Nuclear Analytical Chemistry: State of Art and New Trends in Activation Analysis

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Chemical and Molecular Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2020) | Viewed by 7274

Special Issue Editors

Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences (DiAAA), University of Molise, Via F. De Sanctis, I-86100 Campobasso, Italy
Interests: phthalates; bisphenol-A; plasticizers; microplastics; environment; human health; endocrine disruptors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
National Institute of Ionizing Radiation Metrology, Casaccia Research Center, ENEA, Via Anguillarese, 301, I-00123 S. Maria di Galeria, Rome, Italy
Interests: standards of ionizing radiation; secondary standards of the activity of radionuclides; gamma spectroscopy; standards of neutron activity; instrumental neutron activation analysis; radionuclide metrology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among the different analytical techniques daily involved in research laboratories or routine analysis, radioanalytical methods are still the most effective for a precise and accurate knowledge of the element content. In recent decades, analytical techniques such as neutron activation analysis (NAA), photon activation analysis (PAA) and charged particle activation analysis (CPAA) have increased their importance, and their use has expanded to different real applications ranging from environmental problems to engineering topics up to medical issues. Even if their application is limited by the high costs and the need to have advanced technology equipment, these techniques represent the most accurate and sensitive analytical method for analyzing and investigating any sample in any situation.

This Special Issue would like to gather the state-of-the-art around radioanalytical methods worldwide: new investigated targets, new studied and industrialized detectors, and new involved technology. Along with these goals, any new theories possibly developed will also be welcome. The Special Issue is oriented toward analytical chemists particularly involved in radiochemical studies but also analytical chemists who have never used these techniques as well as physics researchers, physicians, toxicologists or other researchers involved in nuclear activities.

Prof. Pasquale Avino
Dr. Andrea Petrucci
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • nuclear analytical methods (NAA/PAA/CPAA)
  • neutrons
  • radiochemical methods
  • instrumentation
  • TRIGA/LINAC
  • Detector
  • gamma spectrometry
  • standard materials
  • monte carlo simulation
  • applications

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 5202 KiB  
Article
Electrochemical Properties of NdCl3 and CeCl3 in Molten LiCl-KCl Eutectic Salt
by Seunghyun Kim and Sang-hwan Lee
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(20), 7252; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10207252 - 16 Oct 2020
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2253
Abstract
NdCl3 and CeCl3 are characterized by the very close proximity of their standard reduction potentials. Thus, they represent the most challenging salt mixtures with respect to decoupling electrochemical responses and calculating concentrations. The goals of this study include the determination of [...] Read more.
NdCl3 and CeCl3 are characterized by the very close proximity of their standard reduction potentials. Thus, they represent the most challenging salt mixtures with respect to decoupling electrochemical responses and calculating concentrations. The goals of this study include the determination of the apparent standard potentials of both Nd3+/Nd2+ and Ce3+/Ce in LiCl-KCl-CeCl3 or NdCl3 mixtures. Matrix and concentration effects on fundamental electrochemical properties are of particular interest, as these thermodynamic properties will impact the ability to use voltammetry to measure concentrations in unknown samples. Several LiCl-KCl-CeCl3 or NdCl3 mixtures with NdCl3/CeCl3 concentrations ranging from 4 to 10 wt% at 753 to 793 K have been explored. For apparent standard potential values of CeCl3, a good agreement was obtained with the literature data, except above 773 K. Full article
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16 pages, 2328 KiB  
Article
Application of k0-INAA Method in Preliminary Characterization of KRISS Urban Airborne Particulate Matter Certified Reference Material
by Hana Cho, Kishore B. Dasari, Myung Chul Lim, Gwang Min Sun, Radojko Jaćimović and Yong-Hyeon Yim
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(19), 6649; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10196649 - 23 Sep 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2255
Abstract
We report comprehensive elemental composition studies on the average urban airborne particulate matters (PMs) collected in the Greater Seoul area, Korea, in 2019 to identify regional and chronological characteristics of the sample as a candidate for certified reference material (CRM), using k0 [...] Read more.
We report comprehensive elemental composition studies on the average urban airborne particulate matters (PMs) collected in the Greater Seoul area, Korea, in 2019 to identify regional and chronological characteristics of the sample as a candidate for certified reference material (CRM), using k0-based single comparator instrumental neutron activation analysis (k0-INAA). The method was successfully validated by comparing the analysis result of a similar matrix CRM (SRM 1648a urban particulate matter) of National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA, with corresponding certified values. The same methodology was applied to determine various elements in candidate environmental materials for future CRM development, including the urban PMs and incineration ashes, to investigate the possibility of using k0-INAA for certification of relevant reference materials. In total, 46 elements in the urban PM sample were analyzed and their concentration levels were compared with the urban PMs collected in the 1970s in St. Louis, USA. Urban PMs of Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science in 2019 contain significantly lower levels of hazardous elements, such as As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb, as compared to those of the 1970s, which can be attributed to the reduced air pollution by environmental regulation and technological innovation. The potential major source of urban airborne PMs was also discussed. Full article
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20 pages, 1592 KiB  
Article
Deep Inorganic Fraction Characterization of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 in an Industrial Area Located in Central Italy by Means of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis
by Maurizio Manigrasso, Geraldo Capannesi, Alberto Rosada, Monica Lammardo, Paolo Ceci, Andrea Petrucci and Pasquale Avino
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2532; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10072532 - 07 Apr 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2020
Abstract
Atmospheric pollution is an important task in life sciences and, in particular, inorganic fraction characterization is considered as an important issue in this field. For many years, researchers have focused their attention on the particulate matter fraction below 10 μm: in this case, [...] Read more.
Atmospheric pollution is an important task in life sciences and, in particular, inorganic fraction characterization is considered as an important issue in this field. For many years, researchers have focused their attention on the particulate matter fraction below 10 μm: in this case, our attention was also focused on PM2.5 (i.e., particles with a size fraction smaller than 2.5 μm) and PM1 (below 1 μm). This paper would like to investigate whether the element accumulation in different granulometric fractions is similar, or whether there are behavior dissimilarities. Among the different analytical techniques, the instrumental neutron activation analysis, an instrumental nuclear method, was used for its peculiarity of investigating the sample without performing any chemical-physical treatment. Forty-two daily samples using the reference method were collected, 15 filters for PM10, 18 for PM2.5, and 12 for PM1; the filters, along with primary standards and appropriate standard reference materials, were irradiated at the National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA) R.C.-Casaccia’s Triga MARK II reactor. The irradiations carried out in the Rabbit and Lazy Susan channels allowed for the investigation of 36 elements and the relative Pearson’s correlations between elements and PM-fractions (PM10 vs. PM2.5 was good, whereas PM10 vs. PM1 was the worst). The Enrichment Factors were studied for the three fractions to show how anthropogenic sources have affected the element content. A comparison between these data and element levels determined worldwide showed that our concentrations were lower than those determined in similar scenarios. Furthermore, a statistical approach (source discrimination, hierarchical cluster analysis, principal component analysis) has allowed us to identify similarities between the samples: the airborne filters can be divided in two main groups (i.e., one made of PM10 and PM2.5 filters and one only of PM1 filters), meaning a different element contribution to this fraction coming from other sources present at the site. Full article
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