Accumulation of heavy metals in two crop seeds due to soil contamination as determined by neutron activation analysis techniques

Samples of two crop seeds (corn and sesame) grown on different contaminated soil sources were collected and prepared for neutron activation analysis. Soil contamination sources were organic waste compost applied to soil amendments namely, sewage sludge(Bs) and municipal solid waste (MSW) at 4%, 6% and 8% respectively. The non destructive NAA technique was used to determine some trace elements accumulation in plant seeds. Results revealed that increasing rate of tested organic waste resulted in dramatic increase in tested heavy metals levels in seeds(i.e., Fe, Zn, Co, Cr, Sc and Hg). Sesame seeds showed higher affinity to accumulate trace elements than corn grains in most tested elements. Moreover, MSW addition enhanced the accumulation of tested metals in seeds more than Bs compost.

Application of neutron activation analysis in geochemistry and cosmochemistry

Generalized the use of neutron activation analysis(NAA)in the investigations of unique processes occurring in early stages of formations and evolution of bodies in solar system Out of them the formation of chondrules,emergence of ultra refractory inclusions in carbonaceous chondrites,formation of metallic and silicate phases of iron and stone meteorites,and formation of iron meteorites of different chemical groups Changes in regolite and lunar rock contents,differentiation in the upper mantle matter, identification of earthly meteoritic craters,transportation of cosmic(meteoritic)materials on to the Earth, investigations of unique events like Tunguska fall of the year 1908 and also ore formation studies and processes taking place on geochemical barrier type river-sea,ocean-atmosphere and so on Prospectives of NAA are pointed out

Neutron activation analysis of ceramic tiles and its component and radon exhalation rate

The concentrations of 20 trace elements in several ceramics tiles and ceramic composites used in Egypt were elementally analyzed by neutron activation analysis(NAA) technique. The samples and standard were irradiated with reactor for 4 h(in the Second Research Egyptian Reactor(Et-RR-2)) with thermal neutron flux 5.9×10 13 n/(cm 2·s).The gamma-ray spectra obtained were measured for several times by means of the hyper pure germanium detection system(HPGe). Also a solid state nuclear track detector(SSNTD) CR-39, was used to measure the emanation rate of radon for these samples. The radium concentrations were found to vary from 0.39—3.59 ppm and the emanation rates were found to vary from (0.728—5.688) × 10 -4 kg/(m 2· s).The elemental analysis of the ceramic tiles and ceramic composites have a great importance in assigning the physical properties and in turn the quality of the material.

The affect of industrial activities on zinc in alluvial Egyptian soil determined using neutron activation analysis

Thirty two surface (0—20 cm) soil samples were collected from different locations in Egypt representing non polluted, moderately and highly polluted soils. The aim of this study was to evaluate total Zn content in alluvial soils of Nile Delta in Egypt by using the delayed neutron activation analysis technique (DNAA), in the irradiation facilities of the first Egyptian research reactor (ET RR 1). The gamma ray spectra were recorded with a hyper pure germanium detection system. The well resolved gamma ray peak at 1116.0 keV was efficiently used for 65 Zn content determination. Zn content in non polluted soil samples ranged between 74.1 and 103.8 ppm with an average of 98.5±5.1 ppm. Zn content in moderately polluted soils ranged between 136.0 and 232.5 ppm with an average of 180.1±32.6 ppm. The highest Zn levels ranging from 240.0 and 733.0 ppm with an average of 410.3±54.4 ppm, were observed in soil samples collected from, either highly polluted agricultural soils exposed to prolonged irrigation with industrial wastewater or surface soil samples from industrial sites.

An application of a simple computer program for neutron activation analysis

A simple computer program is designed for estimation of elemental concentration values in complex samples by neutron activation analysis technique. The program is applied for an Egyptian cement sample which irradiated at the Egyptian Research Reactor 1(ET RR 1). The data obtained is compared with the reported values. The time consumed for such calculations has a remarkable reduction in comparison with the routine work.

Elemental analysis of some Egyptian ores and industrial iron samples by neutron activation analysis

Elemental analysis of iron ore samples and first industrial iron production prepared by the Egyptian Iron and Steel Company of Helwan near Cairo were determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis technique. Five samples from each kind were irradiated for a 48 hours at a thermal neutron flux of 4×10 12 n/(cm 2.s) in the first Egyptian research reactor ET RR 1. Also the Pneumatic irradiation Rabbit system (PIRS) attached to the reactor in Inshass, was used to measure the elements of short life time. The gamma ray spectra were recorded by means of the hyper pure germanium detection system. The concentration percentage values of major, minor and trace elements are presented. The long and short lived isotopes were considered. A comparative study and a discussion on the elemental concentration values are given.

Neutron activation method in the analysis of environmental objects

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Overview of Industrial Materials Detection Based on Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis Technology

Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis (PGNAA) is a non-destructive online measurement nuclear analysis method. With its unique advantages, it has been widely used in online analysis of industrial materials such as coal, cement, and minerals in recent years. However, there are many kinds of literature on PGNAA in the field of industrial materials detection, and there are still a few concluding articles. To this end, based on the principle of PGNAA online analysis, the status quo and development of the real-time online detection of industrial material components in the field are reviewed and discussed by consulting a large number of domestic and foreign PGNAA related literature and data, to facilitate the reference of relevant scientific researchers.

Determination of the Bromine, Manganese and Antimony in Nicotiana tabacum Solanaceae by Using the Neutron Activation Analysis Technique

Tobacco addiction has been mentioned as a leading cause of preventable illnesses and premature disability. Smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and one of the factors that most contribute to the occurrence of heart diseases, among others. The herbaceous species Nicotiana tabacum is a plant of the solanaceae family used for tobacco production. Some authors have conducted research about heavy metals and the toxicity of tobacco. It is, frequently, found in low concentrations in the ground, and superficial and underground waters, even though they do not have environmental anthropogenic contributions. However, with the increase of industrial activities and mining together with the agrochemical use of contaminated organic and inorganic fertilizers, an alteration of the geochemical cycle occurs. As a consequence, the natural flow of these materials increases and is released into the biosphere, where they are often accumulated in the superior layer of the ground, accessible to the roots of the plants. During planting and plant development, fertilizers and insecticides, including organochlorines and organophosphates, are used;consequently, the smoke from cigarette smoking presents various toxic substances, such as bromine (Br), manganese (Mn) and antimony (Sb), elements studied in this work. The procedures for the preparation of the samples were carried out in our laboratories and submitted to irradiation with thermal neutrons at Nuclear and Energy Research Institute (IPEN/CNEN-SP), in the Atomic Energy Institute IEA-R1 research reactor. The irradiated material was, then, analyzed by gamma spectrometry, using a high purity germanium detector (HPGe).

Atmospheric Deposition Study in the Area of Kardzhali Lead-Zinc Plant Based on Moss Analysis

For the first time the moss biomonitoring technique was used to assess the environmental situation in the area affected by a lead zinc plant as one of the most hazardous enterprises in Bulgaria. 77 Hypnum cupressiforme moss samples were collected in the Kardzhali municipality, in the summer and autumn of 2011. The concentrations of a total of 47 elements were determined by means of instrumental epithermal neutron activation analysis (ENAA), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Multivariate statistics was applied to characterize the sources of elements detected in the samples. Four groups of elements were found. In comparison to the data averaged for the area outside of the town, the atmospheric deposition loads for the elements of industrial origin in Kardzhali, where the smelter chimney is located, were found to be much higher. Median levels of the measured concentrations for the most toxic metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, As, Cu, In, Sb) were extremely high in this hot spot when compared to the median Bulgarian cross-country data from the 2010/2011 European moss survey. GIS technology was used to produce element distribution maps illustrating deposition patterns of element pollutants in the study area. The results obtained contribute to the Bulgarian environmental research used to study and control the manufacturing processes of a lead-zinc smelter in the town of Kardzhali.

Combined application of neutron activation analysis using IECF device and neural network for prediction of cement elements

Purpose Gamma spectrum of a cement sample is not straightforward to analyze as a result of peak overlapping produced by Compton effect of gamma rays radiated from activated elements in the neutron activation process and also because of the change into the neutron energy spectrum in the target sample during activation.Methods Artificial neural network(ANN)is an excellent solution for complex and nonlinear systems.Consequently,the use of ANN for quantitative analysis of major cement elements including Ca,Si,Al,and Fe would be very advantageous.Iranian inertial electrostatic confinement fusion device is a fast,monoenergetic and steady neutron generator.It was simulated as a high-energy neutron source for performing neutron activation analysis.In the present study,a library of 29 members of delayed gamma-ray spectra of knowing cement samples were generated via MCNPX version 2.7.Specific photo-peaks related to Ca,Si,Al and Fe obtained from these spectra were used as inputs for ANN(21 of them for training and 8 for testing).Then,using MLP architecture,an ANN model has been presented to model the system to predict the percentages of the elements in cement.The ANN model is optimized to have only a hidden layer with five neurons.Results The comparison between modeling data and results of proposed MLP network shows that there is a good consistency between them.The MAE of training set for Ca,Si and Fe outputs were 0.0351,0.0656 and 0.0660,respectively,and the MAE of testing set for mentioned outputs were 0.0997,0.3046 and 0.8699,respectively.Conclusion Overall,it can be concluded that the defined dispensable errors show that this modeling is a good one as a prediction tool for the mentioned purpose.

Optimization of PGNAA device and algorithm for testing basicity index of sinter mixture

Sinter is the main raw material in the blast furnace iron-making process,and basicity(CaO/SiO2)is an important quality index of sinter.Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis is a multi-elemental online detection technology that has been successfully applied in cement,coal,etc.Compared with cement as a raw material,sinter exhibits poor moderation ability and a large neutron absorption cross section.Therefore,cement detection devices are not suitable for sinter mixture detection.In this study,a prompt gamma neutron activation analysis equipment used for testing cement was re-optimized to render it suitable for measuring a sinter mixture.Using Monte Carlo simulation,the comprehensive detection efficiency of the detection device improved by 71.52%.Because of the gamma-ray self-shielding effect of the sinter mixture,the detection errors of CaO and SiO2 are significant.By applying the gamma-ray self-shielding correction algorithm,the detection accuracies improved,and their linear correlation coefficients R2 exceeded 0.99.Furthermore,by applying an improved analyzer to a sintering plant,the first-grade product rate of the factory increased by 4.64%.

Dispersal and Fate of Dredged Materials Disposed of in the Changjiang Estuary Determined by Use of An in Situ Rare Earth Element Tracer

To investigate the dispersal pattern and the fate of dredged materials disposed at a pre-selected disposal site, a field tracer experiment was conducted in the North Passage of the Changjiang Estuary during the 2005 flood season. Three tons of dredged materials were mixed with 2.792 kg of sodium hexachloroiridate （IV） hexahydrate （SHH）, which contained the rare earth element tracer iridum （Ir）. Sampling was conducted at pre-selected sections of the estuary on the second, third and fourth day after the release of dredged materials. All samples were evaluated by use of neutron activation analysis. The majority of the dredged material was dispersed nearly parallel to the navigation channel and deposited between the channel and the south dike. Only a small quantity of dredged materials entered or crossed the navigation channel, and the back silting ratio in the navigation channel was about 5%. The dredged materials also dispersed southeasterly beyond two dike heads.

Comparison of 66 chemical element contents in normal and benign hyperplastic prostate

Objective:The aim of this study was to clarify the differences between the prostatic levels of chemical elements in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)and healthy male.Methods:We evaluated the prostatic level of 66 chemical elements in 43 patients with BPH and 37 healthy males.Measurements were performed using five instrumental analytical methods.Results:In the hyperplastic prostates,we have observed a significant increase in the mean level of Bi,Cr,Hg,K,Sb,and Se accompanied a significant decrease in the mean level of Al,Ce,Cs,Dy,Er,Gd,Ho,La,Mo,Nd,Pb,Pr,Sm,Sn,Tb,Tm,U,and Y.No differences were found in the mean prostatic level of other chemical elements including Ag,Al,Au,B,Ba,Be,Br,Ca,Cd,Co,Cu,Fe,Li,Mg,Mn,Na,Nb,Ni,P,Rb,S,Sc,Si,Th,Ti,Tl,Yb,Zn,and Zr between BPH patients and healthy males.Conclusions:The finding of chemical element contents and correlation between pairs of chemical element mass fractions indicates that there is a great disturbance of prostatic chemical element metabolism in BPH gland.Trace elements Bi,Cr,Hg,K,Sb,and Se may be regarded as the possible tissue biomarkers of hyperplastic transformation of prostate gland.Obtained data did not confirm a critical role of Cd and Pb accumulation in the pathogenesis of BPH.A potential age-related Zn,Fe,and Se deficiency in the prostate tissue has not been found as being involved in the etiology of BPH.

Confidence estimation in the prediction of epithermal neutron resonance self-shielding factors in irradiation samples using an ensemble neural network

Large neutron absorption resonances in the nuclides present in irradiation samples reduce the irradiating neutron flux at energies close to a resonance.In neutron activation analysis of optically thick samples with resonant isotopes,this self-shielding effect can be significant,and must be accounted for to ensure accurate measurements.Here we show that an ensemble artificial neural network can be used to accurately predict the epithermal selfshielding factors in wires composed of up to 57 nuclides.Importantly,the neural network can account for resonance interference that affects the self-shielding in samples containing nuclides with large overlapping resonances.We use Monte Carlo simulations of sample wires irradiated in a thermal neutron spectrum to create the data for training the neural network and validate its predictions.A Gaussian negative log likelihood loss function is combined with the ensemble to estimate the confidence in the predicted self-shielding factors when ground-truth data are unavailable.

Accumulation of dysprosium,samarium,terbium,lanthanum,neodymium and ytterbium by Arthrospira platensis and their effects on biomass biochemical composition

The growth of Arthrospira platensis and physiological changes in biomass under the effects of six rare earth elements Dy,Sm,Tb,La,Nd and Yb were evaluated.Elements were tested by three concentrations of 10,20 and 30 mg/L.According to neutron activation analysis data A.platensis’s accumulation capacity toward studied elements changes in the following order of La>Dy>Nd>Sm>Yb>Tb.The results show that Dy and La ions stimulate biomass growth and Yb ions inhibit it,while Sm,Tb and Nd ions do not affect biomass accumulation.The contents of proteins and chlorophyll a are not affected by the presence of rare earth elements in the cultivation medium.Studied elements affect to different extents carbohydrates,phycobilins,β-carotene,lipids and MDA contents in spirulina biomass.Changes in the antioxidant activity under applied metal loads reveal a moderate stress in exposed A.platensis.Cyanobacterium A.platensis can be successfully used for bioremediation of natural water contaminated with REEs as well as REEs recovery from low polluted industrial effluents.