Environmental airborne tritium monitoring system based on absorption of tritiated water on calcium chloride.

Environmental monitoring of tritium around nuclear facilities is conducted in order to demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements on the protection of members of the public. Multiple techniques are used to monitor its concentration in air, soil and flora. A new monitoring system was developed, which is based on the absorption of tritiated water on Calcium Chloride grains.

Conductivity fluctuations in proton-implanted ZnO microwires.

Electric noise can be an important limitation for applications of conducting elements in the nanometer size range. The intrinsic electrical noise of prospective materials for opto-spintronics applications like ZnO has not yet been characterized. In this study, we have investigated the conductivity fluctuations in 10 nm thick current paths produced by proton implantation of ZnO microwires at room temperature.

Assay of carbon nanoparticles in liquids.

The critical assay of carbon black concentration suffers from the lack of available methods, especially in-situ methods suitable for nanoparticles. We propose a useful tool for monitoring carbon nanoparticles concentration in liquids by means of RGB imaging, fluorescence and conductivity measurements. In this study carbon black particles of 25-75nm size were dispersed within two types of "green" liquids (1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium based ionic liquids and glycerol) and the effect of carbon nanoparticles concentration on the liquids properties was measured.

Fast determination of ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y activity in milk by Cherenkov counting.

Cherenkov counting of the ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y pure beta emitters is an attractive method for ⁹⁰Sr activity determination, but the color quenching effect may be significant, especially for strongly colored or semi-opaque media. A quench correction method based on the external source of some liquid scintillation systems (named ESAR - external source area ratio) was proposed and checked for aqueous solutions and was proved to be effective also for urine samples. In the present work, the application of the ESAR method for fast determination of ⁹⁰Sr/⁹⁰Y activity in milk samples is described.

Detection of heavy metals in water using dye nano-complexants and a polymeric film.

An optical analytical method, based on complexation reactions of organic azo-dyes with heavy metals, is proposed. It is based on a specially designed polymeric film that when submerged in water contaminated with heavy metals it changes its color. The azo-dyes are injected into the tested water, resulting in formation of nano-particles of insoluble complexes.

Magnetic dynamic properties of electron-doped La(0.23)Ca(0.77)MnO3 nanoparticles.

Magnetic properties of basically antiferromagnetic La(0.23)Ca(0.77)MnO(3) particles with average sizes of 12 and 60 nm have been investigated in a wide range of magnetic fields and temperature.

Quantification of trace metals in water using complexation and filter concentration.

Various metals undergo complexation with organic reagents, resulting in colored products. In practice, their molar absorptivities allow for quantification in the ppm range. However, a proper pre-concentration of the colored complex on paper filter lowers the quantification limit to the low ppb range.

Application of synchronous fluorescence to parchment characterization.

A nondestructive method for quantitative parchment characterization and sensitive indication of its deterioration stage was developed. Synchronous fluorescence (SF) measurements were applied for the first time to parchment samples. The method provides detailed spectral features, which are useful for parchment characterization.

Drilling systems for extraterrestrial subsurface exploration.

Drilling consists of 2 processes: breaking the formation with a bit and removing the drilled cuttings. In rotary drilling, rotational speed and weight on bit are used to control drilling, and the optimization of these parameters can markedly improve drilling performance. Although fluids are used for cuttings removal in terrestrial drilling, most planetary drilling systems conduct dry drilling with an auger.

Non-destructive assessment of parchment deterioration by optical methods.

A non-destructive and non-invasive method for quantitative characterization of parchment deterioration, based on spectral measurements, is proposed. Deterioration due to both natural aging (ancient parchments) and artificial aging (achieved by means of controlled UV irradiation and temperature treatment) was investigated. The effect of aging on parchment native fluorescence was correlated with its deterioration condition.

Use of LIBS for rapid characterization of parchment.

Parchment from different sources has been analyzed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for determination of Ca, Na, K, Mg, Fe, Cu, and Mn. The LIBS results were compared with results from inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP) and good correlation was obtained. Rapid distinction between modern and historical samples was achieved by discriminant analysis of the LIBS data.

Modeling and computer simulation of ultrasonic/sonic driller/corer (USDC).

Simulation and analytical models for the ultrasonic/sonic drill/corer (USDC) are described in this paper. The USDC was developed as a tool for in-situ rock sampling and analysis in support of the NASA planetary exploration program. The USDC uses a novel drive mechanism, which transfers ultrasonic vibrations of a piezoelectric actuator into larger oscillations of a free-flying mass (free-mass).