Comparison of airborne and terrestrial gamma spectrometry measurements - evaluation of three areas in southern Sweden

The Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU) has been conducting airborne gamma spectrometry measurements of natural radioactivity in Sweden for more than 40 years. Today, the database covers about 80% of the country’s land surface. This article explores the first step of putting this data into use in radioactive source search at ground level. However, in order to be able to use the airborne background measurements at ground level, SGU data must be validated against terrestrial data. In this work, we compare the SGU data with data measured by a portable backpack system. This is done for three different areas in southern Sweden. The statistical analysis shows that a linear relationship and a positive correlation exist between the air and ground data. However, this linear relationship could be revealed only when the region possessed large enough variations in areal activity. Furthermore, the activity distributions measured show good agreement to those of SGU. We conclude that the SGU database could be used for terrestrial background assessment, given that a linear transfer function is established.     

Plant uptake of radiocaesium from artificially contaminated soil monoliths covering major European soil types

Uptake of ¹³⁷Cs was measured in different agricultural plant species (beans, lettuce, barley and ryegrass) grown in 5 undisturbed soil monoliths covering major European soil types. The first cultivation was made three years after soil contamination and plants were grown during 3 successive years. The plant–soil ¹³⁷Cs transfer factors varied maximally 12-fold among soils and 35-fold among species when grown on the same soil. Single correlations between transfer factors and soil properties were found, but they varied widely with plant type and can hardly be used as a predictive tool because of the few soils used. The variation of ¹³⁷Cs concentrations in plants among soils was related to differences in soil solution ¹³⁷Cs and K concentrations, consistent with previous observations in hydroponics and pot trials. Absolute values of transfer factors could not be predicted based on a model validated for pot trials. The ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in soil solution decreased significantly (11- to 250-fold) for most soils in the 1997–1999 period and is partly explained by decreasing K in soil solution. Transfer factors of lettuce showed both increasing and decreasing trends between 2 consecutive years depending on soil type. The trends could be explained by the variation in ¹³⁷Cs and K concentrations in soil solution. It is concluded that differences in ¹³⁷Cs transfer factors among soils and trends in transfer factors as a function of time can be explained from soil solution composition, as shown previously for pot trials, although absolute values of transfer factors could not be predicted.     

Stabilization of potassium permanganate particles with manganese dioxide

A new potassium permanganate reagent with slow-release properties was designed and tested for possible application in in situ chemical oxidation. For this purpose, MnO₂-coated KMnO₄ particles (MCP) were prepared by partial reduction of solid KMnO₄ using the acid-catalyzed reaction with n-propanol or the comproportionation of Mn(VII) and Mn(II) in n-propanol as reaction medium. Column tests showed that, for MCP with a residual KMnO₄ fraction of 70 wt%, the duration of permanganate release under flow-through conditions was prolonged by a factor of 10 compared to untreated KMnO₄. While KMnO₄ is too soluble to be used in reactive barriers, MCP could be introduced into the aquifer by filling of trenches or boreholes; this would allow a prolonged passive dosing of permanganate into the flowing groundwater. In addition, experiments were conducted in order to determine the oxidation capability of native KMnO₄ particles and MCP in CH₂Cl₂, a representative non-polar non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL). It may be possible to utilize the significantly higher reactivity of MCP under these conditions for the design of slow-release permanganate particles for NAPL source treatment.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi decrease radiocesium accumulation in Medicago truncatula

The role of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in plant radiocesium uptake and accumulation remains ambiguous. This is probably due to the presence of other soil microorganisms, the variability of soil characteristics and plant nutritional status or the availability of its chemical analogue, potassium (K). Here, we used an in vitro culture system to study the impact of increased concentration of K on radiocesium accumulation in non K-starved mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal Medicago truncatula plants. In the presence of AMF radiocesium uptake decreased regardless of the concentration of K, and its translocation from root to shoot was also significantly lower. Potassium also reduced the accumulation of radiocesium in plants but to a lesser extent than mycorrhization, and without any effect on translocation. These results suggest that AMF in combination with K can play a key role in reducing radiocesium uptake and its subsequent translocation to plant shoots, thereby representing good potential for improved phytomanagement of contaminated areas.     

两种国标方法测定大气中二氧化硫的比较研究

国标方法中环境空气中二氧化硫的测定方法主要有甲醛吸收-副玫瑰苯胺分光光度法和四氯汞盐吸收-副玫瑰苯胺分光光度法.对国标方法中两种副玫瑰苯胺分光光度法测定环境空气中二氧化硫所用的两种吸收液(四氯汞钾、甲醛)的吸收效果及方法的准确性、精密度等条件作了比较试验.结果表明,采用甲醛溶液作吸收液与四氯汞钾溶液作吸收液相比,吸收效果、精密度和准确度更好,测定的检出限低.用甲醛溶液做吸收液,除了上述优点外,还可避免使用大量的汞盐,有利于环境保护.     

Radionuclide content of building materials and associated gamma dose rates in Egyptian dwellings

Studies have been carried out to determine the natural radioactivity in some building materials (bricks, tiles, marble and ceramics) and their associated radiation hazard. The radioactivity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K were measured using a gamma spectrometer with a Hp–Ge detector. The activities of ²³⁸U and ²³⁴U were measured using an alpha-spectrometer with a surface barrier detector after applying a radiochemical procedure. The ²³⁴U/²³⁸U isotopic ratios were calculated. The radium equivalent activities and the radiation hazard index associated with the natural radionuclides were calculated. A computer program was developed and applied to calculate the dose rate a person will receive from the walls of a room constructed from the studied building materials.     

用分光光度法测定有机质的研究

在强酸性溶液中、165℃和催化剂作用的条件下,土壤中的有机碳被K2Cr2O7迅速氧化,而K2Cr2O7中的Cr6+还原成Cr3+,Cr3+在600nm波长上有特征吸收,其吸光度与有机碳的浓度成正比。根据吸光度可计算出土壤有机质的含量。实验证明试剂和工作曲线的斜率有很好的稳定性和重现性。分光光度法测定有机质快速、准确。     

酒石酸钾钠溶液对氨氮标准曲线的影响

通过对酒石酸钾钠溶液存放时间和保存条件的跟踪试验,发现该试剂的存放时间越长,绘制的氨氮标准曲线的截距就越大;并分析了在绘制氨氮标准曲线时显色液易浑浊和截距常常偏大的原因;就此提出了酒石酸钾钠溶液的有效期和保存方法,以进一步提高氨氮测定的准确度。     

南京市机动车尾气污染现状调查及其对人群健康的影响

机动车尾气排是影响城市大气环境质量的重要因素，监测表明：南京市道路环境污染来重，尤其是隧道及交通繁忙的路段。通过对２２０人作问卷调查，发现机动车尾气污染已对经常接触的人群产生很大的影响。     

用过硫酸钾氧化—紫外分光光度法测定地表水中总氮的几个问题

通过对过硫酸钾溶解方式及储存时间的条件实验，表明，用过硫酸钾氧化一紫外分光光度法测定地表水中的总氮时，过硫酸钾氧化剂以自然溶解为好，存放时间以不超过３ｄ为为宜，还对影响总氮测定的准确度、精密度的实验因素进行了探讨。