东海和冲绳沉积物中自生铀蓄积过程及控制机理

采用同位素稀释ICP—MS测定法，对中国东海陆架及日本冲绳海槽的6个沉积物芯中U和Th的同位素地球化学行为进行了研究，以了解氧化还原敏感元素U在近海次氧化性沉积物中的蓄积行为，并评价其在全球海洋铀平衡中的意义。东海沉积物芯中，^238U浓度及^238U／^232Th比值随深度变化不明显。但是在冲绳海槽沉积物芯中，^238U浓度及^238U／^232Th比值在沉积芯表层氧化带显示较低值，然后在次氧化层随深度增加而增加。^230Th和^232Th浓度在所有沉积物芯中基本不随深度变化。这些结果说明，冲绳沉积物中有“自生铀”的蓄积过程发生，蓄积速率约为（47±5）-（90±8）ng／（cm^2·a），与文献报道的世界其他海域次氧化性沉积区大致相当。进一步证明了U在近海次氧化性沉积区的蓄积对于全球海洋铀平衡有重要意义。“自生铀”的主要蓄积机制是海水U（Ⅵ）向沉积物迁移，在还原条件下被还原为惰性的U（Ⅳ）并被吸附在沉积物固体相上。

都龙锡锌矿床锡石和锆石U-Pb年代学：滇东南白垩纪大规模花岗岩成岩-成矿事件

都龙锡锌矿床是我国最大的锡石硫化物矿床之一.由于缺少可靠的年代学数据,对该矿床的成因尚存在较大争议.本文报道了利用锡石和锆石U-Pb法,首次获得的都龙锡锌矿床及相关的燕山晚期老君山花岗岩的年龄.其中,锡石TIMS法^206Pb/^238U年龄加权平均值为79.8±3.2Ma（MSWD=3.16）,^238U/^204Pb-^206Pb/^204Pb等时线年龄为82.0±9.6Ma（MSWD=4.81）;隐伏花岗岩的锆石SHRIMP法^206Pb/^238U年龄加权平均值为92.9±1.9Ma（N=10,MSWD=0.71）,花岗斑岩的锆石SHRIMP法^206Pb/^238U年龄加权平均值为86.9±1.4Ma（N=9,MSWD=3.70）,表明锡（铜）矿化主要与晚白垩世岩浆热液活动有关.结合个旧、白牛厂两个超大型矿床和相关花岗岩体的年代学资料,指示滇东南地区于白垩纪存在以锡矿化为特色的大规模花岗岩成岩-成矿事件,可能与晚中生代以来华南地块岩石圈伸展有关.

碳酸盐岩风化过程中的U－Th不平衡研究－以黔中、黔北为例

为了进一步获得贵州碳酸盐岩风化成土过程的信息，为测定风化成土速率的研究工作奠定基础，本次研究工作通过U－Th的地球化学特征与主量元素、微量元素、稀土元素的地球化学特征的对比研究以及U－Th不平衡来研究贵州两个碳酸盐岩风化剖面的风化成土过程，并得出以下总体认识： 贵州碳酸盐岩风化剖面中的238U－234U－230Th不平衡说明风化剖面中的U－Th不平衡与风化过程密切相关，与风化壳中矿物和铁壳的演化特征密切相关。风化剖面不仅被简单的持续积累或者滤失过程所控制，而且被每一个土层中的复杂的重组过程所影响。U－Th不平衡也说明风化系统的扰动可能与中更新世晚期的气候变化有关。风化剖面中的U－Th不平衡是由母岩碳酸盐岩的风化、风化流体的溶解作用、表土层中的有机质、铁质结核带中的氧化铁矿物以及伊利石、高岭石等粘土矿物对U、Th的吸附作用、α反冲作用以及微生物的还原作用等共同作用的结果。 具体结论如下： （1）两个风化剖面中的U、Th都在半风化层中相对基岩强烈富集，安顺白云岩风化剖面中U、Th在全风化层中下部富集；而遵义石灰岩风化剖面中的U在全风化层中部富集，Th在全风化层上部富集，然后向表土层逐渐减少。 （2）U、Th在半风化层中相对基岩强烈富集，是因为在半风化层中，基岩中的原生矿物发生溶解、蚀变，生成新的次生粘土矿物伊利石，而伊利石对U、Th具有强烈的吸附能力。风化剖面中U、Th的富集主要与地表水的淋滤作用以及铁壳在进一步的风化过程中溶解释放出其中所富集的U、Th，而U、Th向下重新迁移的过程有关。 （3）风化剖面中U、Th的分布特征说明U、Th的含量与风化过程密切相关，与风化壳中的矿物和铁壳的演化特征密切相关。遵义石灰岩风化剖面中U、Th的淋失程度比安顺白云岩风化剖面中U、Th的淋失程度弱也说明了遵义石灰岩风化剖面的风化程度要低于安顺白云岩风化剖面的风化程度。 （4）安顺白云岩风化剖面中，234U/238U在<1和＞1之间交替变化。除在剖面中部，230Th/238U≈1外，230Th/238U基本上都＞1。 （5）安顺白云岩风化剖面中的238U －234U－230Th不平衡表明：安顺白云岩风化剖面中的U－Th不平衡是母岩碳酸盐岩的风化、风化流体的溶解作用、表土层中的有机质、铁质结核带中的氧化铁矿物以及伊利石、高岭石等粘土矿物对234U、230Th的吸附作用、α反冲作用以及微生物的还原作用等共同作用的结果。 （6）遵义石灰岩风化剖面中234U/238U除少数几个点外，大多数采样点的234U/238U都＜1。除了少数几个点外，大部分230Th/238U＞1。 （7）遵义石灰岩风化剖面中的238U －234U－230Th不平衡表明：234U－238U不平衡主要是由地表水和入渗水的溶解作用以及α反冲作用为主要的控制机制。而风化剖面中230Th－238U不平衡主要是由表土层中的有机质、高岭石、氧化铁矿物以及伊利石对230Th吸附作用和α反冲作用共同作用的结果。 （8）将U的迁移模型应用于本研究中的两个碳酸盐岩风化剖面，说明这两个风化剖面都被U的近期积累或者滤失过程所影响，风化系统处于过渡的不稳定状态，并通过U在风化剖面中的重新迁移将系统带回稳定状态。 （9）由等时线定年法计算出的安顺白云岩风化剖面的年龄范围为：87.0±7.8－479.2±47.9ka；遵义石灰岩风化剖面的年龄范围为：62.3±8.7－353.3±31.8ka。 （10）由等时线定年法可知：两个风化系统将在～1.1Ma达到稳定状态。 （11）碳酸盐岩风化剖面应用U的迁移模型得出的U的迁移过程与风化剖面中主量元素和微量元素的迁移特征相吻合，说明模型的选择是正确的。 （12）整个风化剖面的238U－234U－230Th不平衡说明风化剖面中的U－Th不平衡与风化过程密切相关，与风化壳中矿物和铁壳的演化特征密切相关。风化系统的扰动可能与中更新世晚期的气候变化有关。碳酸盐岩风化剖面被U的近期迁移过程所影响，风化剖面中的每一个单元甚至每一个土样都具有复杂的历史。这些单元或者土样是古老的风化历史和近期的重新迁移过程的叠加。

Dissolved uranium, radium and radon evolution in the Continental Intercalaire aquifer, Algeria and Tunisia

Natural, dissolved 238U-series radionuclides (U, 226Ra, 222Rn) and activity ratios (A.R.s: 234U/238U; 228Ra/226Ra) in Continental Intercalaire (CI) groundwaters and limited samples from the overlying Complexe Terminal (CT) aquifers of Algeria and Tunisia are discussed alongside core measurements for U/Th (and K) in the contexts of radiological water quality, geochemical controls in the aquifer, and water residence times. A redox barrier is characterised downgradient in the Algerian CI for which a trend of increasing 234U/238U A.R.s with decreasing U-contents due to recoil-dominated 234U solution under reducing conditions allows residence time modelling ∼500 ka for the highest enhanced A.R. = 3.17. Geochemical modelling therefore identifies waters towards the centre of the Grand Erg Oriental basin as palaeowaters in line with reported 14C and 36Cl ages. A similar 234U/238U trend is evidenced in a few of the Tunisian CI waters. The paleoage status of these waters is affirmed by both noble gas recharge temperatures and simple modelling of dissolved, radiogenic 4He-contents both for sampled Algerian and Tunisian CI and CT waters. For the regions studied these waters therefore should be regarded as “fossil” waters and treated effectively as a non-renewable resource.

Modelling the Contribution of 40K, 232Th and 226Ra to Radiation Dose and Risk from Airborne Discharges of Coal-Fired Power Plants

Coal contains trace elements and naturally occurring radionuclides such as 40K, 232Th, 238U. When coal is burned, minerals, including most of the radionuclides, do not burn and concentrate in the ash several times in comparison with their content in coal. Usually, a small fraction of the fly ash produced (2-5%) is released into the atmosphere. The activities released depend on many factors (concentration in coal, ash content and inorganic matter of the coal, combustion temperature, ratio between bottom and fly ash, filtering system). Therefore, marked differences should be expected between the by-products produced and the amount of activity discharged (per unit of energy produced) from different coal-fired power plants. In fact, the effects of these releases on the environment due to ground deposition have been received some attention but the results from these studies are not unanimous and cannot be understood as a generic conclusion for all coal-fired power plants. In this study, the dispersion modelling of natural radionuclides was carried out to assess the impact of continuous atmospheric releases from a selected coal plant. The natural radioactivity of the coal and the fly ash were measured and the dispersion was modelled by a Gaussian plume estimating the activity concentration at different heights up to a distance of 20 km in several wind directions. External and internal doses (inhalation and ingestion) and the resulting risk were calculated for the population living within 20 km from the coal plant. In average, the effective dose is lower than the ICRP’s limit and the risk is lower than the U.S. EPA’s limit. Therefore, in this situation, the considered exposure does not pose any risk. However, when considering the dispersion in the prevailing wind direction, these values are significant due to an increase of 232Th and 226Ra concentrations in 75% and 44%, respectively.

Climate on the Southern Black Sea coast during the Holocene: implications from the Sofular Cave record

We present the updated Holocene section of the Sofular Cave record from the southernBlackSeacoast (northern Turkey); an area with considerably different present-day climate compared to that of the neighboring Eastern Mediterranean region. Stalagmite δ13C, growth rates and initial (234U/238U) ratios provide information about hydrological changes above the cave; and prove to be more useful than δ18O for deciphering Holocene climatic variations. Between ∼9.6 and 5.4 ka BP (despite a pause from ∼8.4 to 7.8 ka BP), the Sofular record indicates a remarkable increase in rainfall amount and intensity, in line with other paleoclimate studies in the Eastern Mediterranean. During that period, enhanced summertime insolation either produced much stronger storms in the following fall and winter through high sea surface temperatures, or it invoked a regional summer monsoon circulation and rainfall. We suggest that one or both of these climatic mechanisms led to a coupling of the BlackSea and the Mediterranean rainfall regimes at that time, which can explain the observed proxy signals. However, there are discrepancies among the Eastern Mediterranean records in terms of the timing of this wet period; implying that changes were probably not always occurring through the same mechanism. Nevertheless, the Sofular Cave record does provide hints and bring about new questions about the connection between regional and large scale climates, highlighting the need for a more extensive network of high quality paleoclimate records to better understand Holoceneclimate.

Unrestricted Skyrme-tensor time-dependent Hartree-Fock model and its application to the nuclear response from spherical to triaxial nuclei

The nuclear time-dependent Hartree-Fock model formulated in three-dimensional space, based on the full standard Skyrme energy density functional complemented with the tensor force, is presented. Full self-consistency is achieved by the model. The application to the isovector giant dipole resonance is discussed in the linear limit, ranging from spherical nuclei (16O and 120Sn) to systems displaying axial or triaxial deformation (24Mg, 28Si, 178Os, 190W and 238U). Particular attention is paid to the spin-dependent terms from the central sector of the functional, recently included together with the tensor. They turn out to be capable of producing a qualitative change on the strength distribution in this channel. The effect on the deformation properties is also discussed. The quantitative effects on the linear response are small and, overall, the giant dipole energy remains unaffected. Calculations are compared to predictions from the (quasi)-particle random-phase approximation and experimental data where available, finding good agreement

The behavior of dissolved uranium in groundwaters of the Morro do Ferro thorium deposit, Brazil

Groundwater samples were collected for several months in boreholes drilled at Morro do Ferro, a thorium and rare earth deposit located on the Poços de Caldas Plateau, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. An aquifer system has developed in the weathered mantle due to in situ intense alteration. The weathered zone includes a thick argillaceous laterite greater than 100 m thick. The U content and 324U/238U activity ratio were measured in the groundwater samples and in spoil samples of a borehole drilled in the ore body. Some possible mechanisms related to the mobilization of uranium are considered such as complexation with humic substances and adsorption by clays. © 1989.

Spikes em espectrometria alfa para analise de amostras geologicas

The technique of isotope dilution has been extensively utilized for determining the content of trace elements in geological samples; it has been especially useful for the determination of 238U and 234U contents in crustal materials with measurements made by alpha spectrometry. 232U-228Th has usually been used as diluent (spike) during the application of this analytical technique. More recently, 236U and 229Th have been used. Some methodological problems concerning the utilization of these spikes are presented with examples of experimental data obtained in analyses of groundwater and borehole spoil samples from Morro do Ferro, Pocos de Caldas (MG). -from English summary

Hydrochemistry on a waste disposal area of sand mining activities at Analandia, Sao Paulo State, Brazil, and their implications on the mobilization of uranium

Groundwaters and surface waters from an area of treatment of sand for industrial purposes at Analandia municipality, nearly in the center of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, were chemically and isotopically analyzed with two aims: to evaluate if the anthropogenic activities that has taken place for the last 6 years is affecting the quality of the hydrological resources and to relate the hydrogeochemical behaviour of the uranium isotopes 234U and 238U with the pattern of circulation of groundwaters.

Geo(anthropo)genic factors affecting the radioactivity in groundwaters from Guarani aquifer, Brazil

This investigation was carried out within the Paraná sedimentary basin, involved the sampling of 77 pumped tubular wells, and was realized with the puipose of evaluating the radioactivity in the Brazilian part of Guarani (Botucatu-Pirambóia, Tacuarembó, Misiones) aquifer. The radioactivity due to nuclides belonging to uranium and thorium series decay was investigated in terms of the uranium isotopes 234U and 238U, radon (222Rn), and the radium isotopes 226Ra and 228Ra. The obtained results were compared with the maximum permissible concentration limits in drinking water defined by the Brazilian national standard, as well with the guidelines for drinking water quality established by the World Health Organization. The importance of water-rock/soil interactions was considered in order to explain most of the obtained data.

Transferênce de metais pesados, flúor e radionuclídeos para solos agrícolas na bacia do rio Corumbataí (SP)

The use of phosphate fertilizers and amendments in sugar cane crops may increase the concentration of some elements in soils, from where they would become available for plants (principally in acid soils) and transferred to me human food chain. This paper reports the transference of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn), fluorine and radionuclides ( 238U, 234U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K) from phosphate fertilizers and amendments to agricultural soils at Corumbatal River basin (SP). The products utilized and colleted in sugar cane crops at Corumbatai River basin are: phosphate fertilizers NPK 5:25:25 (two samples), limestones (three samples), phosphogypsum (two samples) and KCl (two samples). The heavy metals were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), fluorine by potentiometry and radionuclides by alpha and gamma spectrometry. Heavy metals (17.8, 31.2, 75.2, 69.5, 138.8, 114.9 and 342.9 g/ha of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn and F, respectively) and radionuclides (0.47, 0.16, 0.17 and 6.33 Bq/kg of soil to 238U, 226Ra, 232Th and 40K, respectively) incorporated in phosphate fertilizers and amendments are annually added in the sugar cane crops, but if utilized in accordance with the recommended rates, they do not raise the concentration levels in soils up to hazards values.

Caracterização radiométrica de ácidos fosfóricos e seus produtos industriais

The addition of phosphoric acids and their (by)products became a common practice in areas like metal treatment, detergent production, water and effluent treatment, as well by food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The phosphoric acids exhibit different radionuclides activity concentration, being important to evaluate the implications for the human and animal health. The 238U concentration in almost all raw acid phosphoric are within the worldwide range and the mean exposure rate for the filtration cake is 10 nGy/h, which is mainly attributed to 40K. The results obtained for total and (bio)available uranium concentration in filtration cake indicate that only 40% is (bio)available for plants. The radionuclides present in phosphoric acid food grade and filtration cake do not raise their concentration in human food chain or soils to harmful levels, consequently, not offering hazard to the ecosystem and animal or human health.

A comparative study of aquifer systems occurring at the Paraná sedimentary basin, Brazil: U-isotopes contribution

The radioactivity due to 238U and 234U in three aquifer systems occurring within the Paraná sedimentary basin, South America, has been investigated. Uranium is much less dissolved from fractured igneous rocks than from the porous sedimentary rocks as indicated by the U-mobility coefficients between 7. 6 × 10-6 and 1. 2 × 10-3 g cm-3. These values are also compatible with the U preference ratios relative to Na, K, Ca, Mg and SiO2, which showed that U is never preferentially mobilized in the liquid phase during the flow occurring in cracks, fissures, fractures and faults of the igneous basaltic rocks. Experimental dissolution of diabase grains on a time-scale laboratory has demonstrated that the U dissolution appeared to be a two-stage process characterized by linear and second-order kinetics. The U dissolution rate was 8 × 10-16 mol m-2 s-1 that is within the range of 4 × 10-16-3 × 10-14 mol m-2 s-1 estimated for other rock types. The 234U/238U activity ratio of dissolved U in solutions was higher than unity, a typical result expected during the water-rock interactions when preferential 234U-leach from the rock surfaces takes place. Some U-isotopes data allowed estimating 320 ka for the groundwater residence time in a sector of a transect in São Paulo State. A modeling has been also realized considering all U-isotopes data obtained in Bauru (35 samples), Serra Geral (16 samples) and Guarani (29 samples) aquifers. The results indicated that the Bauru aquifer waters may result from the admixture of waters from Guarani (1. 5 %) and Serra Geral (98. 5 %) aquifers. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

Geochemical and radioactivity characterization of rocks from the Rio Preto (Go) Project

The Rio Preto Project, developed by the extinct Brazilian nuclear state company, Nuclebrás, during the late 70s and early 80s, consisted of basic geological mapping and radiometric characterization by aerogeophysical gamma-ray spectrometry, without channel discrimination, of a surface area of 650 km2 located to the west of the Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park on the northeastern of Goiás State, Brazil, including the confluence area of Claro and Preto Rivers. Additionally, the natural radioelements U, Th and 40K were determined by gamma-ray spectrometry in 300 rock samples from cores of the Rio Preto Project area. The tests were conducted at LABIDRO-Isotopes and Hydrochemistry Laboratory of the Departament of Petrology and Metallogeny (DPM) of the Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences, UNESP, in Rio Claro, SP, Brazil. This paper reports the results of petrographic characterization and chemical analyses of major oxides (SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, MnO, K2O, Na2O, CaO and P2O5) for all samples used to determine the natural radioelements present in the region. The organic matter content results obtained by colorimetry are also reported for selected cores of different lithotypes in order to investigate the possible relationship between graphite and the radioelements uranium and thorium. Finally, uranium content and 234U/238U activity ratio data for selected samples of schists and gneisses of the Lower Member of the Ticunzal Formation suggest the influence of weathering processes in the area. © 2012 Sociedade Brasileira de Geofísica.