short (ranging from 2.58 h to 2.70 days) half-lives. Furthermore, As, Br, La, Mn, and Sb were also determined for evaluating the aerosol characteristics. The results, elaborated considering the matrix effects and the interfering reaction contribution to the radioisotope formation (e.g., (28)Al generated by both (n,γ) reaction from (27)Al and (n,p) reaction from (28)Si), show interesting values of As (0.3-6.1 ng m(-3)), Cu (22-313 ng m(-3)), Mn (17-125 ng m(-3)), V (7-63 ng m(-3)), higher than those determined in an area not influenced by autovehicular traffic, and significant levels of I (1-11 ng m(-3)) and Ti (25-659 ng m(-3)) in Rome PM10. The other elements show a pattern similar to the very few data present in the literature. It should be underlined the good correlation (r (2)) of Al vs. Mg (0.915) and Al vs. La (0.726), indicating a same sources for these species as well as Br-Sb showing a little lower correlation (0.623). This last hypothesis is confirmed by the study of the enrichment factors: Sb and Br may be attributed to anthropogenic sources; Cu, Cl, and I show a mixed origin (natural and anthropogenic), whereas Al, Si, Ti, Mn, Na, Mg, and As are of crustal origin. For having more information, a statistical approach based on the principal component analysis and the canonical discriminant analysis has been performed: All the samples (except one) are grouped in a cluster, and elements such as As, Br, Cu, I, La, Mn, Sb, Ti, and V are highly correlated, whereas Na and Cl and Mg and Al assemble in two different clusters. Finally, a comparison with other similar studies is reported showing interesting values for Al, As, Mg, Mn, and Ti.

Review of analytical methods for the quantification of iodine in complex matrices

Iodine is an essential element of human nutrition. Nearly a third of the global population has insufficient iodine intake and is at risk of developing Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). Most countries have iodine supplementation and monitoring programs. Urinary iodide (UI) is the biomarker used for epidemiological studies; only a few methods are currently used routinely for analysis. These methods either require expensive instrumentation with qualified personnel (inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, instrumental nuclear activation analysis) or oxidative sample digestion to remove potential interferences prior to analysis by a kinetic colorimetric method originally introduced by Sandell and Kolthoff ∼75 years ago. The Sandell–Kolthoff (S–K) method is based on the catalytic effect of iodide on the reaction between Ce 4+ and As 3+. No available technique fully fits the needs of developing countries; research into inexpensive reliable methods and instrumentation are needed. There have been multiple reviews of methods used for epidemiological studies and specific techniques. However, a general review of iodine determination on a wide-ranging set of complex matrices is not available. While this review is not comprehensive, we cover the principal developments since the original development of the S–K method.

Elemental characterization of impurities at trace and ultra-trace levels in metallurgical lead samples by INAA

The purity of several economically important metals is routinely verified by a reference material. Further, it is essential to provide a means of maintaining the consistency between laboratories and on disseminating the accurate value. This work, developed within an activity of certification promoted by EURATOM, reports the results on impurity determination (Ag, As, Cd, Ni, Sb, Sn, Te and Zn) at trace (µg g − 1 ) and ultra-trace (ng g − 1 ) levels in three metallurgical lead samples (99.99% of purity). Among the different analytical techniques available for the characterization, the use of a nuclear technique, i.e. Instrumental Nuclear Activation Analysis, has allowed to reach high sensitivity and to obtain accurate values for these elements. The irradiations were performed in the rotating rack (Lazy Susan) and in the central channel of the Triga Mark II reactor reaching a total integrated flux of 9.36 × 10 17 n cm − 2 and 2 × 10 19 n cm − 2 , respectively. The results about the determination of elements such as Ni, Sn, Te and Zn present at ultra-trace levels (ng/g), are showed and discussed. This task is very interesting for the radio-analytical and methodological implications: in fact, for analyzing them a radiochemical separation is involved and an anti-Compton gamma spectrometer is necessary due to their very low levels.

Determination of ultratrace levels of selenium in fruit and vegetable samples grown and consumed in Portugal

The selenium content in fruit and vegetable samples from two regions in Portugal were analysed using hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS) and radiochemical nuclear activation analysis (RNAA) – two analytical methods with very low limits of detection. The lower detection limits of HG-AFS, 3 μg kg −1 and 8 μg kg −1 (according to conditions used for digestion), and for RNAA, 10 μg kg −1, meant that it was possible to determine selenium in samples previously analysed using the replicate sample instrumental nuclear activation analysis (RSINAA) with a higher detection limit associated. The results obtained with the HG-AFS method were similar to those obtained using either RNAA or RSINAA, although in the case of RSINAA significant differences were found in three samples. The good accuracy and increased sample throughput, together with the relatively lower equipment and operating costs make HG-AFS the optimum of the three methods for determining trace amounts of selenium. Values obtained by HG-AFS were from 0.03 μg in tomato to 3.1 μg in cabbage (100 g fresh weight). Based on our results, the contribution of the analysed vegetables and fruits to the daily selenium intake was 1.80 μg per person per day for the Portuguese population.

Synthesis of Bromophenyl β-D-Glucuronides: Hydrophilic Precursors of Lipophilic Standards in the Analysis of Environmental Polychlorinated Biphenyls

A rapid PCB-screening protocol, based on a combination of extraction techniques and instrumental nuclear activation analysis (INAA), required water soluble brominated internal standard that undergoes facile hydrolysis to a lipophilic brominated counterpart. Bromophenyl glucuronic acids 2, 3, 7 were synthesized for this application. Glucuronic acids 2 and 3 were prepared by bromination of phenyl β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid in 81 and 54%, respectively, whereas compound 7 was prepared by coupling methyl 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-D-glucopyranosyluronate bromide (5) with 2,4,6-tribromophenol. Incubation with β-glucuronidase indicated that tribromophenyl derivative 7 is an excellent substrate, with near quantitative conversion to tribromophenol within seconds of incubation with the enzyme.

Instrumental nuclear activation analysis (INAA) characterization of environmental air filter samples

Nuclear techniques have been used in quantitations of environmental pollutants, and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) has turned out to be particularly useful in the analysis of airborne suspended particles. This work describes the INAA characterization of the particulate material in the environmental samples obtained in a monitoring campaign in Mexico City's Metropolitan Area. As the types of the irradiation facilities and gamma-ray detection system impose some limitations on the possibilities of INAA analysis, the actual experimental conditions at Gamma Spectroscopy Laboratory, where the analysis was performed, had been assessed. The facilities had been found suitable for the analysis of samples from this campaign, in which 22 elements were determined.

Collection and characterization of a bulk PM2.5 air particulate matter material for use in reference materials

A contemporary PM2.5 (particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns aerodynamic diameter) aerosol material from an urban site has been collected for the production of a new standard reference material that will be made available for the development of new PM2.5 air quality standards. Air particulate matter corresponding to the PM2.5 fraction was collected at an established Environmental Protection Agency monitoring site in Baltimore, Maryland. The air-sampling system that has been constructed for this collection separates fine particles with a cyclone separator and deposits them onto an array of Teflon membrane filters. The fine air particulate material is removed by ultrasonication or by mechanical means and collected for further preparation of standards. The composition of the collected PM2.5 aerosol, as well as the composition of the deposited PM2.5 aerosol, are determined by instrumental nuclear activation analysis and other techniques.

Whole body content and turnover of Cs and K

In persons who had accumulated radiocesium from the fallout of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor accident, the amount of radiocesium and radiopotassium was measured in the total body and in urine. The stable Cs content in the urine was determined at the same time by instrumental nuclear activation analysis. From the data obtained, the total body Cs pool was calculated to be 1500 micrograms, that of K 110 g. The Cs turnover rate was found to be 0.64%/d for men and 0.81 for women; the K turnover 2.4 and 2.7, respectively. The Cs:K ratio in the total body was 4 times higher than that in urine, demonstrating that, in relation to the intake, the body is able to accumulate more Cs than K.

Rapid Instrumental Nuclear Activation Analysis of Rocks, Cements and Meteorites

AbstractThe experimental set‐up and the method for γ‐spectrum analysis as used in the activation analysis of rocks, cements and meteorites by reactor neutrons are discussed. Rapid nondestructive simultareous determination of several elements is possible. Fractional percent reproducibility is possible for Al, Na and Mn; the determination of Ca, Mg and V in the samples studied us influenced by the Al‐ and Mn‐content, but reproducibility approaches 1% in favorable cases. Accuracy is generally within the limits set by the reproducibility. The minimum weight of the sample is small (10–40 mg), but the grain‐size must be below 150 mesh; in the case of meteorites, a grain‐size effect has been demonstrated. Representative results for several standard rocks and cements, for 7 L‐chondrites, 2 hyperstene achondrites and separate mineral phases of the Elenovka chondrite are given.