The problem of identifying the provenance of unknown nuclear material in the environment by multivariate statistical analysis of its uranium and/or plutonium isotopic composition is considered. Such material can be introduced into the environment as a result of nuclear accidents, inadvertent processing losses, illegal dumping of waste, or deliberate trafficking in nuclear materials. Various combinations of reactor type and fuel composition were analyzed using Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLSDA) of the concentrations of nine U and Pu isotopes in fuel as a function of burnup. Real-world variation in the concentrations of (234)U and (236)U in the fresh (unirradiated) fuel was incorporated. The U and Pu were also analyzed separately, with results that suggest that, even after reprocessing or environmental fractionation, Pu isotopes can be used to determine both the source reactor type and the initial fuel composition with good discrimination.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2008.07.004 | DOI Listing |
J R Soc Interface
January 2025
Faculty of Information Technology, University of Jyväskylä, Jyvaskyla, Finland.
The design of photobioreactors for microalgae cultivation aims to achieve an architecture that allows the most efficient photosynthetic growth. The availability of light at wavelengths that are important for photosynthesis is therefore particularly crucial for reactor design. While testing different reactor types in practice is expensive, simulations could effectively limit the range of material and reactor design options.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaterials (Basel)
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Explosion Science and Protection Technology, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
Hydrogen embrittlement is a critical issue for zirconium alloys, which receives long-term attention in their applications. The formation of brittle hydrides facilitates crack initiation and propagation, thereby significantly reducing the material's ductility. This study investigates the tensile properties and hydride morphology of a novel zirconium alloy under different hydrogen-charging current densities ranging from 0 to 300 mA/cm, aiming to clarify the influence of hydrides on the fracture behavior of the alloy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
January 2025
School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, 710071, China.
Based on the application demand of metal-organic framework (MOFs) materials in environmental science, energy conversion, biomedicine and other fields, its efficient synthesis method has attracted much attention. Microwave method has become one of the most competitive and potential methods because of its low cost, high efficiency and green environmental protection. However, the traditional microwave assisted synthesis of MOFs materials mostly uses microwave oven as the reaction chamber, or small-scale microwave reactor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Climate and Environmental Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02792, Republic of Korea.
Abiotic H and hydrocarbons are found in fluids discharged from ultramafic-hosted hydrothermal vents. Beneath the hydrothermal vents, abiotic H and hydrocarbons can be formed by serpentinization reactions and Fischer-Tropsch-type hydrocarbon-forming reactions, respectively, over ultramafic rocks. However, the source rocks that form abiotic H and hydrocarbons may extend to broader subsurface rocks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnviron Res
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution and Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, Kowloon, 999077, China; School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Hong Kong, Kowloon, 999077, China.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a commonly used endocrine-disrupting chemical found in high levels in wastewater worldwide. Aerobic denitrification is a promising alternative to conventional nitrogen removal processes. However, the effects of BPA on this novel nitrogen removal process have rarely been reported.
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