Production of radioactive nuclides by energetic protons generated from intense laser-plasma interactions

Nuclear activation has been observed in materials exposed to the ablated plasma generated from high intensity laser-solid interactions (at focused intensities up to 2x10(19) W/cm(2)) and is produced by protons having energies up to 30 MeV. The energy spectrum of the protons is determined from these activation measurements and is found to be consistent with other ion diagnostics. The possible development of this technique for

Resistance to copper toxicity in populations of the earthworms Lumbricus rubellus and Dendrodrilus rubidus from contaminated mine wastes

Two arsenic and heavy metal-contaminated mine spoil sites, at Carrock Fell, Cumbria, United Kingdom, and Devon Great Consols Mine, Devon, United Kingdom, have been found to support populations of the earthworms Lumbricus rubellus Hoffmeister and Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny). Lumbricus rubellus and D. rubidus collected from the Devon site and an uncontaminated site were kept for 28 d in uncontaminated soil and in soil containing 750 mg/kg CuCl2, the state of the specimens being recorded using a semiquantitative assessment of earthworm health (condition index). The condition index remained high for all specimens except those of L. rubellus and D. rubidus from uncontaminated sites, which displayed 100% mortality. Bioavailability of Cu in the soils from one uncontaminated and two contaminated sites and in the uncontaminated soil treated with CuCl2 was determined using sequential extraction. Soils from Devon Great Consols had the greatest availability of Cu, Carrock Fell the lowest. Total tissue Cu for L. rubellus and D. rubidus from the contaminated sites did not change significantly for each species during the experiment. Total tissue concentrations of Cu for L. rubellus and D. rubidus from uncontaminated sites increased significantly during the first 7 d, after which mortality was 90%, making it impossible to continue the analysis.

Chemical modification of multiwalled carbon nanotube with a bifunctional caged ligand for radioactive labelling

Carboxyl-functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) have been successfully radiolabelled with cobalt-57 (57Co) (T1/2 = 270 days) via the attachment of the bifunctional caged ligand MeAMN3S3sar. In this study MeAMN3S3sar has been synthesized and coupled to MWCNTs to form the conjugate MWCNT–MeAMN3S3sar. Synthesis was confirmed with nuclear magnetic resonance. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the conjugation. Non-radioactive labelling of this conjugate was completed with Cu(II) ions to confirm the stability of the MeAMN3S3sar after coupling with the MWCNTs. The complexation of the Cu(II) was also confirmed with XPS. Transmission electron microscopy was used to demonstrate that the coupling reaction had a negligible effect on the size and shape of the MWCNTs. Radiolabelling of the MWCNT–MeAMN3S3sar conjugate and pristine (untreated) MWCNTs (non-specific) with the gamma-emitting radioactive isotope 57Co were compared. The radiolabelling efficiency of the MWCNT–MeAMN3S3sar conjugate was significantly higher (95% vs. 0.1%) (P ⩽ 0.001) than for the unconjugated pristine MWCNTs. This will allow for the potential tracking of nanoparticle movement in vitro and in vivo.

Wastes:for percussion and tape

commissioned by Cwmni Dawns Gwylan with funds from the Welsh Arts Council, for Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff. Choreographer Lucy Fawcett. (Nick Parkin, percussion)

Ionic liquid solvents of perhalide type for metals for extraction radioactive metals from mineral ores.

The invention relates to a process for dissolving metals (e.g., Al, Cu, Fe, Cr, Sb, Ti, and W) in perhalide contg. ionic liqs. having the formula (I), and to the extn. of metals from mineral ores; the remediation of materials contaminated with heavy, toxic, or radioactive metals; and to the removal of heavy and toxic metals from hydrocarbon streams. In the formula (I), [X] comprises at least one perhalide anion selected from [I3]-, [BrI2]-, [Br2I]-, [ClI2]-, [ClBr2]-, [BrCl2]-, or [ICl2]-, [ClI3]-. The (Cat+) is a cationic species selected from: ammonium, azaannulenium, azathiazolium, benzimidazolium, benzofuranium, benzotriazolium, borolium, cinnolinium, diazabicyclodecenium, diazabicyclononenium, diazabicyclo- undecenium, dithiazolium, furanium, guanidinium, imidazolium, indazolium, indolinium, indolium, morpholinium, oxaborolium, oxaphospholium, oxazinium, oxazolium, iso-oxazolium, oxathiazolium, pentazolium, phospholium, phosphonium, phthalazinium, piperazinium, piperidinium, pyranium, pyrazinium, pyrazolium, pyridazinium, pyridinium, pyrimidinium, pyrrolidinium, pyrrolium, quinazolinium, quinolinium, isoquinolinium, quinoxalinium, selenozolium, sulfonium, tetrazolium, iso-thiadiazolium, thiazinium, thiazolium, thiophenium, thiuronium, triazadecenium, triazinium, triazolium, iso-triazolium, and uronium. [on SciFinder(R)]