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Phanthuwongpakdee J, Babel S. Unraveling the mechanism of iodate adsorption by anthocyanin-rich fruit waste as green adsorbents for Applications of radioactive iodine remediation in water environment. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 250:118502. [PMID: 38365049 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
In aquatic settings, radioactive iodine from nuclear waste can exist as iodate (IO3-). This study explored the efficiency and mechanism of IO3- adsorption by minimally modified anthocyanin-based adsorbents. Pomegranate peels and mangosteen pericarps were selected from an initial screening test and could remove over 70% of 10 mg/L IO3-. The adsorbents yielded adsorption capacity (q) of 9.59 mg/g and 2.31 mg/g, respectively, at room temperature. At 5 °C, q values increased to 14.5 and 5.13 mg/g, respectively. Pomegranate peels showed superior performance, with approximately 4 times the anthocyanin content of mangosteen pericarps. Both adsorbents took 120 min to reach adsorption equilibrium, and no desorption was observed after 8 days (I-131 half-time). Confirmation of physisorption was indicated by the fit of the pseudo-first-order reaction model, negative entropy (exothermic), and negative activation energy (Arrhenius equation). IO3- inclusion was confirmed through adsorbent surface modifications in scanning electron microscope images, the increased iodine content post-adsorption in energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis, and alterations in peaks corresponding to anthocyanin-related functional groups in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy at 4564.54 eV showed that iodine was retained in the form of IO3-. Through the computational analysis, electrostatic forces, hydrogen bonds, and π-halogen interactions were deduced as mechanisms of IO3- adsorption by anthocyanin-based adsorbents. Anthocyanin-rich fruit wastes emerged as sustainable materials for eliminating IO3- from water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakkapon Phanthuwongpakdee
- Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Road, Salaya, Phutthamonthon District, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand
| | - Sandhya Babel
- School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University, P.O Box 22, Pathum Thani 12121, Thailand.
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2
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Xing S, Hou X, Shi K, Aldahan A, Possnert G. Circulation of Circumpolar Deep Water and marine environment traced by 127I and 129I speciation in the Amundsen Sea Polynya, Antarctica. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2020; 225:106424. [PMID: 32966942 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2020.106424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The long-lived anthropogenic 129I released from human nuclear activities has been widely employed as an effective oceanographic tracer to investigate circulation of water masses in marine environment. Depth profiles of seawater collected from the Amundsen Sea Polynya, Antarctica were analyzed for total 129I and 127I, as well as their species of iodide and iodate. The measured 129I concentrations ((1.15-3.43) × 106 atoms/L) and 129I/127I atomic ratios ((0.53-1.19) × 10-11) indicate that anthropogenic 129I has not only reached the Antarctic surface marine environment but also the deep water due to a strong vertical mixing of water masses. The Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) flowed southward along continental shelf towards the ice shelf zone (74.25°S) at a depth of 1025 m and then migrated upward and northward to the polynya and finally to the sea ice zone (71.95°S). The maximum upwelling depth of the CDW was around 200 m in the polynya. The source of 129I- in the polynya is predominantly the intrusion of source waters rather than the in-situ reduction of iodate by phytoplankton, implying a considerably slow reduction process of iodate to iodide in this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan, 030000, China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Technology and Application, Xi'an AMS Center, Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xi'an, 710061, China; Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde, 4000, Denmark; School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; Open Studio for Oceanic-Continental Climate and Environment Changes, Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Qingdao, 266237, China.
| | - Keliang Shi
- School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Ala Aldahan
- Department of Geology, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, 17551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Goran Possnert
- Tandem Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 75120, Sweden
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3
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Ray D, Leary P, Livens F, Gray N, Morris K, Law KA, Fuller AJ, Abrahamsen-Mills L, Howe J, Tierney K, Muir G, Law GTW. Controls on anthropogenic radionuclide distribution in the Sellafield-impacted Eastern Irish Sea. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 743:140765. [PMID: 32659564 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Understanding anthropogenic radionuclide biogeochemistry and mobility in natural systems is key to improving the management of radioactively contaminated environments and radioactive wastes. Here, we describe the contemporary depth distribution and phase partitioning of 137Cs, Pu, and 241Am in two sediment cores taken from the Irish Sea (Site 1: the Irish Sea Mudpatch; Site 2: the Esk Estuary). Both sites are located ~10 km from the Sellafield nuclear site. Low-level aqueous radioactive waste has been discharged from the Sellafield site into the Irish Sea for >50 y. We compare the depth distribution of the radionuclides at each site to trends in sediment and porewater redox chemistry, using trace element abundance, microbial ecology, and sequential extractions, to better understand the relative importance of sediment biogeochemistry vs. physical controls on radionuclide distribution/post-depositional mobility in the sediments. We highlight that the distribution of 137Cs, Pu, and 241Am at both sites is largely controlled by physical mixing of the sediments, physical transport processes, and sediment accumulation. Interestingly, at the Esk Estuary, microbially-mediated redox processes (considered for Pu) do not appear to offer significant controls on Pu distribution, even over decadal timescales. We also highlight that the Irish Sea Mudpatch likely still acts as a source of historical pollution to other areas in the Irish Sea, despite ever decreasing levels of waste output from the Sellafield site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisy Ray
- Centre for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Peter Leary
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Francis Livens
- Centre for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; Research Centre for Radwaste and Decommissioning and Williamson Research Centre, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Neil Gray
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Katherine Morris
- Research Centre for Radwaste and Decommissioning and Williamson Research Centre, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Kathleen A Law
- Centre for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; Radiochemistry Unit, Department of Chemistry, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland
| | - Adam J Fuller
- Centre for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | | | - John Howe
- Scottish Association for Marine Science, Scottish Marine Institute, Dunbeg-by-Oban PA37 1QA, UK
| | - Kieran Tierney
- Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, Glasgow G75 0QF, UK
| | - Graham Muir
- Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, Rankine Avenue, Glasgow G75 0QF, UK
| | - Gareth T W Law
- Centre for Radiochemistry Research, Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK; Radiochemistry Unit, Department of Chemistry, The University of Helsinki, Helsinki 00014, Finland.
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4
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Qiao J, Andersson K, Nielsen S. A 40-year marine record of 137Cs and 99Tc transported into the Danish Straits: Significance for oceanic tracer studies. CHEMOSPHERE 2020; 244:125595. [PMID: 32050355 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.125595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This work reports comprehensive time-series datasets for 137Cs and 99Tc in marine samples from the Danish Straits over the past 40 years, where dynamic inputs from the two European nuclear reprocessing plants Sellafield (SF) and La Hague (LH) and Chernobyl accident are clearly archived. Distinct seasonal variations between 137Cs and 99Tc are observed in Fucus vesiculosus (F. vesiculosus), which needs to be taken into account when using F. vesiculosus as a bio-monitor to represent the concentration of radionuclides in seawater. Comparable transfer factor (TF) for 99Tc from SF to Kattegat between our calculation and earlier studies indicates a relatively steady water mass transport over the past decades. Three distinct events are observed in the temporal evolution of 99Tc/137Cs activity ratio in F. vesiculosu with the first event corresponding with the increased 99Tc discharge from SF, while the other two are very likely related to the major Baltic inflow (MBI) events. The correlation between the 99Tc/137Cs activity ratio and salinity fits well into the binary mixing line with the North Sea (NS) and the Baltic Sea (BS) as end members. A model simulation indicates that water mass from NS constitutes less than 50% in the surface water and 50-100% for most locations in the bottom water of the Danish Straits. Overall observations show that 137Cs and 99Tc in marine samples, especially 99Tc/137Cs isotope ratios, serve as useful oceanic tracers to study different natural processes, such as water mixing and transport dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jixin Qiao
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Kasper Andersson
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Sven Nielsen
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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5
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Shi K, Hou X, Qiao J, Sun X, Roos P, Wu W. Analysis of Technetium Species and Fractions in Natural Seaweed Using Biochemical Separation and ICP-MS Measurement. Anal Chem 2016; 88:11931-11937. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b03837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Keliang Shi
- Radiochemistry
Lab, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Center
for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Key
Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, Ministry
of Education, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolin Hou
- Center
for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
- Xi’an
AMS Center, State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology,
Institute of Earth Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 710061 Xi’an, P. R. China
| | - Jixin Qiao
- Center
for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Xuejie Sun
- Radiochemistry
Lab, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, P. R. China
| | - Per Roos
- Center
for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Wangsuo Wu
- Radiochemistry
Lab, School of Nuclear Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, P. R. China
- Key
Laboratory of Special Function Materials and Structure Design, Ministry
of Education, Lanzhou University, 730000 Lanzhou, P. R. China
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6
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Xing S, Hou X, Aldahan A, Possnert G. Speciation analysis of 129I in seawater using coprecipitation and accelerator mass spectrometry and its applications. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-016-5060-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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7
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He P, Aldahan A, Hou X, Possnert G. Tracing variability in the iodine isotopes and species along surface water transect from the North Sea to the Canary Islands. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10967-015-4449-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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8
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Gómez-Guzmán JM, Holm E, Niagolova N, López-Gutiérrez JM, Pinto-Gómez AR, Abril JA, García-León M. Influence of releases of (129)I and (137)Cs from European reprocessing facilities in Fucus vesiculosus and seawater from the Kattegat and Skagerrak areas. CHEMOSPHERE 2014; 108:76-84. [PMID: 24875915 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2014] [Revised: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
(129)I is a very long-lived radionuclide (T1/2=15.7×10(6) years) that is present in the environment because of natural and anthropogenic sources. Compared to the pre-nuclear era, large amounts of (129)I have been released to the marine environment, especially as liquid and gaseous discharges from two European reprocessing facilities located at Sellafield (England) and La Hague (France). The marine environment, i.e., the oceans, is the major source of iodine. Brown seaweed accumulates iodine at high levels up to 1.0% of dry weigh, and therefore they are ideal bioindicators for studying levels of (129)I. In this work, (129)I concentrations have been determined in seaweed Fucus vesiculosus and seawater collected in the Kattegat and Skagerrak areas in July 2007. The resulting data were evaluated in terms of (129)I concentrations and (129)I/(137)Cs ratios. (129)I concentrations were found to be in the order of (44-575)×10(9) atoms g(-1) in seaweed and (5.4-51)×10(9) atoms g(-1) in seawater, with an enhancement in the Skagerrak area in comparison to the Kattegat area. Iodine-129 concentrations in both seaweed and seawater were used to determine the concentration factor of iodine in brown seaweed F. vesiculosus. The high levels of (129)I and (129)I/(137)Cs ratios in the Skagerrak area and their gradually decreasing trend to the Kattegat indicates that the most important contribution to the (129)I inventory in those areas comes from Sellafield and La Hague reprocessing plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Gómez-Guzmán
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain; Dpto. de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, University of Seville, Spain.
| | - E Holm
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain; Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Østerås, Norway
| | - N Niagolova
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - J M López-Gutiérrez
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain; Dpto. de Física Aplicada I, Escuela Universitaria Politécnica, University of Seville, Spain
| | - A R Pinto-Gómez
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - J A Abril
- Dpto. de Física Aplicada I, Escuela Universitaria Politécnica, University of Seville, Spain
| | - M García-León
- Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA), Avda. Thomas Alva Edison 7, Isla de la Cartuja, 41092 Seville, Spain; Dpto. de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, University of Seville, Spain
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9
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He P, Aldahan A, Possnert G, Hou X. Temporal variation of iodine isotopes in the North Sea. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2014; 48:1419-1425. [PMID: 24359222 DOI: 10.1021/es402047s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Monitoring temporal variability of (129)I in the North Sea, a relatively large reservoir of radioactive discharges from the nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities, is vital for the environmental situation in the region. New information on concentration levels and distribution of (129)I and (127)I and their species forms (iodide and iodate) are gained here through sampling of surface water in 2010. The results show generally large spatial and temporal (compared to data from 2005) fluctuations of total (129)I and (127)I, and iodide and iodate. In samples south of 53°N, the level of (127)I(-) in 2010 was generally comparable or higher than in 2005. The results also show total (129)I concentrations comparable in the south, but 2-8 times lower in the north, to the analyses made in 2005. Different from total (129)I, the (129)I(-)/(129)IO3(-) values in the northern part were 2 times higher in 2010 than values observed in 2005. These variations in total (129)I and (127)I and their species are related to coastal water offshore propagation and surface currents that are linked to long-term and seasonal climatic changes over the North Atlantic and North Sea. Inventory estimation shows that >90% of (129)I resides in the Southern and German Bights, which also suggests negligible contribution from the Sellafield facility discharges when compared with that from the La Hague. Variability in discharge rate from La Hague may also affect the distribution patterns of (129)I in the North Sea on the monthly scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng He
- Department of Geochemistry, Chengdu University of Technology , Chengdu 610059, China
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10
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11
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Yi P, Chen XG, Bao DX, Qian RZ, Aldahan A, Tian FY, Possnert G, Bryhn AC, Gu TF, Hou XL, He P, Yu ZB, Wang B. Model simulation of inflow water to the Baltic Sea based on ¹²⁹I. Appl Radiat Isot 2013; 82:223-31. [PMID: 24056000 DOI: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2013.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 07/15/2013] [Accepted: 07/19/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
The semi-enclosed Baltic Sea represents a vital economic and recreational resource for more than 90 million people inhabiting its coasts. Extensive contamination of this sea by a variety of anthropogenic pollutants has raised the concern of the people in the region. Quantifying seawater inflow is crucial for estimating potential environmental risks as well as to find the best remedial strategy. We present here a model to estimate water inflow from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea by utilizing ¹²⁹I as a tracer. The results predicted inflow range of 230-450 km³/y with best fit value around 330 km³/y from the North Sea to the Baltic Sea during 1980-1999. Despite limited time series data on ¹²⁹I, the model presented here demonstrates a new management tool for the Baltic Sea to calculate inflow water compared to conventional methods (such as salinity, temperature and hydrographic models).
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Affiliation(s)
- P Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, PR China; College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; Department of Earth Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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12
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Zhang LY, Hou XL. Speciation analysis of 129I and its applications in environmental research. RADIOCHIM ACTA 2013. [DOI: 10.1524/ract.2013.2077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Summary
129I, a long-lived radionuclide, is important in view of geological repository of nuclear waste, and environmental tracing applications related to diverse natural processes of iodine. The environmental behaviors and bioavailability of 129I are highly related to its species. A number of methods have been reported for speciation analysis of 129I in a variety of environmental samples. These methods have been applied in many researches, including conversion processes of iodine species in marine and terrestrial systems, migration and retention of iodine in soil and sediment, geochemical cycling of iodine, as well as studies on atmospheric chemistry of iodine. This article aims to review these methods and their applications in environmental research.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Y. Zhang
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
| | - X. L. Hou
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
- Xi’an AMS Center, SKLLQG, Institute of Earth Environment, CAS, Xi’an 710075, China
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13
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Shi K, Qiao J, Wu W, Roos P, Hou X. Rapid determination of technetium-99 in large volume seawater samples using sequential injection extraction chromatographic separation and ICP-MS measurement. Anal Chem 2012; 84:6783-9. [PMID: 22783983 DOI: 10.1021/ac301319a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
An automated method was developed for rapid determination of (99)Tc in large volume seawater samples. The analytical procedure involves preconcentration of technetium with coprecipitation, online separation using extraction chromatography (two TEVA columns) implemented in a sequential injection setup, and measurement of (99)Tc by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Chromatographic behaviors of technetium, molybdenum, and ruthenium were investigated, and the mechanism of adsorption and elution of TcO(4)(-) on a TEVA column using HNO(3) was explored. The results show that not only NO(3)(-) but also acidity (or concentration of H(+)) of the loading or eluting solution affect the adsorption and desorption of TcO(4)(-) on TEVA resin. Decontamination factors of more than 1 × 10(6) for ruthenium and 5 × 10(5) for molybdenum are achieved. Chemical yields of technetium in the overall procedure range from 60% to 75% depending on the sample volumes, and a detection limit of 7.5 mBq/m(3) (or 11.5 pg/m(3)) for 200 L of seawater was obtained. Compared with the conventional analytical procedure, the developed method significantly reduces analytical time. A batch of samples (n > 4) can be analyzed within 24 h. The method has been successfully applied for rapid and automated determination of low level (99)Tc in large volume seawater samples. The analytical results of seawater samples collected in Denmark show a good agreement with the values obtained using the conventional method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keliang Shi
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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14
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Osterc A, Stibilj V. Influence of releases of I-129 from reprocessing plants on the marine environment of the North Adriatic Sea. CHEMOSPHERE 2012; 86:1020-7. [PMID: 22205048 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2011.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2011] [Revised: 11/22/2011] [Accepted: 11/24/2011] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Compared to the pre-nuclear era, large amounts of (129)I have been released to the marine environment, especially as liquid and gaseous discharges from two European reprocessing plants located at Sellafield and La Hague. Their liquid discharges influence Northern Europe and most research was conducted in the area of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic Sea. In this article data on (129)I content and (129)I/(127)I ratios observed in the North Adriatic Sea, which is a rather enclosed basin of the Mediterranean Sea, are presented. To the best of our knowledge no data on (129)I in the Mediterranean Sea have previously been reported. As this area is isolated from direct liquid discharges, the main transport pathway is probably gaseous releases from reprocessing plants. Surface sea water, the marine alga Fucus virsoides, an iodine accumulator, and the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in 2009 and 2010, and marine sediment collected in 2005 and 2009 were analysed. The (129)I/(127)I isotopic ratios observed were in the range from 0.8 to 3.0×10(-08) for seawater, from 0.06 to 0.35×10(-08) for marine sediment, from 0.05 to 0.10×10(-08) for F. virsoides and from 0.3 to 0.9×10(-08) for M. galloprovincialis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Osterc
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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15
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Michel R, Daraoui A, Gorny M, Jakob D, Sachse R, Tosch L, Nies H, Goroncy I, Herrmann J, Synal HA, Stocker M, Alfimov V. Iodine-129 and iodine-127 in European seawaters and in precipitation from Northern Germany. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 419:151-169. [PMID: 22285077 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2011] [Revised: 12/23/2011] [Accepted: 01/04/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
In order to obtain a comprehensive survey on the consequences of the marine (129)I discharges from the European reprocessing plants La Hague and Sellafield, the distribution of (129)I and (127)I in surface waters of the North Sea, the English Channel, the Irish Sea, and the Northeast Atlantic was studied using accelerator mass spectrometry for (129)I and ICP-MS for (127)I. Samples of seawater were taken in the German Bight in May, September, and November 2005 and in the entire North Sea and the English Channel in August 2005. Further samples were obtained from the Irish Sea in June and August 2006 and from Arctic waters between Spitsbergen and Southern Norway in September 2005. (129)I is a conservative tracer in seawater. The concentrations of (127)I are relatively constant with exceptions of coastal areas with high biological activity and of areas influenced by influx from rivers and the Baltic Sea. The variability of the (129)I/(127)I isotopic ratios is exclusively determined by admixture of (129)I released from the reprocessing facilities Sellafield and La Hague to the seawater. The (129)I/(127)I ratios were between 4 × 10(-9)and 3 × 10(-6): at least 3 orders of magnitude higher than the natural equilibrium isotopic ratio 1.5 × 10(-12). (129)I/(127)I ratios of a few times 10(-10) were only found in seawater from the Indian Ocean and from the Pacific at Hawaii. Comparison of the results obtained for seawater with those of a measurement of airborne iodine species and with iodine isotopes in precipitation in Northern Germany demonstrates the transfer of (129)I and (127)I from the sea into the atmosphere and the dominating role of the marine discharges for the atmospheric fallout of (129)I in Western Europe. The results are discussed with the goal to estimate the relevance of the marine discharges for the contamination of the continental areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Michel
- Institut für Radioökologie und Strahlenschutz (formerly: Zentrum für Strahlenschutz und Radioökologie), Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany.
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Shi K, Hou X, Roos P, Wu W. Stability of technetium and decontamination from ruthenium and molybdenum in determination of 99Tc in environmental solid samples by ICPMS. Anal Chem 2012; 84:2009-16. [PMID: 22242705 DOI: 10.1021/ac203139q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A rapid and efficient method for the determination of (99)Tc in environmental solid samples was developed using chromatographic separation combined with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) measurement. The volatility of technetium during sample ashing and solution evaporation was investigated to establish a reliable sample pretreatment procedure. A novel approach was developed to improve the removal of molybdenum and ruthenium in chromatographic separation using 30% H(2)O(2) pretreatment of the loading solution and extraction chromatographic separation using two serial small TEVA columns. The decontamination factors of more than 4 × 10(4) and 1 × 10(5) are achieved for molybdenum and ruthenium, respectively. Chemical yields of technetium in entire procedure range from 60% to 95% depending on the type and amount of samples, and the detection limit of 0.15 mBq/g for (99)Tc was obtained. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of (99)Tc in environmental solid samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keliang Shi
- Center for Nuclear Technologies, Technical University of Denmark, DTU Risø Campus, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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Heldal HE, Sjøtun K. Technetium-99 ((99)Tc) in annual growth segments of knotted wrack (Ascophyllum nodosum). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2010; 408:5575-82. [PMID: 20801489 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2010.07.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2010] [Revised: 07/06/2010] [Accepted: 07/28/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The distribution of technetium-99 ((99)Tc) in annual growth segments of the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) from the southwestern coast of Norway is examined in samples collected from January to November 2006. A twenty-fold increase in the (99)Tc-concentration from the youngest to the oldest growth segments was found. The concentrations ranged from 42 to 98Bq/kg dry weight (d.w.) and from 964 to 1000Bq/kg d.w. in growth segments formed in 2006 and 1996, respectively. In addition, a seasonal variation in the (99)Tc concentration was observed in the actively growing 2006-segments: concentrations decreased from 98Bq/kg d.w. in April to 54Bq/kg d.w. in June; there was a further reduction from June to August (42Bq/kg d.w.); and, finally there was an increase from August to November (93Bq/kg d.w.). In most of the segments formed between 2000 and 2005, there was a tendency of slightly decreasing (99)Tc-concentrations between June and November but this pattern was not observed for the older growth segments. In order to find an explanation for the non-homogenous distribution of (99)Tc within thalli of A. nodosum, different hypotheses are discussed. Uptake and elimination of (99)Tc appears to be most pronounced in the actively growing segments. To date, such non-homogenous distribution of (99)Tc within thalli of A. nodosum has not been taken into consideration, neither in connection with sample collection nor analysis. This paper shows that special protocols must be followed if A. nodosum is going to be used as a bioindicator for (99)Tc in the marine environment. A sampling strategy is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde Elise Heldal
- Institute of Marine Research (IMR), PO Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817 Bergen, Norway.
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Hu QH, Weng JQ, Wang JS. Sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment: a review. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RADIOACTIVITY 2010; 101:426-437. [PMID: 18819734 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2007] [Revised: 08/08/2008] [Accepted: 08/08/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Studies of radionuclides in the environment have entered a new era with the renaissance of nuclear energy and associated fuel reprocessing, geological disposal of high-level nuclear wastes, and concerns about national security with respect to nuclear non-proliferation. This work presents an overview on sources of anthropogenic radionuclides in the environment, as well as a brief discussion of salient geochemical behavior of important radionuclides. We first discuss the following major anthropogenic sources and current developments that have lead, or could potentially contribute, to the radionuclide contamination of the environment: (1) nuclear weapons program; (2) nuclear weapons testing; (3) nuclear power plants; (4) uranium mining and milling; (5) commercial fuel reprocessing; (6) geological repository of high-level nuclear wastes that include radionuclides might be released in the future, and (7) nuclear accidents. Then, we briefly summarize the inventory of radionuclides (99)Tc and (129)I, as well as geochemical behavior for radionuclides (99)Tc, (129)I, and (237)Np, because of their complex geochemical behavior, long half-lives, and presumably high mobility in the environment; biogeochemical cycling and environment risk assessment must take into account speciation of these redox-sensitive radionuclides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin-Hong Hu
- College of Water Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 19 XinJieKouWai Street, Beijing 100875, PR China.
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Hou X, Hansen V, Aldahan A, Possnert G, Lind OC, Lujaniene G. A review on speciation of iodine-129 in the environmental and biological samples. Anal Chim Acta 2009; 632:181-96. [DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2008.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2008] [Revised: 11/02/2008] [Accepted: 11/06/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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