Safe and rapid development of capillary electrophoresis for ultratrace uranyl ions in radioactive samples by way of fluorescent probe selection for actinide ions from a chemical library

Determination of 90Sr in highly radioactive aqueous samples via conversion to a kinetically stable 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid complex followed by concentration-separation-fractionation based on capillary electrophoresis-liquid scintillation

BACKGROUND

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident (2011) released large amounts of radioactive substances into the environment and generated highly radioactive debris. Post-accident countermeasures are currently in the phase of fuel debris removal, which requires the analysis of radioactive contaminants in the environment and fuel. The spectra of solely β-emitting nuclides, such as 90Sr, overlap; thus, an effective method for nuclide separation is desired. Since conventional methods for high-dose sample analysis pose substantial exposure risks and generate large amounts of secondary radioactive waste, faster procedures allowing for decreased radiation emission are highly desirable.

RESULTS

In this study, we developed a 90Sr2+ quantitation technique based on liquid scintillation counting (LSC)-coupled capillary transient isotachophoresis (ctITP), along with two-point detection and relying on the rapid concentration, separation, and fractionation of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-complexed 90Sr2+ in a single run. The applicability of our method for the analysis of real-world samples was verified by conducting addition-recovery experiments using a seawater reference material and radioactive liquid waste obtained from the radioactive waste treatment facility at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The recovery determined by LSC was 95-113%, indicating successful quantitative analysis. 90Sr recovery was determined to be 90.1% from a contaminated water sample obtained from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, which was analyzed using the standard addition of 90Sr. The sensitivity (detection limit = 0.016 Bq) of the proposed method on a radioactivity basis was equal to or higher than that of the conventional method using ion exchange-LSC (0.012-0.07 Bq).

SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY

Our method allows for the handling of high-dose radioactive samples at the microliter level and is substantially faster than conventional ion exchange protocols, whereas ctITP has not been used for practical applications due to inaccurate collection and lack of a suitable chemical system. The concentration-separation-fractionation protocol in ctITP is successful due to the existence of a rare inert Sr2+ complex and precise fractionation. This study establishes a pathway toward safer and more practical analysis of radionuclides.

Unusually Kinetically Inert Monocationic Neptunyl Complex with a Fluorescein-Modified 1,10-Phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylate Ligand: Specific Separation and Detection in Gel Electrophoresis

We found a singly charged Np(V)O₂⁺ complex with unprecedented kinetic inertness in aqueous solution, one million times slower than the widely accepted fast kinetics of neptunyl complexes. An inert NpO₂⁺ complex with a fluorescent 1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dicarboxylate derivative was found by kinetic selection using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) from a small chemical library. Autoreduction from Np(VI)O₂²⁺ to Np(V)O₂⁺ via complexation was observed. A remarkably small spontaneous dissociation rate constant of 8 × 10^-6 s^-1 (half-life of 23 h) was determined using PAGE. Selective detection of Np(V)O₂⁺ was achieved in PAGE with a detection limit of 68 pmol dm^-3 (17 fg). This system was successfully applied to simulated radioactive waste samples. Our finding that electron-rich NpO₂⁺ forms a uniquely inert complex with no strong electrostatic interaction reveals a new aspect of actinide chemistry for developing a novel separation system of real radioactive material samples.

Stoichiometry between Humate Unit Molecules and Metal Ions in Supramolecular Assembly Induced by Cu2+ and Tb3+ Measured by Gel Electrophoresis Techniques

Humic acid (HA), a fraction of humic substances, can strongly complex with metal ions to form a supramolecular assembly via coordination binding and other intermolecular forces. However, determining the supramolecular size distribution and stoichiometry between small HA unit molecules constituting HA supramolecules and metal ions has proven to be challenging. Here, we investigated the changes in the size distributions of HAs induced by Cu²⁺ and Tb³⁺ ions using unique PAGE for the separation and quantification of HA complexes and metal ions bound, followed by UV-vis spectroscopy and excitation-emission matrix-parallel factor analysis. By determining the concentrations of HA and metal ions, it was possible to estimate the stoichiometry of the HA unit molecule to metal ions in supramolecular complexes. It was found that the supramolecular behaviors of Cu²⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes with HA collected from peat (PAHA) and deep groundwater (HHA) differed. For example, two HHA unit molecules form a supramolecule via cross-linking by a Cu²⁺ ion in the case of Cu²⁺-HHA. Our results suggest that this supramolecular stoichiometry is related to the abundance of sulfur atoms in the elemental composition of HHA. Our experimental results and analysis provide new insights into HA supramolecules formed via metal complexation.

Purification of anionic fluorescent probes through precise fraction collection with a two-point detection system using multiple-stacking preparative capillary transient isotachophoresis

A novel combination of CE-based separation techniques was used for the precise fractionation of ionic compounds from impurities. The combination of on-capillary concentration and separation using transient isotachophoresis, with multiple injections and a two-point detection system provided higher efficiency, and accuracy at a microliter-scale injection volume, than when CE was individually used for purification. In this paper, we present successful applications of the CE fractionation techniques for the purification of fluorescein, fluorescein-4-isothiocyanate, two fluorescent metal ion probes, and a fluorescein-modified DNA aptamer. The purity of the isolated fluorescent probes ranged from 95 to 99%. Such high purity could not be achieved using chromatographic purification techniques. With relatively low dilution factors of 6-9, the purified probe solutions were practical for use as purified stock solutions. In addition, the fluorescein-modified DNA aptamer purified by our method was successfully used in a thrombin binding assay. The method developed was useful for the purification of anionic fluorescent reagents to be of ultratrace analytical grade for use with CE-LIF.

(E)-6,6'-(Diazene-1,2-di-yl)bis-(1,10-phenanthrolin-5-ol) tri-chloro-methane disolvate: a superconjugated ligand

The preparation and structural characterization of the diazo-diphenanthroline compound, (E)-6,6′-(diazene-1,2-di­yl)bis­(1,10-phenanthrolin-5-ol) are described. The fully conjugated bis-phenanthroline mol­ecule is expected to offer exciting new physical and chemical properties, and should form the basis of novel metal coordination complexes as a consequence of the dual N,N′-1,10-phenanthroline chelating moieties situated on the opposite ends of the mol­ecule.

Phenanthroline ligands are important metal-binding mol­ecules which have been extensively researched for applications in both material science and medicinal chemistry. Azo­benzene and its derivatives have received significant attention because of their ability to be reversibly switched between the E and Z forms and so could have applications in optical memory and logic devices or as mol­ecular machines. Herein we report the formation and crystal structure of a highly unusual novel diazo-diphenanthroline compound, C₂₄H₁₄N₆O₂·2CHCl₃.

A cytosine-rich hairpin DNA loaded with silver nanoclusters as a fluorescent probe for uranium(IV) and mercury(II) ions

A dually responsive fluorescent probe for determination of U(IV) and mercury(II) ions was synthesized. The probe consists of a cytosine-rich hairpin DNA loaded with silver nanoclusters (DNA-AgNCs). The fluorescence of the AgNCs is found to be quenched by UO₂(II) at pH 5.0 and Hg(II) at pH 7.0 due to combined static and dynamic quenching. Under the optimal conditions, the green fluorescence of the DNA-AgNCs, best measured at excitation/emission wavelengths of 420/525 nm, decreases in the 4.0 to 75 pM UO₂(II) concentration range, and in the 0.3 to 8.0 nM Hg(II) concentration range. The respective detection limits are as low as 1.8 pM and 0.1 nM. The method was successfully applied to the determination of UO₂(II) and Hg(II) in (spiked) pond and taps waters and in soil extracts. Graphical abstract A label-free DNA was designed to synthesize green-fluorescent silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) and used for rapid dual detection of uranyl ions (UO₂(II)) at pH 5.0 and of mercury ions (Hg(II)) at pH 7.0 in environmental samples.