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Sample records for boron enrichment plant

  1. Boron isotopic enrichment by displacement chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohapatra, K.K.; Bose, Arun

    2014-01-01

    10 B enriched boron is used in applications requiring high volumetric neutron absorption (absorption cross section- 3837 barn for thermal and 1 barn for 1 MeV fast neutron). It is used in fast breeder reactor (as control rod material), in neutron counter, in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy etc. Owing to very small separation factor, boron isotopic enrichment is a complex process requiring large number of separation stages. Heavy Water Board has ventured in industrial scale production of 10 B enriched boron using Exchange Distillation Process as well as Ion Displacement Chromatography Process. Ion Displacement Chromatography process is used in Boron Enrichment Plant at HWP, Manuguru. It is based on isotopic exchange between borate ions (B(OH) 4 - ) on anion exchange resin and boric acid passing through resin. The isotopic exchange takes place due to difference in zero point energy of 10 B and 11 B

  2. Boron-isotope fractionation in plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marentes, E [Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Horticultural Science, Guelph, Ontario (Canada); Vanderpool, R A [USDA/ARS Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, North Dakota (United States); Shelp, B J [Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Horticultural Science, Guelph, Ontario (Canada)

    1997-10-15

    Naturally-occurring variations in the abundance of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and other elements in plants have been reported and are now used to understand various physiological processes in plants. Boron (B) isotopic variation in several plant species have been documented, but no determination as to whether plants fractionate the stable isotopes of boron, {sup 11}B and {sup 10}B, has been made. Here, we report that plants with differing B requirements (wheat, corn and broccoli) fractionated boron. The whole plant was enriched in {sup 11}B relative to the nutrient solution, and the leaves were enriched in {sup 10}B and the stem in {sup 11}B relative to the xylem sap. Although at present, a mechanistic role for boron in plants is uncertain, potential fractionating mechanisms are discussed. (author)

  3. Boron-isotope fractionation in plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marentes, E.; Vanderpool, R.A.; Shelp, B.J.

    1997-01-01

    Naturally-occurring variations in the abundance of stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and other elements in plants have been reported and are now used to understand various physiological processes in plants. Boron (B) isotopic variation in several plant species have been documented, but no determination as to whether plants fractionate the stable isotopes of boron, 11 B and 10 B, has been made. Here, we report that plants with differing B requirements (wheat, corn and broccoli) fractionated boron. The whole plant was enriched in 11 B relative to the nutrient solution, and the leaves were enriched in 10 B and the stem in 11 B relative to the xylem sap. Although at present, a mechanistic role for boron in plants is uncertain, potential fractionating mechanisms are discussed. (author)

  4. Enrichment of boron 10

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Coutinho, C.M.M.; Rodrigues Filho, J.S.R.; Umeda, K.; Echternacht, M.V.

    1990-01-01

    A isotopic separation pilot plant with five ion exchange columns interconnected in series were designed and built in the IEN. The columns are charged with a strong anionic resin in its alkaline form. The boric acid solution is introduced in the separation columns until it reaches a absorbing zone length which is sufficient to obtain the desired boron-10 isotopic concentration. The boric acid absorbing zone movement is provided by the injection of a diluted hydrochloric acid solution, which replace the boric acid throughout the columns. The absorbing zone equilibrium length is proportional to its total length. The enriched boron-10 and the depleted boron are located in the final boundary and in the initial position of the absorbing zones, respectively. (author)

  5. Application of ICPMS for performance evaluation of boron enrichment plant at HWP, Manuguru

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murthy, P.K.; Mohapatra, C.; Vithal, G.K.

    2011-01-01

    10 B enriched compounds are used in neutron control rod in Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR), Neutron Detector, Neutron Capture Therapy, and Neutron Shielding. Heavy Water Board (HWB) is given a mandate to produce enriched elemental boron which is being produced using Ion exchange chromatography and BF 3 - ether complex distillation methods. Ion Exchange Chromatography based Boron Enrichment Plant is operating at HWP, Manuguru. Ion Exchange Chromatography based process depends, besides other process parameters, on column run time and movement of band length. For effective process and quality control, it is necessary to analyze 10 B/ 11 B ratio in feed, process stream, waste and the product. 10 B/ 11 B ratio measurements are possible by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometer (TIMS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS), the former offers better accuracy but takes longer analysis time whereas the later offers quick analysis of isotopic ratios and as well as trace metal impurities in the Boric acid

  6. Laser-induced photochemical enrichment of boron isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freund, S.M.; Ritter, J.J.

    1976-01-01

    A boron trichloride starting material containing both boron-10 isotopes and boron-11 isotopes is selectively enriched in one or the other of these isotopes by a laser-induced photochemical method involving the reaction of laser-excited boron trichloride with either H 2 S or D 2 S. The method is carried out by subjecting a low pressure gaseous mixture of boron trichloride starting material and the sulfide to infrared radiation from a carbon dioxide TE laser. The wave length of the radiation is selected so as to selectively excite one or the other of boron-10 BCl 3 molecules or boron-11 BCl 3 molecules, thereby making them preferentially more reactive with the sulfide. The laser-induced reaction produces both a boron-containing solid phase reaction product and a gaseous phase containing mostly unreacted BCl 3 and small amounts of sulfhydroboranes. Pure boron trichloride selectively enriched in one of the isotopes is recovered as the primary product of the method from the gaseous phase by a multi-step recovery procedure. Pure boron trichloride enriched in the other isotope is recovered as a secondary product of the method by the subsequent chlorination of the solid phase reaction product followed by separation of BCl 3 from the mixture of gaseous products resulting from the chlorination

  7. Radiological analysis of plutonium glass batches with natural/enriched boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rainisch, R.

    2000-01-01

    The disposition of surplus plutonium inventories by the US Department of Energy (DOE) includes the immobilization of certain plutonium materials in a borosilicate glass matrix, also referred to as vitrification. This paper addresses source terms of plutonium masses immobilized in a borosilicate glass matrix where the glass components include both natural boron and enriched boron. The calculated source terms pertain to neutron and gamma source strength (particles per second), and source spectrum changes. The calculated source terms corresponding to natural boron and enriched boron are compared to determine the benefits (decrease in radiation source terms) for to the use of enriched boron. The analysis of plutonium glass source terms shows that a large component of the neutron source terms is due to (a, n) reactions. The Americium-241 and plutonium present in the glass emit alpha particles (a). These alpha particles interact with low-Z nuclides like B-11, B-10, and O-17 in the glass to produce neutrons. The low-Z nuclides are referred to as target particles. The reference glass contains 9.4 wt percent B 2 O 3 . Boron-11 was found to strongly support the (a, n) reactions in the glass matrix. B-11 has a natural abundance of over 80 percent. The (a, n) reaction rates for B-10 are lower than for B-11 and the analysis shows that the plutonium glass neutron source terms can be reduced by artificially enriching natural boron with B-10. The natural abundance of B-10 is 19.9 percent. Boron enriched to 96-wt percent B-10 or above can be obtained commercially. Since lower source terms imply lower dose rates to radiation workers handling the plutonium glass materials, it is important to know the achievable decrease in source terms as a result of boron enrichment. Plutonium materials are normally handled in glove boxes with shielded glass windows and the work entails both extremity and whole-body exposures. Lowering the source terms of the plutonium batches will make the handling

  8. Inverse-Frontal Chromatography studies on enrichment of Boron-10 using quaternery 4-vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bejawada, Venki; Mohapatra, C.; Rao, A.S.; Prasad, K.L.; Murthy, P.K.; Rao, A.K.; Singh, H.P.; Vithal, G.K.; Kumar, Sangita D.

    2014-01-01

    In order to enrich 10 B, band migration of boric acid-mannitol with hydrochloric acid solution was performed by inverse frontal chromatography on a porous, 25% crosslinked, 38% quaternized 4-vinylpyridine-divinylbenzene resin (py-resin). The work was initiated to replace the existing strong base anion exchange resin type-II (SBA-II) which is used in Boron Enrichment Plant (BEP) of heavy water plant Manuguru. Before its application in BEP, it is mandatory to evaluate py-resin for its performance. The studies showed that maximum of 40% 10 B enrichment observed after 13 m band movement and there was no further improvement, hence profile sampling carried out after 28 m. (author)

  9. Boron enrichment in martian clay.

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    James D Stephenson

    Full Text Available We have detected a concentration of boron in martian clay far in excess of that in any previously reported extra-terrestrial object. This enrichment indicates that the chemistry necessary for the formation of ribose, a key component of RNA, could have existed on Mars since the formation of early clay deposits, contemporary to the emergence of life on Earth. Given the greater similarity of Earth and Mars early in their geological history, and the extensive disruption of Earth's earliest mineralogy by plate tectonics, we suggest that the conditions for prebiotic ribose synthesis may be better understood by further Mars exploration.

  10. Mechanism of regional enrichment of groundwater by boron: the examples of Bangladesh and Michigan, USA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ravenscroft, P.; McArthur, J.M.

    2004-01-01

    In Bangladesh, concentrations of boron in groundwater reach 2.1 mg L -1 and are high regionally in alluvial aquifers of Late Pleistocene/Holocene age. Concentrations exceed 0.5 mg L -1 across approximately 6700 km 2 of the deep aquifer (>150 m depth) and 3000 km 2 of the shallow aquifer ( -1 and high values are widespread in the NE of the county. These concentrations exceed the regulatory guideline values for human consumption of 0.5 mg L -1 (WHO) or 0.9 mg L -1 (USA). The boron has desorbed from mineral surfaces as freshwater flushing displaces saline waters from the aquifers. In Bangladesh, desorption is driven by decreasing ionic strength, the equilibrium re-adjustment of mineral sorption sites to the low boron concentration in freshwater, and competitive exchange with HCO 3 /CO 3 . In deep Bangladesh aquifers in Barisal District (>250 m deep), boron enrichment delineates a buried estuary marking a previous course of the Ganges and/or Brahmaputra rivers. Boron enrichment is accompanied by ion-exchange that depletes Ca and enriches Na in the flushing freshwater. The patterns of enrichment and depletion indicate the direction of water quality change, in terms of salinization or freshening, with greater sensitivity than absolute chemical parameters

  11. Insights into the Mechanisms Underlying Boron Homeostasis in Plants

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    Akira Yoshinari

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential element for plants but is toxic in excess. Therefore, plants must adapt to both limiting and excess boron conditions for normal growth. Boron transport in plants is primarily based on three transport mechanisms across the plasma membrane: passive diffusion of boric acid, facilitated diffusion of boric acid via channels, and export of borate anion via transporters. Under boron -limiting conditions, boric acid channels and borate exporters function in the uptake and translocation of boron to support growth of various plant species. In Arabidopsis thaliana, NIP5;1 and BOR1 are located in the plasma membrane and polarized toward soil and stele, respectively, in various root cells, for efficient transport of boron from the soil to the stele. Importantly, sufficient levels of boron induce downregulation of NIP5;1 and BOR1 through mRNA degradation and proteolysis through endocytosis, respectively. In addition, borate exporters, such as Arabidopsis BOR4 and barley Bot1, function in boron exclusion from tissues and cells under conditions of excess boron. Thus, plants actively regulate intracellular localization and abundance of transport proteins to maintain boron homeostasis. In this review, the physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms of intracellular localization and abundance of boron transport proteins are discussed.

  12. Enrichment and desalting of tryptic protein digests and the protein depletion using boron nitride

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fischnaller, Martin; Köck, Rainer; Bakry, Rania, E-mail: rania.bakry@uibk.ac.at; Bonn, Günther K.

    2014-05-01

    Highlights: • Protein tryptic digests were desalted and enriched utilizing hexagonal boron nitride. • Phosphopeptides were desalted with high recovery rates. • Boron nitride exhibits high wettability allowing fast sample preparation. • Boron nitride shows protein depletion capability applied for peptide purification. - Abstract: Sample preparation still remains a great challenge in modern bioanalysis and the interest in new efficient solid phase extraction (SPE) materials still remains high. In this work, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is introduced as a new SPE material for the isolation and enrichment of peptides. The h-BN is isoelectronic and structurally similar to graphite. It has remarkable properties including good thermal conductivity, excellent thermal and chemical stability and a better oxidation resistance than graphite. BN attracts increasing interest because of its wide range of applicability. In the present work, the great potential of h-BN, as a new SPE-material, on the enrichment, preconcentration and desalting of tryptic digest of model proteins is demonstrated. A special attention was dedicated to the efficient enrichment of hydrophilic phosphopeptides. Two elution protocols were developed for the enrichment of peptides compatible for subsequent MALDI-MS and ESI-MS analysis. In addition, the recoveries of 5 peptides and 3 phosphopeptides with wide range of pI values utilizing h-BN materials with different surface areas were investigated. 84–106% recovery rate could be achieved using h-BN materials. The results were compared with those obtained using graphite and silica C18 under the same elution conditions, and lower recoveries were obtained. In addition, h-BN was found to have a capability of protein depletion, which is requisite for the peptide profiling.

  13. Enrichment and desalting of tryptic protein digests and the protein depletion using boron nitride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fischnaller, Martin; Köck, Rainer; Bakry, Rania; Bonn, Günther K.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Protein tryptic digests were desalted and enriched utilizing hexagonal boron nitride. • Phosphopeptides were desalted with high recovery rates. • Boron nitride exhibits high wettability allowing fast sample preparation. • Boron nitride shows protein depletion capability applied for peptide purification. - Abstract: Sample preparation still remains a great challenge in modern bioanalysis and the interest in new efficient solid phase extraction (SPE) materials still remains high. In this work, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is introduced as a new SPE material for the isolation and enrichment of peptides. The h-BN is isoelectronic and structurally similar to graphite. It has remarkable properties including good thermal conductivity, excellent thermal and chemical stability and a better oxidation resistance than graphite. BN attracts increasing interest because of its wide range of applicability. In the present work, the great potential of h-BN, as a new SPE-material, on the enrichment, preconcentration and desalting of tryptic digest of model proteins is demonstrated. A special attention was dedicated to the efficient enrichment of hydrophilic phosphopeptides. Two elution protocols were developed for the enrichment of peptides compatible for subsequent MALDI-MS and ESI-MS analysis. In addition, the recoveries of 5 peptides and 3 phosphopeptides with wide range of pI values utilizing h-BN materials with different surface areas were investigated. 84–106% recovery rate could be achieved using h-BN materials. The results were compared with those obtained using graphite and silica C18 under the same elution conditions, and lower recoveries were obtained. In addition, h-BN was found to have a capability of protein depletion, which is requisite for the peptide profiling

  14. Alleviation of Boron Stress through Plant Derived Smoke Extracts in Sorghum bicolor

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    Pirzada Khan

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential micronutrient necessary for plant growth at optimum concentration. However, at high concentrations boron affects plant growth and is toxic to cells. Aqueous extract of plant-derived smoke has been used as a growth regulator for the last two decades to improve seed germination and seedling vigor. It has been established that plant-derived smoke possesses some compounds that act like plant growth hormones. The present research was the first comprehensive attempt to investigate the alleviation of boron stress with plant-derived smoke aqueous extract on Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor seed. Smoke extracts of five plants, i.e. Cymbopogon jwarancusa, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Peganum harmala, Datura alba and Melia azedarach each with six dilutions (Concentrated, 1:100, 1:200, 1:300, 1:400 and 1:500 were used. While boron solutions at concentrations of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 ppm were used for stress. Among the dilutions of smoke, 1:500 of E. camaldulensis significantly increased germination percentage, root and shoot length, number of secondary roots and fresh weight of root and shoot while, boron stress reduced growth of Sorghum. It was observed that combined effect of boron solution and E. camaldulensis smoke extract overcome inhibition and significantly improved plant growth. Present research work investigated that the smoke solution has the potential to alleviate boron toxicity by reducing the uptake of boron by maintaining integrity of plant cell wall. The present investigation suggested that plant derived smoke has the potential to alleviate boron stress and can be used to overcome yield losses caused by boron stress to plants.

  15. Radiation shielding properties of high performance concrete reinforced with basalt fibers infused with natural and enriched boron

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zorla, Eyüp; Ipbüker, Cagatay [University of Tartu, Institute of Physics (Estonia); Biland, Alex [US Basalt Corp., Houston (United States); Kiisk, Madis [University of Tartu, Institute of Physics (Estonia); Kovaljov, Sergei [OÜ Basaltest, Tartu (Estonia); Tkaczyk, Alan H. [University of Tartu, Institute of Physics (Estonia); Gulik, Volodymyr, E-mail: volodymyr.gulik@gmail.com [Institute for Safety Problems of Nuclear Power Plants, Lysogirska 12, of. 201, 03028 Kyiv (Ukraine)

    2017-03-15

    Highlights: • Basalt fiber infused with natural and enriched boron in varying proportions. • Gamma-ray attenuation remains stable with addition of basalt-boron fiber. • Improvement in neutron shielding for nuclear facilities producing fast fission spectrum. • Basalt-boron fiber could decrease the shielding thickness in thermal spectrum reactors. - Abstract: The importance of radiation shielding is increasing in parallel with the expansion of the application areas of nuclear technologies. This study investigates the radiation shielding properties of two types of high strength concrete reinforced with basalt fibers infused with 12–20% boron oxide, containing varying fractions of natural and enriched boron. The gamma-ray shielding characteristics are analyzed with the help of the WinXCom, whereas the neutron shielding characteristics are modeled and computed by Monte Carlo Serpent code. For gamma-ray shielding, the attenuation coefficients of the studied samples do not display any significant variation due to the addition of basalt-boron fibers at any mixing proportion. For neutron shielding, the addition of basalt-boron fiber has negligible effects in the case of very fast neutrons (14 MeV), but it could considerably improve the neutron shielding of concrete for nuclear facilities producing a fast fission spectrum (e.g. with reactors as BN-800, FBTR) and thermal neutron spectrum (Light Water Reactors (LWR)). It was also found that basalt-boron fiber could decrease the thickness of radiation shielding material in thermal spectrum reactors.

  16. Radiation shielding properties of high performance concrete reinforced with basalt fibers infused with natural and enriched boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zorla, Eyüp; Ipbüker, Cagatay; Biland, Alex; Kiisk, Madis; Kovaljov, Sergei; Tkaczyk, Alan H.; Gulik, Volodymyr

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Basalt fiber infused with natural and enriched boron in varying proportions. • Gamma-ray attenuation remains stable with addition of basalt-boron fiber. • Improvement in neutron shielding for nuclear facilities producing fast fission spectrum. • Basalt-boron fiber could decrease the shielding thickness in thermal spectrum reactors. - Abstract: The importance of radiation shielding is increasing in parallel with the expansion of the application areas of nuclear technologies. This study investigates the radiation shielding properties of two types of high strength concrete reinforced with basalt fibers infused with 12–20% boron oxide, containing varying fractions of natural and enriched boron. The gamma-ray shielding characteristics are analyzed with the help of the WinXCom, whereas the neutron shielding characteristics are modeled and computed by Monte Carlo Serpent code. For gamma-ray shielding, the attenuation coefficients of the studied samples do not display any significant variation due to the addition of basalt-boron fibers at any mixing proportion. For neutron shielding, the addition of basalt-boron fiber has negligible effects in the case of very fast neutrons (14 MeV), but it could considerably improve the neutron shielding of concrete for nuclear facilities producing a fast fission spectrum (e.g. with reactors as BN-800, FBTR) and thermal neutron spectrum (Light Water Reactors (LWR)). It was also found that basalt-boron fiber could decrease the thickness of radiation shielding material in thermal spectrum reactors.

  17. Physiological and genetic basis of plant tolerance to excess boron

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    Kastori Rudolf R.

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Boron (B deficit as well as excess may significantly limit the organic production in plants. In extreme cases they may kill the affected plants. Boron excess occurs primarily in arid and semiarid regions, in saline soils or in consequence to human action. Excessive boron concentrations retard plant growth and cause physiological and morphological changes (chlorosis and necrosis first of all in leaf tips and then in marginal or intercostal parts of the lamina. Physiological mechanisms of plant tolerance to boron excess have not been studied in sufficient detail. The predominant opinion holds that they are based on restricted uptake and accumulation of boron in the root and aboveground plant parts. Significant differences in boron excess tolerance have been observed not only between different crops but even between different genotypes of the same crop. This has enabled the breeding of crop genotypes and crops adapted to growing on soils rich in available boron and intensified the research on the inheritance of plant tolerance to high B concentration. Sources of tolerance to high B concentration have been found in many crops (wheat, mustard, pea, lentil, eucalypt. Using different molecular techniques based on PCR (RAPD, SRAP, plant parents and progenies have been analyzed in an attempt to map as precisely as possible the position of B-tolerant genes. Small grains have been studied in greatest detail for inheritance of B tolerance. B tolerance in wheat is controlled by at least four additive genes, Bo1, Bo2, Bo3 and Bo4. Consequently, there exists a broad range of tolerance levels. Studies of Arabidopsis have broadened our understanding of regulation mechanisms of B transport from roots to above ground parts, allowing more direct genetic manipulations.

  18. Separation and Analysis of Boron Isotope in High Plant by Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry

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    Qingcai Xu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Knowledge of boron and its isotope in plants is useful to better understand the transposition and translocation of boron within plant, the geochemical behavior in the interface between soil and plant, and the biogeochemical cycle of boron. It is critical to develop a useful method to separate boron from the plant for the geochemical application of boron and its isotope. A method was developed for the extraction of boron in plant sample, whose isotope was determined by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. The results indicated that this method of dry ashing coupled with two-step ion-exchange chromatography is powerful for the separation of boron in plant sample with large amounts of organic matters completely. The ratios of boron isotope composition in those plant tissue samples ranged from -19.45‰ to +28.13‰ (total range: 47.58‰ with a mean value of 2.61±11.76‰ SD. The stem and root isotopic compositions were lower than those in flower and leaf. The molecular mechanism of boron isotope may be responsible for the observed variation of boron isotopic composition and are considered as a useful tool for the better understanding of boron cycling process in the environment and for the signature of living systems.

  19. Proposed physiologic functions of boron in plants pertinent to animal and human metabolism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blevins, D G; Lukaszewski, K M

    1994-01-01

    Boron has been recognized since 1923 as an essential micronutrient element for higher plants. Over the years, many roles for boron in plants have been proposed, including functions in sugar transport, cell wall synthesis and lignification, cell wall structure, carbohydrate metabolism, RNA metabolism, respiration, indole acetic acid metabolism, phenol metabolism and membrane transport. However, the mechanism of boron involvement in each case remains unclear. Recent work has focused on two major plant-cell components: cell walls and membranes. In both, boron could play a structural role by bridging hydroxyl groups. In membranes, it could also be involved in ion transport and redox reactions by stimulating enzymes like nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and reduced (NADH) oxidase. There is a very narrow window between the levels of boron required by and toxic to plants. The mechanisms of boron toxicity are also unknown. In nitrogen-fixing leguminous plants, foliarly applied boron causes up to a 1000% increase in the concentration of allantoic acid in leaves. In vitro studies show that boron inhibits the manganese-dependent allantoate amidohydrolase, and foliar application of manganese prior to application of boron eliminates allantoic acid accumulation in leaves. Interaction between borate and divalent cations like manganese may alter metabolic pathways, which could explain why higher concentrations of boron can be toxic to plants. PMID:7889877

  20. Boron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boron is an essential micronutrient element required for plant growth. Boron deficiency is wide-spread in crop plants throughout the world especially in coarse-textured soils in humid areas. Boron toxicity can also occur, especially in arid regions under irrigation. Plants respond directly to the...

  1. Influence of boron fertiIization on productivity of grape plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Batukaev Abdulmalik

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this article is to study the content of micronutrients in the soil of Terek sands region of the Chechen Republic and to identify the physiological response of the grape plants on micronutrients fertilization. The obtained data of the boron total content in the studied sandy soil showed that in 0–60 cm layer of the soil the boron total content ranges from 0.4 to 0.5 mg/kg, in 60–150 cm soil layer – from 0.75 to 0.78 mg/kg. The boron content in the sandy soils of studied area varies within wide limits and characterizes as insufficient. Fertilizing with boron is an effective agricultural technique for up-frost plants and productivity of grapes. This technique allows to increase the sugar content of the berries up to 0.8– 1.4 g/cm3, while substantially reducing the acidity of the juice. The yield of grape crystal grade in the variant with background + N90 P90 K90 + 2 kg of active boron addition was 76.8 t/ha, which is higher than in the control at 34.2 t/ha. The increasing of sugar berries in this variant was from 0.8 up to 1.4 g/cm3. The highest rates for plants productivity were observed by introducing a complex of boron micronutrients, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, zinc in the form VIII, wherein the yield totally was 89.4 c/ha.

  2. Boronic Acid functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization for glycopeptide enrichment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qu, Yanyan; Liu, Jianxi; Yang, Kaiguang; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Lihua; Zhang, Yukui

    2012-07-16

    The boronic acid-functionalized core-shell polymer nanoparticles, poly(N,N-methylenebisacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid)@4-vinylphenylboronic acid (poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA), were successfully synthesized for enriching glycosylated peptides. Such nanoparticles were composed of a hydrophilic polymer core prepared by distillation precipitation polymerization (DPP) and a boronic acid-functionalized shell designed for capturing glycopeptides. Owing to the relatively large amount of residual vinyl groups introduced by DPP on the core surface, the VPBA monomer was coated with high efficiency, working as the shell. Moreover, the overall polymerization route, especially the use of DPP, made the synthesis of nanoparticles facile and time-saving. With the poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles, 18 glycopeptides from horseradish peroxidase (HRP) digest were captured and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric analysis, relative to eight glycopeptides enriched by using commercially available meta-aminophenylboronic acid agarose under the same conditions. When the concentration of the HRP digest was decreased to as low as 5 nmol, glycopeptides could still be selectively isolated by the prepared nanoparticles. Our results demonstrated that the synthetic poly(MBA-co-MAA)@VPBA nanoparticles might be a promising selective enrichment material for glycoproteome analysis. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. DOE enrichment plants-safeguards means business

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donnelly, R.

    1987-01-01

    The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and operated by Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., is a full service enrichment plant. Its long enriching cascade can process uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ) feeds at almost any 235 U level and can produce UF 6 over the complete spectrum from depleted to very highly enriched uranium. The DOE uranium enrichment program is a government-owned enterprise operating as a business. The operating concerns of the DOE uranium enrichment plants and their safeguards programs have evolved together over the past three decades, and that evolution will likely continue. As the risk associated with possession, processing, and shipment of strategic nuclear material increased, the protection and control of it increased; as the value of the product grew with time, better ways were found to measure and conserve it. In each of these areas, safeguards objectives and the business requirements of the plant are complementary, and the progress made in one area has been reflected by progress in the other. The plant's material control and accountability program has become crucial to such business requirements as quantifying the enriched uranium (separative work units) produced in each monthly period and convincing financial auditors that the multibillion dollar enriched uranium assets located at the Portsmouth plant are properly stated

  4. Synthesis and characterization of boron trifluoride (B F[sub 3]). Sintese e caracterizacao de trifluoreto de boro (BF[sub 3])

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bastos, E T.R.; Umeda, K; Echternacht, M V; Silva, E.F. da.

    1994-08-01

    High purity boron trifluoride (B F[sub 3]) has been prepared from reaction of ammonium fluorborate and boron oxide in concentrated sulfuric acid. Fluorborate was synthesized by reaction of ammonium bi fluoride and boric acid produced from enrichment plant. (author).

  5. Study of boron behaviour in two Spanish coal combustion power plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochoa-González, Raquel; Cuesta, Aida Fuente; Córdoba, Patricia; Díaz-Somoano, Mercedes; Font, Oriol; López-Antón, M Antonia; Querol, Xavier; Martínez-Tarazona, M Rosa; Giménez, Antonio

    2011-10-01

    A full-scale field study was carried out at two Spanish coal-fired power plants equipped with electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet flue gas desulfurisation (FGD) systems to investigate the distribution of boron in coals, solid by-products, wastewater streams and flue gases. The results were obtained from the simultaneous sampling of solid, liquid and gaseous streams and their subsequent analysis in two different laboratories for purposes of comparison. Although the final aim of this study was to evaluate the partitioning of boron in a (co-)combustion power plant, special attention was paid to the analytical procedure for boron determination. A sample preparation procedure was optimised for coal and combustion by-products to overcome some specific shortcomings of the currently used acid digestion methods. In addition boron mass balances and removal efficiencies in ESP and FGD devices were calculated. Mass balance closures between 83 and 149% were obtained. During coal combustion, 95% of the incoming boron was collected in the fly ashes. The use of petroleum coke as co-combustible produced a decrease in the removal efficiency of the ESP (87%). Nevertheless, more than 90% of the remaining gaseous boron was eliminated via the FGD in the wastewater discharged from the scrubber, thereby causing environmental problems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. 28-Homobrassinolide mitigates boron induced toxicity through enhanced antioxidant system in Vigna radiata plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusuf, Mohammad; Fariduddin, Qazi; Ahmad, Aqil

    2011-11-01

    The objective of this study was to establish relationship between boron induced oxidative stress and antioxidant system in Vigna radiata plants and also to investigate whether brassinosteroids will enhance the level of antioxidant system that could confer tolerance to the plants from the boron induced oxidative stress. The mung bean (V. radiata cv. T-44) plants were administered with 0.50, 1.0 and 2.0 mM boron at 6 d stage for 7 d along with nutrient solution. At 13 d stage, the seedlings were sprayed with deionized water (control) or 10(-8) M of 28-homobrassinolide and plants were harvested at 21 d stage to assess growth, leaf gas-exchange traits and biochemical parameters. The boron treatments diminished growth, water relations and photosynthetic attributes along with nitrate reductase and carbonic anhydrase activity in the concentration dependent manner whereas, it enhanced lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage, accumulation of H(2)O(2) as well as proline, and various antioxidant enzymes in the leaves of mung bean which were more pronounced at higher concentrations of boron. However, the follow-up application of 28-homobrassinolide to the boron stressed plants improved growth, water relations and photosynthesis and further enhanced the various antioxidant enzymes viz. catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and content of proline. The elevated level of antioxidant enzymes as well as proline could have conferred tolerance to the B-stressed plants resulting in improved growth, water relations and photosynthetic attributes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Gas-phase UF6 enrichment monitor for enrichment plant safeguards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strittmatter, R.B.; Tape, J.W.

    1980-03-01

    An in-line enrichment monitor is being developed to provide real-time enrichment data for the gas-phase UF 6 feed stream of an enrichment plant. The nondestructive gamma-ray assay method can be used to determine the enrichment of natural UF 6 with a relative precision of better than 1% for a wide range of pressures

  8. NRC licensing of uranium enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moran, B.W.

    1991-01-01

    The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing a rule making that establishes the licensing requirements for low-enriched uranium enrichment plants. Although implementation of this rule making is timed to correspond with receipt of a license application for the Louisiana Energy Services centrifuge enrichment plant, the rule making is applicable to all uranium enrichment technologies. If ownership of the US gaseous diffusion plants and/or atomic vapor laser isotope separation is transferred to a private or government corporation, these plants also would be licensable under the new rule making. The Safeguards Studies Department was tasked by the NRC to provide technical assistance in support of the rule making and guidance preparation process. The initial and primary effort of this task involved the characterization of the potential safeguards concerns associated with a commercial enrichment plant, and the licensing issues associated with these concerns. The primary safeguards considerations were identified as detection of the loss of special nuclear material, detection of unauthorized production of material of low strategic significance, and detection of production of uranium enriched to >10% 235 U. The primary safeguards concerns identified were (1) large absolute limit of error associated with the material balance closing, (2) the inability to shutdown some technologies to perform a cleanout inventory of the process system, and (3) the flexibility of some technologies to produce higher enrichments. Unauthorized production scenarios were identified for some technologies that could prevent conventional material control and accounting programs from detecting the production and removal of 5 kg 235 U as highly enriched uranium. Safeguards techniques were identified to mitigate these concerns

  9. Boron reclamation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, R.M.

    1980-07-01

    A process to recover high purity 10 B enriched crystalline boron powder from a polymeric matrix was developed on a laboratory basis and ultimately scaled up to production capacity. The process is based on controlled pyrolysis of boron-filled scrap followed by an acid leach and dry sieving operation to return the powder to the required purity and particle size specifications. Typically, the recovery rate of the crystalline powder is in excess of 98.5 percent, and some of the remaining boron is recovered in the form of boric acid. The minimum purity requirement of the recovered product is 98.6 percent total boron

  10. Determination of Boron in soils and plants samples using spectrophotometric method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stas, J.; Hariri, Z.

    2011-10-01

    In this work, the concentration of boron in soil and plant samples was determined with UV-vis spectrophotometer by using azomethine-H as a complex reagent. The calibration curve for boron determination in the range of (0μ3 g.mL - 1) was constructed by plotting the measured absorption of the yellow azomethine-H-B complex at λmax = 412.6 nm against boron concentration in the aqueous phase. The detection limit, repeatability limit, intermediate precision, accuracy, and recovery coefficient of this method were calculated and found to be 0.021 μg.mL - 1, 0.335% , 0.81%, 2.93%, (98.4-101.5)% respectively. The influence of some foreign ions on the determination of boron were also investigated in detail, most of the studied ions, like iron, iodide, and calcium can be tolerated within the ranges of (20-35μg.mL-1), (3000-5000μg.mL - 1) , (15000-30000μg.mL - 1) respectively. This is due to the fact, that ascorbic acid and EDTA in the buffer masking reagent reaction system can be very effective in masking these ions. This method was found to be economic and suitable for boron determination in standard and local samples (soil, plant) and requires small amount of sample (1g). This method can also be applied for boron determination in water samples (drinking and industrial waste water).(author)

  11. Boron in plants: deficiency and toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Camacho-Cristóbal, Juan J; Rexach, Jesús; González-Fontes, Agustín

    2008-10-01

    Boron (B) is an essential nutrient for normal growth of higher plants, and B availability in soil and irrigation water is an important determinant of agricultural production. To date, a primordial function of B is undoubtedly its structural role in the cell wall; however, there is increasing evidence for a possible role of B in other processes such as the maintenance of plasma membrane function and several metabolic pathways. In recent years, the knowledge of the molecular basis of B deficiency and toxicity responses in plants has advanced greatly. The aim of this review is to provide an update on recent findings related to these topics, which can contribute to a better understanding of the role of B in plants.

  12. Safeguards for reprocessing and enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1977-01-01

    Agency safeguards are entering a new phase with the coming under active safeguards for the first time of reprocessing plants in several regions of the world. This is taking place at a time when not only the safeguards aspect itself is coming under international scrutiny, but also at a time when the necessity of reprocessing plants is being called into question. Attracting less attention at the moment, but potentially of equal significance, are the enrichment plants that soon will be coming under Agency safeguards. It is not unreasonable in view of the present controversies to ask what is the significance of these reprocessing and enrichment plants, what are the problems concerning safeguards that appear to have given rise to the controversies, and how these problems are to be solved. The question of significance is an easy one to answer. The output of these plants is material which some people consider can be used directly for military purposes, whereas the output from other plants, for instance, reactors, would require long and extensive processing before it could be used for military purposes. Like most short answers, this one is an over-simplification which requires some elaboration to make it strictly accurate. For example, the material output of a power reactor is in the form of irradiate assemblies containing plutonium which is potentially of military use if the irradiation had been within a certain range. However, to utilize this plutonium under clandestine conditions, the highly radioactive material would have to be secretly transported to a reprocessing plant and there would have to be simultaneous falsification of the reactor material accounts and the plant records. Such falsification would be difficult to conceal. The total time required to obtain usable plutonium would be many months. Diversion of material from a uranium fabrication plant making fuel for power reactors would be easier physically but strategically it would be of little value. The

  13. Enrichment planting without soil treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hagner, Mats

    1998-12-31

    Where enrichment planting had been carried out with either of the two species Picea abies and Pinus contorta, the survival of the planted seedlings was at least as good as after planting in a normal clear cut area treated with soil scarification. This was in spite of the fact that the seedlings were placed shallow in the humus layer without any soil treatment. However, they were sheltered from insects by treatment before planting. Where enrichment planting was carried out with Pinus sylvestris the survival in dense forest was poor, but in open forest the survival was good. The growth of planted seedlings was enhanced by traditional clearing and soil treatment. However, this was for Pinus sylvestris not enough to compensate for the loss of time, 1-2 years, caused by arrangement of soil scarification. The growth of seedlings planted under crown cover was directly related to basal area of retained trees. However, the variation in height growth among individual seedlings was very big, which meant that some seedlings grow well also under a fairly dense forest cover. The pioneer species Pinus sylvestris reacted more strongly to basal area of retained trees than did the shade tolerant species Picea abies. Enrichment planting seems to be a necessary tool for preserving volume productivity, at places where fairly intensive harvest of mature trees has been carried out in stands of ordinary forest type in central Sweden. If double seedlings, with one Picea abies and one Pinus sylvestris, are used, the probability for long term establishment is enhanced 13 refs, 20 figs, 4 tabs

  14. Boron distribution and the effect of lime on boron uptake by pansy, petunia, and gerbera plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reports of boron (B) deficiency have become more prevalent in pansy (Viola ×wittrockiana), petunia (Petunia ×hybrida), and gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii) plug production. When symptoms are observed in production the presence and severity of symptoms have no pattern, symptomatic plants can be located a...

  15. A hybrid monolithic column based on boronate-functionalized graphene oxide nanosheets for online specific enrichment of glycoproteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Chanyuan; Chen, Xiaoman; Du, Zhuo; Li, Gongke; Xiao, Xiaohua; Cai, Zongwei

    2017-05-19

    A hybrid monolithic column based on aminophenylboronic acid (APBA)-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) has been developed and used for selective enrichment of glycoproteins. The APBA/GO composites were homogeneously incorporated into a polymer monolithic column with the help of oligomer matrix and followed by in situ polymerization. The effect of dispersion of APBA/GO composites in the polymerization mixture on the performance of the monolithic column was explored in detail. The presence of graphene oxide not only enlarged the BET surface area from 6.3m 2 /g to 169.4m 2 /g, but also provided abundant boronic acid moieties for glycoprotein extraction, which improved the enrichment selectivity and efficiency for glycoproteins. The APBA/GO hybrid monolithic column was incorporated into a sequential injection system, which facilitated online extraction of proteins. Combining the superior properties of extraordinary surface area of GO and the affinity interaction of APBA to glycoproteins, the APBA/GO hybrid monolithic column showed higher enrichment factors for glycoproteins than other proteins without cis-diol-containing groups. Also, under comparable or even shorter processing time and without the addition of any organic solvent, it showed higher binding capacity toward glycoproteins compared with the conventional boronate affinity monolithic column. The practical applicability of this system was demonstrated by processing of egg white samples for extraction of ovalbumin and ovotransferrin, and satisfactory results were obtained by assay with SDS-PAGE. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. The assisting system for uranium enrichment plant operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakazawa, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Fumio

    1990-01-01

    We have been developing an operation assisting system, partially supported by AI system, for uranium enrichment plant. The AI system is a proto-type system aiming a final one which can be applied to any future large uranium enrichment plant and also not only to specific operational area but also to complex and multi-phenomenon operational area. An existing AI system, for example facility diagnostic system that utilizes the result of CCT analysis as knowledge base, has weakness in flexibility and potentiality. To build AI system, we have developed the most suitable knowledge representations using deep knowledge for each facility or operation of uranium enrichment plant. This paper describes our AI proto-type system adopting several knowledge representations that can represent an uranium enrichment plant's operation with deep knowledge. (author)

  17. Ningyo Toge uranium enrichment pilot plant comes into full

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-01-01

    The uranium enrichment pilot plant of the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation at Ningyo Toge went into full operation on March 26, 1982. This signifies that the front end of the nuclear fuel cycle in Japan, from uranium ore to enrichment, is only a step away from commercialization. On the same day, the pilot plant of uranium processing and conversion to UF 6 , the direct purification of uranium ore into uranium hexafluoride, began batch operation at the same works. The construction of the uranium enrichment pilot plant has been advanced in three stages: i.e. OP-1A with 1000 centrifuges, OP-1B with 3000 centrifuges and OP-2 with 3000 centrifuges. With a total of 7000 centrifuges, the pilot plant, the first enrichment plant in Japan, has now a capacity of supplying enriched uranium for six months operation of a 1,000 MW nuclear power plant. (J.P.N.)

  18. Response of soybean plants to phosphorus, boron and molybdenum fertilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdel-Aziz, H. A.; Aly, M. E.

    2012-12-01

    A pot experiment was carried out to study the effect of added phosphorus levels (30. 60 kg p/fed) with the addition of boron at (2, 6 ppm) and molybdenum at (5, 10.ppm) and without addition beside the control the control on growth and mineral content and root nodules in soybean plants. The results indicated that the effect of phosphorus on the formation of nodules had a clear effect when added with boron, molybdenum and when boron added at a rate of 2 ppm in the absence of phosphorus led to increase in root nodules in each of the 5, 10 ppm led to increased formation of, naldetuss in of the alluvial and calcareous soil. The molybdenum, nitrogen and phosphorus uptake increased directly proportional to the result of increased rate of addition of phosphorus and molybdenum. While the uptake born may be added with the rate of increased concentration of 2 ppm, while when added at 6 ppm led tp increased absorption of boron in the calcareous soil, but led to a decrease in the alluvial soils. (Author)

  19. Enriched Boron-Doped Amorphous Selenium Based Position-Sensitive Solid-State Thermal Neutron Detector for MPACT Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mandal, Krishna

    2017-01-01

    High-efficiency thermal neutron detectors with compact size, low power-rating and high spatial, temporal and energy resolution are essential to execute non-proliferation and safeguard protocols. The demands of such detector are not fully covered by the current detection system such as gas proportional counters or scintillator-photomultiplier tube combinations, which are limited by their detection efficiency, stability of response, speed of operation, and physical size. Furthermore, world-wide shortage of 3 He gas, required for widely used gas detection method, has further prompted to design an alternative system. Therefore, a solid-state neutron detection system without the requirement of 3 He will be very desirable. To address the above technology gap, we had proposed to develop new room temperature solidstate thermal neutron detectors based on enriched boron ( 10 B) and enriched lithium ( 6 Li) doped amorphous Se (As- 0.52%, Cl 5 ppm) semiconductor for MPACT applications. The proposed alloy materials have been identified for its many favorable characteristics - a wide bandgap (~2.2 eV at 300 K) for room temperature operation, high glass transition temperature (t g ~ 85°C), a high thermal neutron cross-section (for boron ~ 3840 barns, for lithium ~ 940 barns, 1 barn = 10 -24 cm 2 ), low effective atomic number of Se for small gamma ray sensitivity, and high radiation tolerance due to its amorphous structure.

  20. Safety aspects of gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hansen, A.H.

    1987-01-01

    Uranium enrichment by gas centrifuge is a commercially proven, viable technology. Gas centrifuge enrichment plant operations pose hazards that are also found in other industries as well as unique hazards as a result of processing and handling uranium hexafluoride and the handling of enriched uranium. Hazards also found in other industries included those posed by the use of high-speed rotating equipment and equipment handling by use of heavy-duty cranes. Hazards from high-speed rotating equipment are associated with the operation of the gas centrifuges themselves and with the operation of the uranium hexafluoride compressors in the tail withdrawal system. These and related hazards are discussed. It is included that commercial gas centrifuge enrichment plants have been designed to operate safely

  1. Unattended safeguards instrumentation at centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, L. Eric; Lebrun, Alain R.; Labella, Rocco

    2014-01-01

    As global uranium enrichment capacity under international safeguards expands, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is challenged to develop effective safeguards approaches at gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants, particularly high‑capacity plants, while working within budgetary constraints. New safeguards approaches should meet the high‑level verification objectives for such facilities (i.e., timely detection of: diversion of declared material, excess production beyond declared amounts, and production of enrichment levels higher than declared), but should also strive for efficiency advantages in implementation, for both the IAEA and operators. Under the Agency’s State- level approach to safeguards implementation, the Agency needs a flexible toolbox of technologies, allowing tailoring of safeguards measures for each individual enrichment facility. In this paper, the potential roles and development status for three different types of unattended measurement instrumentation are discussed. On‑Line Enrichment Monitors (OLEM) could provide continuous enrichment measurement for 100% of the declared gas flowing through unit header pipes. Unattended Cylinder Verification Stations (UCVS) could provide unattended verification of the declared uranium mass and enrichment of 100% of the cylinders moving through the plant, but also apply and verify an ‘NDA Fingerprint’ to preserve verification knowledge on the contents of each cylinder throughout its life in the facility. Sharing of the operator’s load cell signals from feed and withdrawal stations could count all cylinders introduced to the process and provide periodic monitoring of the uranium mass balance for in‑process material. The integration of load cell, OLEM and UCVS data streams offers the possibility for 100% verification of declared cylinder flow, and enables the periodic verification of the declared 235 U mass balance in the plant. These new capabilities would enhance the IAEA

  2. Evaluation of economical at a uranium enrichment demonstration plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugitsue, Noritake

    2001-01-01

    In this report, the economy of technical achievement apply in the uranium enrichment demonstration plant is evaluated. From the evaluation, it can be concluded that the expected purpose was achieved because there was a definite economic prospect to commercial plant. The benefit analysis of thirteen years operation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant also provides a financial aspect of the uranium enrichment business. Therefore, the performance, price and reliability of the centrifuge is an important factor in the uranium enrichment business. And the continuous development of a centrifuge while considering balance with the development cost is necessary for the business in the future. (author)

  3. Experience with environmental sampling at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ekenstam, G. af; Bush, W.; Janov, J.; Kuhn, E.; Ryjinski, M.

    2001-01-01

    Environmental sampling has been used routinely by the IAEA since 1996 after the IAEA Board of Governors approved it in March 1995 as a new technique to strengthen safeguards and improve efficiency. In enrichment plants it is used to confirm that there has been no production of highly enriched uranium (HEU), or production of uranium at above the declared enrichment. The use of environmental sampling is based on the assumption that every process, no matter how leak tight, will release small amounts of process material to the environment. Even though these releases of nuclear material are extremely small in gas centrifuge enrichment plants, and well below levels of concern from a health physics and safety standpoint, they are detectable and their analysis provides an indication of the enrichment of the material that has been processed in the plant. The environmental samples at enrichment plants are collected by swiping selected areas of the plant with squares of cotton cloth (10x10 cm) from sampling kits prepared in ultra clean condition. The squares of cotton cloth sealed in plastic bags are sent for analysis to the Network Analytical Laboratories. The analysis includes the measurement of the uranium isotopic composition in uranium-containing particles by Thermal lonization Mass Spectroscopy (TIMS) or Secondary ION Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS). Since the implementation of environmental sampling, swipes have been collected from 240 sampling points at three gas centrifuge plants of URENCO, which have a total throughput of more than 8,000 tonnes of uranium per year. The particle analysis results generally reflected the known operational history of the plants and confirmed that they had only been operated to produce uranium with enrichment less than 5% 235 U. The information about the content of the minor isotopes 234 U and 236 U also indicates that depleted and recycled uranium were sometimes used as feed materials in some plants. An example is given of the TIMS particle

  4. Enhanced Boron Tolerance in Plants Mediated by Bidirectional Transport Through Plasma Membrane Intrinsic Proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mosa, Kareem A; Kumar, Kundan; Chhikara, Sudesh; Musante, Craig; White, Jason C; Dhankher, Om Parkash

    2016-02-23

    High boron (B) concentration is toxic to plants that limit plant productivity. Recent studies have shown the involvement of the members of major intrinsic protein (MIP) family in controlling B transport. Here, we have provided experimental evidences showing the bidirectional transport activity of rice OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6. Boron transport ability of OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6 were displayed in yeast HD9 mutant strain (∆fps1∆acr3∆ycf1) as a result of increased B sensitivity, influx and accumulation by OsPIP1;3, and rapid efflux activity by OsPIP2;6. RT-PCR analysis showed strong upregulation of OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6 transcripts in roots by B toxicity. Transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6 exhibited enhanced tolerance to B toxicity. Furthermore, B concentration was significantly increased after 2 and 3 hours of tracer boron ((10)B) treatment. Interestingly, a rapid efflux of (10)B from the roots of the transgenic plants was observed within 1 h of (10)B treatment. Boron tolerance in OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6 lines was inhibited by aquaporin inhibitors, silver nitrate and sodium azide. Our data proved that OsPIP1;3 and OsPIP2;6 are indeed involved in both influx and efflux of boron transport. Manipulation of these PIPs could be highly useful in improving B tolerance in crops grown in high B containing soils.

  5. Enriched Boron-Doped Amorphous Selenium Based Position-Sensitive Solid-State Thermal Neutron Detector for MPACT Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mandal, Krishna [Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (United States)

    2017-09-29

    High-efficiency thermal neutron detectors with compact size, low power-rating and high spatial, temporal and energy resolution are essential to execute non-proliferation and safeguard protocols. The demands of such detector are not fully covered by the current detection system such as gas proportional counters or scintillator-photomultiplier tube combinations, which are limited by their detection efficiency, stability of response, speed of operation, and physical size. Furthermore, world-wide shortage of 3He gas, required for widely used gas detection method, has further prompted to design an alternative system. Therefore, a solid-state neutron detection system without the requirement of 3He will be very desirable. To address the above technology gap, we had proposed to develop new room temperature solidstate thermal neutron detectors based on enriched boron (10B) and enriched lithium (6Li) doped amorphous Se (As- 0.52%, Cl 5 ppm) semiconductor for MPACT applications. The proposed alloy materials have been identified for its many favorable characteristics - a wide bandgap (~2.2 eV at 300 K) for room temperature operation, high glass transition temperature (tg ~ 85°C), a high thermal neutron cross-section (for boron ~ 3840 barns, for lithium ~ 940 barns, 1 barn = 10-24 cm2), low effective atomic number of Se for small gamma ray sensitivity, and high radiation tolerance due to its amorphous structure.

  6. On-Line Enrichment Monitor for UF{sub 6} Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ianakiev, K. D.; Boyer, B.; Favalli, A.; Goda, J. M.; Hill, T.; Keller, C.; Lombardi, M.; Paffett, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.; Parker, R.; Smith, M. K.; Swinhoe, M. T. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos (United States)

    2012-06-15

    This paper is a continuation of the Advanced Enrichment Monitoring Technology for UF{sub 6} Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP) work, presented in the 2010 IAEA Safeguards Symposium. Here we will present the system architecture for a planned side-by-side field trial test of passive (186-keV line spectroscopy and pressure-based correction for UF{sub 6} gas density) and active (186-keV line spectroscopy and transmission measurement based correction for UF{sub 6} gas density) enrichment monitoring systems in URENCO's enrichment plant in Capenhurst. Because the pressure and transmission measurements of UF{sub 6} are complementary, additional information on the importance of the presence of light gases and the UF{sub 6} gas temperature can be obtained by cross-correlation between simultaneous measurements of transmission, pressure and 186-keV intensity. We will discuss the calibration issues and performance in the context of accurate, on-line enrichment measurement. It is hoped that a simple and accurate on-line enrichment monitor can be built using the UF{sub 6} gas pressure provided by the Operator, based on online mass spectrometer calibration, assuming a negligible (a small fraction of percent) contribution of wall deposits. Unaccounted-for wall deposits present at the initial calibration will lead to unwanted sensitivity to changes in theUF{sub 6} gas pressure and thus to error in the enrichment results. Because the accumulated deposits in the cascade header pipe have been identified as an issue for Go/No Go measurements with the Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor (CHEM) and Continuous Enrichment Monitor (CEMO), it is important to explore their effect. Therefore we present the expected uncertainty on enrichment measurements obtained by propagating the errors introduced by deposits, gas density, etc. and will discuss the options for a deposit correction during initial calibration of an On-Line Enrichment Monitor (OLEM).

  7. Study on behaviors and performances of universal N-glycopeptide enrichment methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Yu; Xie, Juanjuan; Fang, Pan; Yao, Jun; Yan, Guoquan; Shen, Huali; Yang, Pengyuan

    2018-04-16

    Glycosylation is a crucial process in protein biosynthesis. However, the analysis of glycopeptides through MS remains challenging due to the microheterogeneity and macroheterogeneity of the glycoprotein. Selective enrichment of glycopeptides from complex samples prior to MS analysis is essential for successful glycoproteome research. In this work, we systematically investigated the behaviors and performances of boronic acid chemistry, ZIC-HILIC, and PGC of glycopeptide enrichment to promote understanding of these methods. We also optimized boronic acid chemistry and ZIC-HILIC enrichment methods and applied them to enrich glycopeptides from mouse liver. The intact N-glycopeptides were interpreted using the in-house analysis software pGlyco 2.0. We found that boronic acid chemistry in this study preferred to capture glycopeptides with high mannose glycans, ZIC-HILIC enriched most N-glycopeptides and did not show significant preference during enrichment and PGC was not suitable for separating glycopeptides with a long amino acid sequence. We performed a detailed study on the behaviors and performances of boronic acid chemistry, ZIC-HILIC, and PGC enrichment methods and provide a better understanding of enrichment methods for further glycoproteomics research.

  8. Determination of isotopic composition of boron in boron carbide by TIMS and PIGE: an inter-comparison study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasibhushan, K.; Rao, R.M.; Parab, A.R.; Alamelu, D.; Aggarwal, S.K.; Acharya, R.; Chhillar, S.; Pujari, P.K.

    2015-01-01

    The paper reports a comparison of results on the determination of isotopic composition of boron in boron carbide (B 4 C) samples by Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) and Particle Induced Gamma ray Spectrometry (PIGE). B 4 C samples having varying boron isotopic composition (natural, enriched with respect to 10 B) and their synthetic mixtures) have been analysed by both the techniques. The 10 B atom% was found to be in the range of 20-67%. (author)

  9. Development of on-line uranium enrichment monitor of gaseous UF6 for uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Xuesheng; Liu Guorong; Jin Huimin; Zhao Yonggang; Li Jinghuai; Hao Xueyuan; Ying Bin; Yu Zhaofei

    2013-01-01

    An on-line enrichment monitor was developed to measure the enrichment of UF 6 , flowing through the processing pipes in uranium enrichment plant. A Nal (Tl) detector was used to measure the count rates of the 185.7 keV γ-ray emitted from 235 U, and the total quantity of uranium was determined from thermodynamic characteristics of gaseous uranium hexafluoride. The results show that the maximum relative standard deviation is less than 1% when the measurement time is 120 s or more and the pressure is more than 2 kPa in the measurement chamber. Uranium enrichment of gaseous uranium hexafluoride in the output end of cascade can be monitored continuously by using the device. It should be effective for nuclear materials accountability verifications and materials balance verification at uranium enrichment plant. (authors)

  10. New generation enrichment monitoring technology for gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ianakiev, Kiril D.; Alexandrov, Boian S.; Boyer, Brian D.; Hill, Thomas R.; Macarthur, Duncan W.; Marks, Thomas; Moss, Calvin E.; Sheppard, Gregory A.; Swinhoe, Martyn T.

    2008-01-01

    The continuous enrichment monitor, developed and fielded in the 1990s by the International Atomic Energy Agency, provided a go-no-go capability to distinguish between UF 6 containing low enriched (approximately 4% 235 U) and highly enriched (above 20% 235 U) uranium. This instrument used the 22-keV line from a 109 Cd source as a transmission source to achieve a high sensitivity to the UF 6 gas absorption. The 1.27-yr half-life required that the source be periodically replaced and the instrument recalibrated. The instrument's functionality and accuracy were limited by the fact that measured gas density and gas pressure were treated as confidential facility information. The modern safeguarding of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant producing low-enriched UF 6 product aims toward a more quantitative flow and enrichment monitoring concept that sets new standards for accuracy stability, and confidence. An instrument must be accurate enough to detect the diversion of a significant quantity of material, have virtually zero false alarms, and protect the operator's proprietary process information. We discuss a new concept for advanced gas enrichment assay measurement technology. This design concept eliminates the need for the periodic replacement of a radioactive source as well as the need for maintenance by experts. Some initial experimental results will be presented.

  11. Centrifuge enrichment plants. (Latest citations from the NTIS bibliographic database). Published Search

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-09-01

    The bibliography contains citations concerning the design, control, monitoring, and safety of centrifuge enrichment plants. Power supplies, enrichment plant safeguards, facility design, cascade heater test loops to monitor the enrichment process, inspection strategies, and the socioeconomic effects of centrifuge enrichment plants are examined. Radioactive waste disposal problems are considered. (Contains a minimum of 171 citations and includes a subject term index and title list.)

  12. Integrated design of SIGMA uranium enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rivarola, Martin E.; Brasnarof, Daniel O.

    1999-01-01

    In the present work, we describe a preliminary analysis of the design feedbacks in a Uranium Enrichment Plant, using the SIGMA concept. Starting from the result of this analysis, a computer code has been generated, which allows finding the optimal configurations of plants, for a fixed production rate. The computer code developed includes the model of the Thermohydraulic loop of a SIGMA module. The model contains numerical calculations of the main components of the circuit. During the calculations, the main components are dimensioned, for a posterior cost compute. The program also makes an estimation of the enrichment gain of the porous membrane, for each separation stage. Once the dimensions of the main components are known, using the enrichment cascade calculation, the capital and operation costs of the plant could be determined. At this point it is simple to calculate a leveled cost of the Separative Work Unit (SWU). A numerical optimizer is also included in the program. This optimizer finds the optimal cascade configuration, for a given set of design parameters. The whole-integrated program permits to investigate in detail the feedback in the component design. Therefore, the sensibility of the more relevant parameters can be computed, with respect of the economical variables of the plant. (author)

  13. Uranium-236 in light water reactor spent fuel recycled to an enriching plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    de la Garza, A.

    1977-01-01

    The introduction of 236 U to an enriching plant by recycling spent fuel uranium results in enriched products containing 236 U, a parasitic neutron absorber in reactor fuel. Convenient approximate methodology determines 235 236 U, and total uranium flowsheets with associated separative work requirements in enriching plant operations for use by investigators of the light water reactor fuel cycle not having recourse to specialized multicomponent cascade technology. Application of the methodology has been made to compensation of an enriching plant product for 236 U content and to the value at an enriching plant of spent fuel uranium. The approximate methodology was also confirmed with more exact calculations and with some experience with 236 U in an enriching plant

  14. Boron transport in plants: co-ordinated regulation of transporters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miwa, Kyoko; Fujiwara, Toru

    2010-01-01

    Background The essentiality of boron (B) for plant growth was established >85 years ago. In the last decade, it has been revealed that one of the physiological roles of B is cross-linking the pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II in primary cell walls. Borate cross-linking of pectic networks serves both for physical strength of cell walls and for cell adhesion. On the other hand, high concentrations of B are toxic to plant growth. To avoid deficiency and toxicity problems, it is important for plants to maintain their tissue B concentrations within an optimum range by regulating transport processes. Boron transport was long believed to be a passive, unregulated process, but the identification of B transporters has suggested that plants sense and respond to the B conditions and regulate transporters to maintain B homeostasis. Scope Transporters responsible for efficient B uptake by roots, xylem loading and B distribution among leaves have been described. These transporters are required under B limitation for efficient acquisition and utilization of B. Transporters important for tolerating high B levels in the environment have also been identified, and these transporters export B from roots back to the soil. Two types of transporters are involved in these processes: NIPs (nodulin-26-like intrinsic proteins), boric acid channels, and BORs, B exporters. It is demonstrated that the expression of genes encoding these transporters is finely regulated in response to B availability in the environment to ensure tissue B homeostasis. Furthermore, plants tolerant to stress produced by low B or high B in the environment can be generated through altered expression of these transporters. Conclusions The identification of the first B transporter led to the discovery that B transport was a process mediated not only by passive diffusion but also by transporters whose activity was regulated in response to B conditions. Now it is evident that plants sense internal and external B

  15. Response of nitrogen metabolism to boron toxicity in tomato plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cervilla, L M; Blasco, B; Ríos, J J; Rosales, M A; Rubio-Wilhelmi, M M; Sánchez-Rodríguez, E; Romero, L; Ruiz, J M

    2009-09-01

    Boron (B) toxicity has become important in areas close to the Mediterranean Sea where intensive agriculture has been developed. The objective of this research was to study the effects of B toxicity (0.5 mM and 2.0 mM B) on nitrogen (N) assimilation of two tomato cultivars that are often used in these areas. Leaf biomass, relative leaf growth rate (RGR(L)), concentration of B, nitrate (NO(3) (-)), ammonium (NH(4) (+)), organic N, amino acids and soluble proteins, as well as nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthase (GS), glutamate synthetase (GOGAT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities were analysed in leaves. Boron toxicity significantly decreased leaf biomass, RGR(L), organic N, soluble proteins, and NR and NiR activities. The lowest NO(3) (-) and NH(4) (+) concentration in leaves was recorded when plants were supplied with 2.0 mM B in the root medium. Total B, amino acids, activities of GS, GOGAT and GDH increased under B toxicity. Data from the present study prove that B toxicity causes inhibition of NO(3) (-) reduction and increases NH(4) (+) assimilation in tomato plants.

  16. Nondestructive determination of uranium-235 enrichment in gas ultracentrifugation enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lauppe, W.D.; Richter, B.; Stein, G.

    1990-02-01

    Based on similar studies in the USA and the UK, two γ spectroscopic techniques were propagated by the IAEA, after they had been sucesssfully tried at Capenhurst (GB) centrifuge plant. It was assumed by the IAEA that these methods would be transferable to the Almelo and Gronau plants, even without knowledge of the specific plant parameters there. The scope of this research project covered the study and further development of the proposed γ-spectroscopic measuring methods for applicability in the GUC plant in Gronau. The research came within the terms of reference of Task C.14.7 of the IAEA and BMFT (German Federal Ministry of Research and Technology)'s joint research and development programme. When the funded project first started, the Gronau plant was not yet on stream. The initial measurements were therefore, taken in Almelo, where conditions were similar to those in Gronau. The report describes the underlying problems which occur in relation to the non-destructive measuring of 235 U enrichment under the specific boundary conditions in Almelo and Gronau. The results illustrate the limitations of application of the measuring techniques, even after adjustment to actual conditions in Almelo and Gronau. It is not always possible to obtain a reliable yes/no answer in favour of slightly enriched uranium, particularly in product lines with extreme boundary conditions, irrespective of the technique applied. (orig.) [de

  17. Safety criteria of uranium enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nardocci, A.C.; Oliveira Neto, J.M. de

    1994-01-01

    The applicability of nuclear reactor safety criteria applied to uranium enrichment plants is discussed, and a new criterion based on the soluble uranium compounds and hexafluoride chemical toxicities is presented. (L.C.J.A.). 21 refs, 4 tabs

  18. XPS analysis of boron doped heterofullerenes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schnyder, B; Koetz, R [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Muhr, H J; Nesper, R [ETH Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland)

    1997-06-01

    Boron heterofullerenes were generated through arc-evaporation of doped graphite rods in a helium atmosphere. According to mass spectrometric analysis only mono-substituted fullerenes like C{sub 59}B, C{sub 69}B and higher homologues together with a large fraction of higher undoped fullerenes were extracted and enriched when pyridine was used as the solvent. XPS analysis of the extracts indicated the presence of two boron species with significantly different binding energies. One peak was assigned to borid acid. The second one corresponds to boron in the fullerene cage, which is mainly C{sub 59}B, according to the mass spectrum. This boron is in a somewhat higher oxidation state than that of ordinary boron-carbon compounds. The reported synthesis and extraction procedure opens a viable route for production of macroscopic amounts of these compounds. (author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 7 refs.

  19. The outline of clearance plan for Rokkasho uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kojima, Takuo; Sasaki, Hitoshi; Shouno, Shuuzou; Nozawa, Kenji

    2011-01-01

    Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited (JNFL) started operation of uranium enrichment by metal cylinder centrifuge at Rokkasho Uranium Enrichment Plant in 1992. Since operation start, JNFL has extended the plant capacity sequentially, but metal cylinder centrifuges ceased operation gradually with time. Replacement to advanced centrifuge is under construction now. Generally, Uranium Enrichment Plant continues operation by replacing centrifuges after a certain period of operation. So, many used centrifuges (metal waste) are generated through the operation period. JNFL is now considering the disposal plan. We can reduce the radioactivity level that is not necessary to treat as the radioactive waste by decontaminating the radioactive material sticking to the surface of metal materials of used centrifuge. And JNFL plants to recycle (reuse) metal material by making much of the clearance system. (author)

  20. Evaluation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugitsue, Noritake

    2001-01-01

    In this report, the organization system of the uranium enrichment business is evaluated, based on the operation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant. As a result, in uranium enrichment technology development or business, it was acknowledged that maintenance of the organization which has the Trinity of a research/engineering/operation was necessary in an industrialization stage by exceptional R and D cycle. Japan Nuclear Fuel Ltd. (JNFL) set up the Rokkashomura Aomori Uranium Enrichment Research and Development Center in November 2000. As a result, the system that company directly engaged in engineering development was prepared. And results obtained in this place is expected toward certain establishment of the uranium enrichment business of Japan. (author)

  1. Continuous monitoring of variations in the 235U enrichment of uranium in the header pipework of a centrifuge enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Packer, T.W.

    1991-01-01

    Non-destructive assay equipment, based on gamma-ray spectrometry and x-ray fluorescence analysis has previously been developed for confirming the presence of low enriched uranium in the header pipework of UF 6 gas centrifuge enrichment plants. However inspections can only be carried out occasionally on a limited number of pipes. With the development of centrifuge enrichment technology it has been suggested that more frequent, or ideally, continuous measurements should be made in order to improve safeguards assurance between inspections. For this purpose we have developed non-destructive assay equipment based on continuous gamma-ray spectrometry and x-ray transmission measurements. This equipment is suitable for detecting significant changes in the 235 U enrichment of uranium in the header pipework of new centrifuge enrichment plants. Results are given in this paper of continuous measurements made in the laboratory and also on header pipework of a centrifuge enrichment plant at Capenhurst

  2. Some engineering considerations when designing centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edwards, T.T.

    1982-01-01

    A review is given of the three main areas where flexibility is needed in the design of centrifuge enrichment plants. These are: the need to cope with market requirements, the limitations imposed by currently available centrifuges and ever advancing centrifuge technology. Details of BNFL's experience with centrifuge enrichment at Capenhurst are presented. (U.K.)

  3. Genetic engineering of syringyl-enriched lignin in plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Vincent Lee; Li, Laigeng

    2004-11-02

    The present invention relates to a novel DNA sequence, which encodes a previously unidentified lignin biosynthetic pathway enzyme, sinapyl alcohol dehydrogenase (SAD) that regulates the biosynthesis of syringyl lignin in plants. Also provided are methods for incorporating this novel SAD gene sequence or substantially similar sequences into a plant genome for genetic engineering of syringyl-enriched lignin in plants.

  4. Present status of centrifuge method for uranium enrichment and PNC plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishikido, Yoshikazu

    1977-01-01

    Recentry, the tendency to adopt atomic energy owing to the oil shock, the delay in the construction of nuclear power stations worldwide, the uncertainty in the utilization of plutonium, and the prospect of supplying natural uranium are the situations affecting uranium enrichment. Anyway, the enrichment capacity in the world must be increased by the early years of 1980 s. The uranium enrichment technology by centrifugal method is being developed in various countries under strict control of informations, therefore the details are not known, but the general state in Great Britain, F.R. of Germany, Netherlands, U.S.A. and Japan is explained. The development of the centrifugal enrichment method in Japan was designated in 1972 as the national project aiming at operating the enriching plant with international competitive power by 1985. The PNC undertook the development work, and the research and development include the development of a centrifuge, cascade test, life span test, the development of the mass production technology, and safety test. The especially notable matter in this period was the rapid progress of a supercritical type centrifuge. It is judged that the technical basis for constructing a pilot plant has been established. The site for the pilot plant is being prepared now in the Ningyo Pass Mine, PNC, and the enrichment plant with 7000 centrifuges will be constructed there. The outline of the plant and the schedule for the construction are described. (Kako, I.)

  5. Industrial plants for production of highly enriched nitrogen-15

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krell, E.; Jonas, C.

    1977-01-01

    A discussion is presented of the present stage of development of large-scale enrichment of 15 N. The most important processes utilized to separate nitrogen isotopes, namely chemical exchange in the NO/NO 2 /HNO 3 system and low-temperature distillation of NO at -151 0 C, are compared, especially with respect to their economics and use of energy. As examples, chemical exchange plants in the GDR are discussed, and the research activities necessary to optimize the process, especially to solve aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, interface and processing problems, are reviewed. Good results were obtained by the choice of an optimum location and the design of a plant for pre-enrichment to 10 at.% 15 N and an automatically operating two-section cascade for the high enrichment of 15 N to more than 99 at.%. The chemical industry has taken over operation of the plant with the consequence that the raw materials are all available without additional transport. All by-products (nitrous gases and sulphuric acid) are returned for use elsewhere within the industry. The technology of the plant has been chosen so that the quantity of highly enriched product can be varied within a wide range. The final product is used to synthesize more than 250 different 15 N-labelled compounds which are also produced on an industrial scale. (author)

  6. Improved verification methods for safeguards verifications at enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lebrun, A.; Kane, S. C.; Bourva, L.; Poirier, S.; Loghin, N. E.; Langlands, D.

    2009-01-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has initiated a coordinated research and development programme to improve its verification methods and equipment applicable to enrichment plants. The programme entails several individual projects to meet the objectives of the IAEA Safeguards Model Approach for Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants updated in 2006. Upgrades of verification methods to confirm the absence of HEU (highly enriched uranium) production have been initiated and, in particular, the Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor (CHEM) has been redesigned to reduce its weight and incorporate an electrically cooled germanium detector. Such detectors are also introduced to improve the attended verification of UF 6 cylinders for the verification of the material balance. Data sharing of authenticated operator weighing systems such as accountancy scales and process load cells is also investigated as a cost efficient and an effective safeguards measure combined with unannounced inspections, surveillance and non-destructive assay (NDA) measurement. (authors)

  7. Improved verification methods for safeguards verifications at enrichment plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lebrun, A.; Kane, S. C.; Bourva, L.; Poirier, S.; Loghin, N. E.; Langlands, D. [Department of Safeguards, International Atomic Energy Agency, Wagramer Strasse 5, A1400 Vienna (Austria)

    2009-07-01

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has initiated a coordinated research and development programme to improve its verification methods and equipment applicable to enrichment plants. The programme entails several individual projects to meet the objectives of the IAEA Safeguards Model Approach for Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants updated in 2006. Upgrades of verification methods to confirm the absence of HEU (highly enriched uranium) production have been initiated and, in particular, the Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor (CHEM) has been redesigned to reduce its weight and incorporate an electrically cooled germanium detector. Such detectors are also introduced to improve the attended verification of UF{sub 6} cylinders for the verification of the material balance. Data sharing of authenticated operator weighing systems such as accountancy scales and process load cells is also investigated as a cost efficient and an effective safeguards measure combined with unannounced inspections, surveillance and non-destructive assay (NDA) measurement. (authors)

  8. Geothermal constraints on enrichment of boron and lithium in salt lakes: An example from a river-salt lake system on the northern slope of the eastern Kunlun Mountains, China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Hongbing; Chen, Jun; Rao, Wenbo; Zhang, Wenjie; Zhou, Huifang

    2012-06-01

    Some rivers on the northern slope of the eastern Kunlun Mountains in the Qaidam Basin, China, show very high concentrations of boron and lithium. Correspondingly, the salt lakes fed by these rivers show an unusual enrichment of boron and lithium, and become an important economic resource. The origin of boron and lithium has long been debated. The aim of this study is to analyze the water chemistry and hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of river water to understand the unusual enrichment of boron and lithium in the salt lakes of the Qaidam Basin. Oxygen and hydrogen isotope data show that the source of river water in the winter and summer originates from the Kunlun Mountain ice and snow melt water, respectively. The water chemistry shows that boron and lithium contents are high but little variable with seasons in the Nalenggele River and Wutumeiren River waters. By contrast, other rivers have much lower lithium and boron contents. Moreover, the contents of B3+ and Li+ in the river loads or bed sands show little difference amongst the rivers. This indicates that removal by adsorption or input by surface rock weathering is not the main controlling factor of the B3+ and Li+ variation in the rivers. Rivers with high B3+ and Li+ content are chemically similar to geothermal waters in the Tibetan Plateau. In addition, the source area of the Nalenggele River is located in a collision zone of the Kunlun Mountains and Altun Mountains. Large and deep faults can serve as conduits for geothermal fluids. Thus, deep geothermal waters in the source area can easily migrate to the surface and discharge as springs feeding the rivers. They are an important source of B3+ and Li+ to the rivers. The abnormally high contents of B3+ and Li+ in the Nalenggele and Wutumeiren Rivers also suggest that the geothermal source area may be a future target for boron and lithium resources.

  9. Primary Coolant pH Control for Soluble Boron-Free PWRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheon, Yang Ho; Lee, Nam Yeong; Park, Byeong Ho; Park, Seong Chan; Kim, Eun Kee

    2015-01-01

    These should be considered when evaluating and designing the operating pH program for nuclear power plants. This paper discusses the advanced water chemistry strategies to keep pace with the recent global trends related to pH control in the primary water system for soluble boron pressurized water reactor (PWR) plants. Finally, the objective of this work is to study primary coolant pH control for soluble boron-free PWR plants. This paper reviewed the advanced water chemistry strategies to keep pace with the recent global trends related to pH control in the primary water chemistry system for soluble boron PWR plants. The new chemistry trend for the primary coolant is towards adaption of the constant and elevated chemistry. Finally, this work studied primary coolant pH control for soluble boron-free PWR plants. The ammonia-based water chemistry related to pH control for boron-free PWR plants was discussed. The ammonia-based water chemistry is not recommended to avoid fluctuation of the pH value by ammonia radiolysis and to reduce C-14 production in reactor coolant from reaction with dissolved nitrogen. Also, the potassium-based water chemistry related to pH control for boron-free PWR plants was discussed. KOH has a potential as an alternative pH control agent for soluble boron-free PWR plants. The potassium-based water chemistry related to pH control is recommended for boron-free operation as follows

  10. Boron tolerance in NS wheat lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brdar Milka

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential micronutrient for higher plants. Present in excessive amounts boron becomes toxic and can limit plant growth and yield. Suppression of root growth is one of the symptoms of boron toxicity in wheat. This study was undertaken to investigate the response of 10 perspective NS lines of wheat to high concentrations of boron. Analysis of root growth was done on young plants, germinated and grown in the presence of different concentrations of boric acid (0, 50,100 and 150 mg/1. Significant differences occurred between analyzed genotypes and treatments regarding root length. Average suppression of root growth was between 11,6 and 34,2%, for line NS 252/02 are even noted 61,4% longer roots at treatments in relation to the control. Lines with mean suppression of root growth less than 20% (NS 101/02, NS 138/01, NS 53/03 and NS 73/02 may be considered as boron tolerant. Spearmans coefficients showed high level of agreement regarding rang of root length for genotypes treated with 100 and 150 mg H3BO3/l.

  11. Impact of Boron pollution to Biota Marine aquatic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heni Susiati; Yarianto-SBS; Imam Hamzah; Fepriadi

    2003-01-01

    Power plants and industrial facilities can release potentially harmful chemicals, like boron through direct aqueous discharges or cycling of cooling water to aquatic ecosystems environmental at plant surrounding. Boron is an essential trace element for the growth of marine biota, but can be toxic in excessive amount. Therefore will adversely affect of growth, reproduction or survival. Toxicity to aquatic organism, including vertebrates, invertebrates and plants can vary depending on the organism's life stage and environment. It is recommended that the maximum concentration of total boron for the protection of marine aquatic life should not exceed 1,2 mg B/L. Early stages of life cycle are more sensitive to boron than later ones, and the use of reconstituted water shows higher toxicity in lower boron concentrations than natural waters. (author)

  12. Effect of the complementary anions on the balance of calcium and boron in soil and plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Damaty, A; El-Hamid, W A; El-Sherbeni, A E; El-Mowelhi,; Hossein, M A

    1974-05-01

    Different calcium salts and varying levels of boron were used in pot experiments with broad beans. High solubility Ca salts produced relatively lower soil pH than very low solubility Ca salts. Low solubility Ca salts slightly promote B retention as long as they increased soil pH. High Ca content in beans and high Ca/B ratios in soil are produced by very soluble Ca salts. B content of the plants depends on the amount of Ca absorbed and the B level in the soil, irrespective of any other factors studied. The presence of some Ca salts masked Boron toxicity symptoms. CO/sub 3/ anions in calcareous soils may play a role in boron deficiency or toxicity. Application of nitrogenous fertilizers may reduce injurious effect of excessive B content in soil, unlike phosphate fertilizers which may accentuate the boron toxicity problem. 14 references, 1 table.

  13. Economic evaluation of laser enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arisawa, Takashi; Shiba, Koreyuki

    1983-08-01

    Operational characteristics of Laser Enrichment Plant are described based on the data available at present. And its economy is also discussed from the view point of investment and energy consumption. In the procedure of this estimation, the composition of the plant is firstly considered, secondly each component is designed, and thirdly the production cost of each component is estimated. Then the sensitivity of the component cost on the plant cost is analysed, which leads to the optimization of the product cost and the determination of the economic plant size, etc. The results shows that the power cost of the electric gun occupies the large majority of the total power cost, and that the capital cost of laser devices occupies most of the total capital cost. (author)

  14. Benefits of Low Boron Core Design Concept for PWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Daing, Aung Tharn; Kim, Myung Hyun [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-10-15

    Nuclear design study was carried out to develop low boron core (LBC) based on one of current PWR concepts, OPR-1000. Most of design parameters were the same with those of Ulchin unit-5 except extensive utilization of burnable poison (BP) pins in order to compensate reactivity increase in LBC. For replacement of reduced soluble boron concentration, four different kinds of integral burnable absorbers (IBAs) such as gadolinia, integral fuel burnable absorber (IFBA), erbia and alumina boron carbide were considered in suppressing more excess reactivity. A parametric study was done to find the optimal core options from many design candidates for fuel assemblies and cores. Among them, the most feasible core design candidate was chosen in accordance with general design requirements. In this paper, the feasibility and design change benefits of the most favorable LBC design were investigated in more detail through the comparison of neutronic and thermal hydraulic design parameters of LBC with the reference plant (REF). As calculation tools, the HELIOS/MASTER code package and the MATRA code were utilized. The main purpose of research herein is to estimate feasibility and capability of LBC which was mainly designed to mitigate boron dilution accident (BDA), and for reduction of corrosion products. The LBC design concept using lower boron concentration with an elevated enrichment in {sup 10}B allows a reduction in the concentration of lithium in the primary coolant required to maintain the optimum coolant pH. All in all, LBC with operation at optimum pH is expected to achieve some benefits from radiation source reduction of reduced corrosion product, the limitation of the Axial Offset Anomaly (AOA) and fuel cladding corrosion. Additionally, several merits of LBC are closely related to fluid systems and system related aspects, reduced boron and lithium costs, equipment size reduction for boric acid systems, elimination of heat tracing, and more aggressive fuel design concepts.

  15. Benefits of Low Boron Core Design Concept for PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Daing, Aung Tharn; Kim, Myung Hyun

    2009-01-01

    Nuclear design study was carried out to develop low boron core (LBC) based on one of current PWR concepts, OPR-1000. Most of design parameters were the same with those of Ulchin unit-5 except extensive utilization of burnable poison (BP) pins in order to compensate reactivity increase in LBC. For replacement of reduced soluble boron concentration, four different kinds of integral burnable absorbers (IBAs) such as gadolinia, integral fuel burnable absorber (IFBA), erbia and alumina boron carbide were considered in suppressing more excess reactivity. A parametric study was done to find the optimal core options from many design candidates for fuel assemblies and cores. Among them, the most feasible core design candidate was chosen in accordance with general design requirements. In this paper, the feasibility and design change benefits of the most favorable LBC design were investigated in more detail through the comparison of neutronic and thermal hydraulic design parameters of LBC with the reference plant (REF). As calculation tools, the HELIOS/MASTER code package and the MATRA code were utilized. The main purpose of research herein is to estimate feasibility and capability of LBC which was mainly designed to mitigate boron dilution accident (BDA), and for reduction of corrosion products. The LBC design concept using lower boron concentration with an elevated enrichment in 10 B allows a reduction in the concentration of lithium in the primary coolant required to maintain the optimum coolant pH. All in all, LBC with operation at optimum pH is expected to achieve some benefits from radiation source reduction of reduced corrosion product, the limitation of the Axial Offset Anomaly (AOA) and fuel cladding corrosion. Additionally, several merits of LBC are closely related to fluid systems and system related aspects, reduced boron and lithium costs, equipment size reduction for boric acid systems, elimination of heat tracing, and more aggressive fuel design concepts

  16. Numerical Boron mixing studies for Loviisa Nuclear Power Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gango, P. [IVO International Ltd. (Finland)

    1995-09-01

    A program has been started for studying numerically boron mixing in the downcomer of Loviisa NPP (VVER-440). Mixing during the transport of a diluted slug from the loop to the core might serve as an inherent protection mechanism against severe reactivity accidents in inhomogenous boron dilution scenarios for PWRs. The commercial general purpose Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) core PHOENICS is used for solving the governing fluid flow equations in the downcomer geometry of VVER-440. So far numerical analyses have been performed for steady state operation conditions and two different pump driven transients. The steady state analyses focused on model development and validation against existing experimental data. The two pump driven transient scenarios reported are based on slug transport during the start of the sixth and first loop respectively. The results from the two transients show that mixing is case and plant specific; the high and open downcomer geometry of VVER-440 seems to be advantageous from mixing point of view. In addition the analyzing work for the {open_quotes}first pump start{close_quotes} scenario brought up some considerations about flow distribution in the existing experimental facilities.

  17. Saline-boron stress in northern Chile olive accessions: water relations, B and Cl contents and impact on plant growth

    OpenAIRE

    Escobar, Hugo; Lara, Nelson; Zapata, Yubinza; Urbina, Camilo; Rodriguez, Manuel; Figueroa, Leonardo

    2013-01-01

    H. Escobar, N. Lara, Y. Zapata, C. Urbina, M. Rodriguez, and L. Figueroa. 2013. Saline-boron stress in northern Chile olive accessions: water relations, B and Cl contents and impact on plant growth. Cien. Inv. Agr. 40(3): 597-607. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of saline-boron stress on the vegetative growth, dry leaf weight, water potential (Ψw), relative water content, and leaf and root B and Cl- contents in 8 accessions of olive. Rooted one-year-old plants were culti...

  18. Experimental tolerance to boron of the plant species Nicotiana glauca, Jacaranda mimosifolia, Tecoma stans, Medicago sativa y Spinacea oleracea in Argentina

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viana, Marta L. de; Albarracin Franco, Silvia

    2008-01-01

    The activity of the borate deposits industries constitutes a point source and diffuse pollution of air, soil and water. Therefore, the study and experimentation on possible ways to offset this impact is a priority. A relatively new technique to decontaminate soils is phytoremediation, which uses plants and associated microorganisms. The first step is to identify tolerant plant species, which is the focus of this work. An experiment was conducted in the laboratory to evaluate the germination, survival and growth of different species in different concentrations of boron. At the beginning and end of the experiment was determined concentration of boron in the substrate for each treatment and for substrates with and without vegetation. Significant differences due to treatment, the species and species-treatment interaction. M. sativa, N. glauca and J. mimosifolia were the species most tolerant to boron. The other species showed a decrease in all variables-response function of the concentration of the contaminant. All had low survival in the highest concentration. The decrease of boron was highest in the treatment of 30 ppm of boron with M. sativa and the lowest was recorded in the treatment of 20 ppm of boron with J. mimosifolia and 30 ppm of boron with T. stans and S. oleracea. It is concluded that N. glauca, M. sativa and J. mimosifolia could be considered as promising remediation. (author) [es

  19. Measurement of the enrichment of uranium in the pipework of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Packer, T.W.; Lees, E.W.; Close, D.; Nixon, K.V.; Pratt, J.C.; Strittmatter, R.

    1985-01-01

    The US and UK have been separately working on the development of a NDA instrument to determine the enrichment of gaseous UF 6 at low pressures in cascade header pipework in line with the conclusions of the Hexapartite Safeguards Project viz. the instrument is capable of making a ''go/no go'' decision of whether the enrichment is less than/greater than 20%. Recently, there has been a series of very useful technical exchanges of ideas and information between the two countries. This has led to a technical formulation for such an instrumentation based on γ-ray spectrometry which, although plant-specific in certain features, nevertheless is based on the same physical principles. Experimental results from commercially operating enrichment plants are very encouraging and indicate that a complete measurement including set up time on the pipe should be attainable in about 30 minutes when measuring pipes of diameter around 110 mm. 5 refs., 4 figs

  20. The effect of boron deficiency on gene expression and boron compartmentalization in sugarbeet

    Science.gov (United States)

    NIP5, BOR1, NIP6, and WRKY6 genes were investigated for their role in boron deficiency in sugar beet, each with a proposed role in boron use in model plant species. All genes showed evidence of polymorphism in fragment size and gene expression in the target genomic DNA and cDNA libraries, with no co...

  1. Monitoring the enrichment of the UF6 in the pipework of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Packer, T.W.; Close, D.A.; Pratt, J.C.

    1987-01-01

    Research in the UK and the US has resulted in the development of a nondestructive assay instrument which can confirm the presence of low enriched uranium, on a rapid Go, No-Go basis, in cascade header pipework in the centrifuge enrichment plant at Capenhurst. The instrument is based on gamma-ray spectrometry and x-ray fluorescence analysis. It allows pipes, 120mm outer diameter, to be inspected in a total measurement time of approximately 30 minutes. This paper describes the techniques developed and includes the results obtained during a demonstration to, and preliminary in-plant measurements by, members of the IAEA and EURATOM Inspectorates at Capenhurst

  2. UF6 test loop for evaluation and implementation of international enrichment plant safeguards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooley, J.N.; Fields, L.W.; Swindle, D.W. Jr.

    1987-06-01

    A functional test loop capable of simulating UF 6 flows, pressures, and pipe deposits characteristic of gas centrifuge enrichment plant piping has been designed and fabricated by the Enrichment Safeguards Program of Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., for use by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its Safeguards Analytical Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria. Purpose of the test loop is twofold: (1) to enable the IAEA to evaluate and to calibrate enrichment safeguards measurement instrumentation to be used in limited frequency-unannounced access (LFUA) inspection strategy measurements at gas centrifuge enrichment plants and (2) to train IAEA inspectors in the use of such instrumentation. The test loop incorporates actual sections of cascade header pipes from the centrifuge enrichment plants subject to IAEA inspections. The test loop is described, applications for its use by the IAEA are detailed, and results from an initial demonstration session using the test loop are summarized

  3. Boron isotope separation by ion exchange chromatography using weakly basic anion exchange resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakuma, Yoichi; Aida, Masao; Okamoto, Makoto; Kakihana, Hidetake

    1980-01-01

    Isotopic plateau displacement chromatography, a useful method for isotope separation is presented. The boric acid band formed in a column of weakly basic anion exchange resin Diaion WA21 can be eluted with pure water. In order to obtain good accumulation of the isotope effect, a series of experiments with different migration length were carried out. The boron-10 enriched part of the boric acid absorbed band was always preceded by the isotopic plateau part, in which the atomic fraction of boron-10 was maintained at its original value. The atomic fraction of boron-10 at the end of the chromatogram increased with migration length, and in the case of 256-m migration, boron-10 was enriched from its original atomic fraction of 19.84 to 91.00%, the separation factor S being constant irrespective of migration length: S = 1.0100 +- 0.0005. (author)

  4. Boron content of South African surface waters: prelimenary assessment for irrigation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reid, P.C.; Davies, E.

    1989-01-01

    Boron, a naturally occuring constituent of surface and ground water, is an essential plant nutrient. However, at relatively low concentrations, boron becomes toxic to plant growth. In order to assess the boron status in South African surface waters, the Department of Water Affairs launched a long-term boron water quality assessment programme in 1985, encompassing the analysis of water samples taken at 91 sites throughout South Africa. Results to date indicate that the boron concentration in South African surface waters varies between 0,02 to 0,33 mg l -1 . At these concentrations even the most boron sensitive crops can be grown without fear of boron toxicity. 3 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

  5. Density separation of boron particles. Final report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, R.M.

    1980-04-01

    A density distribution much broader than expected was observed in lots of natural boron powder supplied by two different sources. The material in both lots was found to have a rhombohedral crystal structure, and the only other parameters which seemed to account for such a distribution were impurities within the crystal structure and varying isotopic ratios. A separation technique was established to isolate boron particles in narrow densty ranges. The isolated fractions were subsequently analyzed for B 10 and total boron content in an effort to determine whether selective isotopic enrichment and nonhomogeneous impurity distribution were the causes for the broad density distribution of the boron powders. It was found that although the B 10 content remained nearly constant around 18%, the total boron content varied from 37.5 to 98.7%. One of the lots also was found to contain an apparently high level of alpha rhombohedral boron which broadened the density distribution considerably. During this work, a capability for removing boron particles containing gross amounts of impurities and, thereby, improving the overall purity of the remaining material was developed. In addition, the separation technique used in this study apparently isolated particles with alpha and beta rhombohedral crystal structures, although the only supporting evidence is density data

  6. Extractability, plant yield and toxicity thresholds for boron in compost

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brinton, W.F.; Evans, E.; Blewett, C. [Woods End Labs Inc., Mt. Vernon, ME (United States)

    2008-04-01

    Boron (B) is a trace element essential to crop growth in small soil concentrations (0.2-1.5ppm), yet may produce plant toxicity symptoms readily as the amount in the soil solution increases over 2ppm. Our study examined commercial compost made with coal fly-ash used to prepare growing media for cultivars of varying sensitivity (corn, beans, cucumber, peas). We examined total vs. extractable boron content and relate final visual symptoms of B-toxicity to yields and tissue concentrations. Visual toxicity effects included tip burn (corn), leaf mottling and necrosis (beans and peas) and leaf mottling and cupping (cucumbers). Fly ash added to compost increased hot-water soluble (HWS) B in proportion to rate and in dependence on pH, with 30% and 10% of total-B expressed as HWS-B at a media pH of 6 and 7.5, respectively. Biomass for bean and cucumber was significantly reduced by 45 to 55%, respectively, by addition of 33% fly-ash compost to growing media (28ppm total-B) while plant tissue-B increased by 6- to 4-fold, respectively. Economic yield depressions in compost media are evident for all crops and appeared at levels of HWS-B in compost media exceeding 5 ppm. The study underscores the need for careful management of exogenous factors that may be present in composts and suggests detailed understanding of media-pH and cultivar preferences may be required in preparation of growing media in order to reduce potential negative growth effects.

  7. EURODIF: An enrichment plant for the present and beyond the year 2000

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petit, J.F.; Barre, J.Y.

    1989-01-01

    EURODIF's George Besse uranium enrichment plant, which uses the gaseous diffusion process, was set up in France with European partners. It has the annual capacity to supply sufficient enriched uranium for 100 light water reactors of 900 MWe. The plant has been running for the last 10 years and its output is set to satisfy the market for enrichment, while making best use of the seasonal availability of electrical energy supplied by the EdF. In 80,000 hours of operation the plant has proved itself entirely satisfactory in terms of reliability, availability, safety and efficiency. From this, it can be predicted that, on the basis of current production, output can be maintained to beyond the year 2000. The improvement programme being undertaken at present will increase performance and flexibility and make the plant more competitive as it enters the market of the next decade

  8. Synthesis and characterization of ammonium phosphate fertilizers with boron

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ANGELA MAGDA

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available The concentration of boron, an essential micronutrient for plants, presents a narrow range between deficiency and toxicity. In order to provide the boron requirement for plants, and to avoid toxicity problems, boron compounds are mixed with basic fertilizers. Sodium borate pentahydrate was used as a boron source. Ammonium orthophosphates fertilizers with boron were prepared by neutralizing phosphoric acid with ammonia and addition of variable amounts of sodium tetraborate pentahydrate to the reaction mixture at a NH3:H3PO4 molar ratio of 1.5. The fertilizers obtained with boron contents ranging from 0.05 to 1 % (w/w were fully characterized by chemical analysis, thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction and infrared spectrophotometry. The studies showed that up to 500 °C, regardless of the boron content, no significant changes concerning thermal stability and nutritional properties occurred. Above 500 °C, an increase of thermal stability with an increase of the boron content was observed. X-Ray diffraction of a heat-treated sample containing 5 % (w/w boron indicated the appearance of boron orthophosphate, BPO4, as a new crystalline phase, and the disappearance of the previous structures above 500 °C, which explains the increase in thermal stability.

  9. Indigenous Carbonaceous Matter and Boron Associated with Halite Crystals in Nakhla

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas-Keprta, K. L.; Clemett, S. J.; McKay, D. S.; Gibson, E. K.; Wentworth, S. J.

    2015-01-01

    We report here the observation of indigenous organic matter spatially associated with, and in several cases embedded within, halite crystals located in alteration veins inside the Martian meteorite Nakhla. Further-more, we have also detected enrichments of boron (B) in these halites far in excess of those previously reported in bulk Martian meteorites. Boron in Martian halites has not been detected previously.

  10. LISSAT Analysis of a Generic Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambert, H; Elayat, H A; O'Connell, W J; Szytel, L; Dreicer, M

    2007-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is interested in developing tools and methods for use in designing and evaluating safeguards systems for current and future plants in the nuclear power fuel cycle. The DOE is engaging several DOE National Laboratories in efforts applied to safeguards for chemical conversion plants and gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants. As part of the development, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has developed an integrated safeguards system analysis tool (LISSAT). This tool provides modeling and analysis of facility and safeguards operations, generation of diversion paths, and evaluation of safeguards system effectiveness. The constituent elements of diversion scenarios, including material extraction and concealment measures, are structured using directed graphs (digraphs) and fault trees. Statistical analysis evaluates the effectiveness of measurement verification plans and randomly timed inspections. Time domain simulations analyze significant scenarios, especially those involving alternate time ordering of events or issues of timeliness. Such simulations can provide additional information to the fault tree analysis and can help identify the range of normal operations and, by extension, identify additional plant operational signatures of diversions. LISSAT analyses can be used to compare the diversion-detection probabilities for individual safeguards technologies and to inform overall strategy implementations for present and future plants. Additionally, LISSAT can be the basis for a rigorous cost-effectiveness analysis of safeguards and design options. This paper will describe the results of a LISSAT analysis of a generic centrifuge enrichment plant. The paper will describe the diversion scenarios analyzed and the effectiveness of various safeguards systems alternatives

  11. Preliminary analysis of 500 MWt MHD power plant with oxygen enrichment

    Science.gov (United States)

    1980-04-01

    An MHD Engineering Test Facility design concept is analyzed. A 500 MWt oxygen enriched MHD topping cycle integrated for combined cycle operation with a 400 MWe steam plant is evaluated. The MHD cycle uses Montana Rosebud coal and air enriched to 35 mole percent oxygen preheated to 1100 F. The steam plant is a 2535 psia/1000 F/1000 F reheat recycle that was scaled down from the Gilbert/Commonwealth Reference Fossil Plant design series. Integration is accomplished by blending the steam generated in the MHD heat recovery system with steam generated by the partial firing of the steam plant boiler to provide the total flow requirement of the turbine. The major MHD and steam plant auxiliaries are driven by steam turbines. When the MHD cycle is taken out of service, the steam plant is capable of stand-alone operation at turbine design throttle flow. This operation requires the full firing of the steam plant boiler. A preliminary feasibility assessment is given, and results on the system thermodynamics, construction scheduling, and capital costs are presented.

  12. Effects of foliar boron application on seed composition, cell wall boron, and seed δ15N and δ13C isotopes in water-stressed soybean plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellaloui, Nacer; Hu, Yanbo; Mengistu, Alemu; Kassem, My A.; Abel, Craig A.

    2013-01-01

    Limited information is available on the effects of foliar boron (B) application on soybean seed composition. The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of foliar B on seed composition (protein, oil, fatty acids, and sugars). Our hypothesis was that since B is involved in nitrogen and carbon metabolism, it may impact seed composition. A repeated greenhouse experiment was conducted where half of the soybean plants was exposed to water stress (WS) and the other half was well-watered. Foliar boron (FB) in the form of boric acid was applied twice at a rate of 1.1 kg ha−1. The first application was during flowering stage, and the second application was during seed-fill stage. Treatments were water stressed plants with no FB (WS–B); water stressed plants with FB (WS+B); watered plants without FB (W–B), and watered plants with FB (W+B). The treatment W–B was used as a control. Comparing with WS–B plants, B concentration was the highest in leaves and seed of W+B plants (84% increase in leaves and 73% in seed). Seeds of W+B plants had higher protein (11% increase), oleic acid (27% increase), sucrose (up to 40% increase), glucose, and fructose comparing with W–B. However, seed stachyose concentrations increased by 43% in WS–B plants seed compared with W–B plants. Cell wall (structural) B concentration in leaves was higher in all plants under water stress, especially in WS–B plants where the percentage of cell wall B reached up to 90%. Water stress changed seed δ15N and δ13C values in both B applied and non-B applied plants, indicating possible effects on nitrogen and carbon metabolism. This research demonstrated that FB increased B accumulation in leaves and seed, and altered seed composition of well-watered and water stressed plants, indicating a possible involvement of B in seed protein, and oleic and linolenic fatty acids. Further research is needed to explain mechanisms of B involvement in seed protein and fatty acids. PMID:23888163

  13. Boron in Pariette Wetland Sediments, Aquatic Vegetation & Benthic Organisms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasudeva, P.; Jones, C. P.; Powelson, D.; Jacobson, A. R.

    2015-12-01

    The Pariette Wetlands are comprised of 20 ponds located in Utah's Uintah Basin. Boron concentration in the Pariette Wetlands have been observed to exceed the total maximum daily limit of 750 µg L-1. Considering water flow in and out of the wetlands, boron is accumulating within the wetlands where it is sorbed to sediments and bioconcentrated by wetland plant and macro invertebrates. Since boron is an avian teratogen, an estimate of boron ingestion exposure is warranted. Samples from 3 of the 23 Pariette Wetland ponds with one pond near the inlet, one near the outlet, and one in the middle were collected. Five sampling points were designated along a 100 m transect of each pond. At each sampling point duplicate (or triplicate) samples of water, sediments, benthic organisms and wetland vegetation were collected. The sediments were collected with a KB-corer and divided at depths of 0-2 cm, 2-7 cm, and 7+ cm from the sediment surface. Sample splits were sent to the USU Bug lab for identification of invertebrate species. Whenever this transect was not intercepting vegetation, 2-3 additional sample sites were identified at the pond within stands of representative vegetation where bird nests are located. The plant parts used for boron analyses will include seeds, shoot and roots of vascular plants, as well as algae or duckweeds skimmed from the surface. Samples were processed within 2 days of collection. Water samples filtered through a 0.45 μ membrane filter were analyzed for DOC, pH and ECe. The dried and washed vegetation samples were ground and stored. The benthic organisms and macro invertebrates were netted at the water surface. The dried samples were weighed, ground and stored. Samples were weighed, oven dried and reweighed. For plant and macro-invertebrate samples, a nitric and hydrogen peroxide digestion procedure is used to dissolve environmentally available elements. The Hot Water extraction and DTPA-Sorbitol extraction were compared to estimate wetland plant

  14. Feasibility of nondestructive assay measurements in uranium enrichment plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walton, R.B.

    1978-04-01

    Applications of nondestructive assay methods to measurement problems in uranium enrichment facilities are reviewed. The results of a number of test and evaluation projects that were performed over the last decade at ORGDP and Portsmouth are presented. Measurements of the residual holdup in the top enrichment portion of the shut-down K-25 cascade were made with portable neutron and gamma-ray detectors, and inventory estimates based on these data were in good agreement with ORGDP estimates. In the operating cascade, the tests showed that portable NaI detectors are effective for monitoring NaF and alumina media for gaseous effluent traps and that gas phase enrichments and inventories, as well as large deposits of uranium, can be detected with portable neutron and gamma-ray instrumentation. A wide variety of scrap and waste materials, including barrier and compressor blades, incinerator ash and trapping media, and miscellaneous waste, were measured using passive gamma-ray and neutron methods and 14-MeV neutron interrogation. Methods developed for rapid verification of UF/sub 6/ in shipping containers with portable neutron and gamma-ray instruments are now used routinely by safeguards inspectors. Passive assay methods can also be used to measure continuously the enrichments of /sup 235/U and /sup 234/U in the UF/sub 6/ product and tails withdrawals of a gaseous diffusion plant. A system that was developed and installed in the extended-range product withdrawal station of the Portsmouth facility measures enrichment with a relative accuracy of 0.5%. A stand-alone neutron detector has also been successfully evaluated for the measurement of the isotopic abundance of /sup 234/U in UF/sub 6/ in sample cylinders, an application of potential importance to Minor Isotope Safeguards Technology. Recommendations are made on the role of NDA measurements for enrichment plant safeguards, including additional tests and evaluations that may be needed, particularly for advanced uranium

  15. Mobilisation and attenuation of boron during coal mine rehabilitation, Wangaloa, New Zealand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Craw, D.; Rufaut, C.G.; Haffert, L.; Todd, A.

    2006-01-01

    Environmental mobility and fate of boron has been traced from source to discharge waters through the rehabilitated Wangaloa coal mine in southern New Zealand. The boron is derived initially from coal, which has up to 450 mg/kg B. The coal also contains pyrite (2-5 wt.% S), which oxidizes to yield a low-pH environment (typical pH 2-5). Weathering of coal-bearing waste rock liberates B into rainwater that infiltrates into waste rock or evaporates to leave a gypsum crust enriched in B, possibly as boric acid or colemanite as inferred from geochemical modelling. Surface waters dissolve this evaporative material periodically, yielding total B concentrations up to 6 mg/L, at pH<4.5. Some of the available B is taken up by plants that have been established on the waste rock, resulting in foliage B concentrations of up to 230 mg/kg (dry weight). Partial attenuation of dissolved B by adsorption to iron oxyhydroxide occurs as groundwater passes through waste rock, but this is inhibited by adsorption competition with dissolved sulphate (up to 600 mg/L). Groundwater flows from the mine through a pit lake and wetland, with total dissolved B near 1 mg/kg after dilution and limited adsorption attenuation has occurred. Despite the widespread B mobility throughout the rehabilitated mine, there is little evidence of B toxicity in plants. The B concentrations in discharging waters are in the environmentally safe range for most aquatic organisms, being neither deficient in B as a micronutrient, nor boron-toxic. (author)

  16. Functional characterization of Citrus macrophylla BOR1 as a boron transporter.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cañon, Paola; Aquea, Felipe; Rodríguez-Hoces de la Guardia, Amparo; Arce-Johnson, Patricio

    2013-11-01

    Plants have evolved to develop an efficient system of boron uptake and transport using a range of efflux carriers named BOR proteins. In this work we isolated and characterized a boron transporter of citrus (Citrus macrophylla), which was named CmBOR1 for its high homology to AtBOR1. CmBOR1 has 4403 bp and 12 exons. Its coding region has 2145 bp and encodes for a protein of 714 amino acids. CmBOR1 possesses the molecular features of BORs such as an anion exchanger domain and the presence of 10 transmembrane domains. Functional analysis in yeast indicated that CmBOR1 has an efflux boron transporter activity, and transformants have increased tolerance to excess boron. CmBOR1 is expressed in leaves, stem and flowers and shows the greatest accumulation in roots. The transcript accumulation was significantly increased under boron deficiency conditions in shoots. In contrast, the accumulation of the transcript did not change in boron toxicity conditions. Finally, we observed that constitutive expression of CmBOR1 was able to increase tolerance to boron deficiency conditions in Arabidopsis thaliana, suggesting that CmBOR1 is a xylem loading boron transporter. Based on these results, it was determined that CmBOR1 encodes a boric acid/borate transporter involved in tolerance to boron deficiency in plants. © 2013 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  17. No evidence that boron influences tree species distributions in lowland tropical forests of Panama.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Turner, Benjamin L; Zalamea, Paul-Camilo; Condit, Richard; Winter, Klaus; Wright, S Joseph; Dalling, James W

    2017-04-01

    It was recently proposed that boron might be the most important nutrient structuring tree species distributions in tropical forests. Here we combine observational and experimental studies to test this hypothesis for lowland tropical forests of Panama. Plant-available boron is uniformly low in tropical forest soils of Panama and is not significantly associated with any of the > 500 species in a regional network of forest dynamics plots. Experimental manipulation of boron supply to seedlings of three tropical tree species revealed no evidence of boron deficiency or toxicity at concentrations likely to occur in tropical forest soils. Foliar boron did not correlate with soil boron along a local scale gradient of boron availability. Fifteen years of boron addition to a tropical forest increased plant-available boron by 70% but did not significantly change tree productivity or boron concentrations in live leaves, wood or leaf litter. The annual input of boron in rainfall accounts for a considerable proportion of the boron in annual litterfall and is similar to the pool of plant-available boron in the soil, and is therefore sufficient to preclude boron deficiency. We conclude that boron does not influence tree species distributions in Panama and presumably elsewhere in the lowland tropics. No claim to original US government works New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

  18. Study of the boron distribution in pea and alfalfa plants using SSNTD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Jianming; Inst. for Application of Atomic Energy)" data-affiliation=" (Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, BJ (China)> Inst. for Application of Atomic Energy)" >Deng Hongmin

    1988-01-01

    The distribution of boron in pea (Pisum sativum L.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was determined by using SSNTD. The results show that boron concentrations in leaves are highest, furthermore boron concentrations of the base leaves are higher than those of the top leaves. Among flower tissues, calyx has the highest boron concentration

  19. Near real-time inventory and accountability within a uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wheeler, L.E.; Scott, P.H.

    1983-01-01

    The Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant Inventory Control and Accountability System (ORICAS) utilizes state-of-the-art hardware, software, and communication to provide a computerized near real-time inventory of materials within a Uranium Enrichment Plant. Work stations are located in five strategic areas within the plant. Accountability areas include material receipt, enrichment, withdrawal, sampling, intraplant transfer, and shipment. Perpetual current inventory is maintained and is available to authorized users on-line and in printed reports. The system meets DOE material reporting requirements and provides accountability safeguards for early detection of possible loss or diversion. Hardware consists of multiple data input terminals and printers linked to a time-shared computer. Major software includes COBOL and IDMS (an Integrated Data Base Management System)

  20. Phylogeny is a powerful tool for predicting plant biomass responses to nitrogen enrichment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wooliver, Rachel C; Marion, Zachary H; Peterson, Christopher R; Potts, Brad M; Senior, John K; Bailey, Joseph K; Schweitzer, Jennifer A

    2017-08-01

    Increasing rates of anthropogenic nitrogen (N) enrichment to soils often lead to the dominance of nitrophilic plant species and reduce plant diversity in natural ecosystems. Yet, we lack a framework to predict which species will be winners or losers in soil N enrichment scenarios, a framework that current literature suggests should integrate plant phylogeny, functional tradeoffs, and nutrient co-limitation. Using a controlled fertilization experiment, we quantified biomass responses to N enrichment for 23 forest tree species within the genus Eucalyptus that are native to Tasmania, Australia. Based on previous work with these species' responses to global change factors and theory on the evolution of plant resource-use strategies, we hypothesized that (1) growth responses to N enrichment are phylogenetically structured, (2) species with more resource-acquisitive functional traits have greater growth responses to N enrichment, and (3) phosphorus (P) limits growth responses to N enrichment differentially across species, wherein P enrichment increases growth responses to N enrichment more in some species than others. We built a hierarchical Bayesian model estimating effects of functional traits (specific leaf area, specific stem density, and specific root length) and P fertilization on species' biomass responses to N, which we then compared between lineages to determine whether phylogeny explains variation in responses to N. In concordance with literature on N limitation, a majority of species responded strongly and positively to N enrichment. Mean responses ranged three-fold, from 6.21 (E. pulchella) to 16.87 (E. delegatensis) percent increases in biomass per g N·m -2 ·yr -1 added. We identified a strong difference in responses to N between two phylogenetic lineages in the Eucalyptus subgenus Symphyomyrtus, suggesting that shared ancestry explains variation in N limitation. However, our model indicated that after controlling for phylogenetic non

  1. Salinity’s influence on boron toxicity in broccoli: II. Impacts on boron uptake, uptake mechanisms and tissue ion relations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limited research has been conducted on the interactive effects of salinity and boron stresses on plants despite their common occurrence in natural systems. The purpose of this research was to determine and quantify the interactive effects of salinity, salt composition and boron on broccoli (Brassica...

  2. Boron isotopes at the catchment scale, a new potential tool to infer critical zone processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaillardet, J.; Noireaux, J.; Braun, J. J.; Riotte, J.; Louvat, P.; Bouchez, J.; Lemarchand, D.; Muddu, S.; Mohan Kumar, M.; Candaudap, F.

    2017-12-01

    Boron is a mid-mass element that has two isotopes, 10B and 11B. These isotopes are largely fractioned by a number of chemical, biological and physical processes. Boron as a great affinity for clays and is useful for life, making it a double tracer of critical zone processes. This study focuses on the Mule Hole Critical Zone Observatory in South India. This is part of the French Research Infrastructure OZCAR and has benefited from the fruitful Indo-French collaboration (Indo-French Cell for Water Sciences) for more that 15 years. Boron and its isotopes were measured in the different compartment of the CZ in Mule Hole, vegetation, atmosphere, throughfall, soil, soil water, river water and compared to the behavior of other elements. The well constrained hydrology in Mule Hole allowed us to calculate the main fluxes affecting boron in the Critical Zone and came to the first order conclusion that the recycling of boron by vegetation is by far the most important flux within the system, reaching 15-20 times the catchment outlet flux. From an isotopic point of view, the total range of variation is measured between -3 ‰ and 77‰, with a bedrock value at 10‰ in classical delta unit, making boron a well suited tracer for constraining CZ processes. The flux of boron most enriched in heavy boron is the throughfall, showing the importance of biological processes in controlling the boron isotopic composition of the stream. Boron in soils in depleted in the heavy isotope but is enriched in boron compared to the bedrock, a surprising situation that we interpret as the legacy of a previous stage of transient weathering. These results indicate a strong decoupling between the behaviors of boron at the surface of the CZ and at depth.

  3. Hyb-Seq: combining target enrichment and genome skimming for plant phylogenomics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kevin Weitemier; Shannon C.K. Straub; Richard C. Cronn; Mark Fishbein; Roswitha Schmickl; Angela McDonnell; Aaron. Liston

    2014-01-01

    • Premise of the study: Hyb-Seq, the combination of target enrichment and genome skimming, allows simultaneous data collection for low-copy nuclear genes and high-copy genomic targets for plant systematics and evolution studies. • Methods and Results: Genome and transcriptome assemblies for milkweed ( Asclepias syriaca ) were used to design enrichment probes for 3385...

  4. Adaptive control theory of concentration in the uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugitsue, Noritake; Miyagawa, Hiroshi; Yokoyama, Kaoru; Nakakura, Hiroyuki

    1999-01-01

    This paper presents the new adaptive control of concentration in the uranium enrichment plant. The purpose of this control system is average concentration control in production tram. As a result the accuracy and practical use of this control system have already been confirmed by the operation of the uranium enrichment demonstration plant. Three elements of technology are required to this method. The first is the measurement of the concentration using product flow quantity change. This technology shall be called 'Qp difference to Xp transform method'. The second is the relationship between temperature change and flow quantity using G.M.D.H. (Groupe Method of Data Handling) and the third is the estimation of temperature change using AR (Auto-regressive) model. (author)

  5. Boron- and salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for northern Nevada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidi Kratsch

    2012-01-01

    Boron is a mineral that, in small quantities, is essential for plant growth and development , but becomes toxic at levels above 0.5 to 1 part per million (ppm) in the soil. Excess boron may be naturally present in the soil, and it can accumulate by irrigating with water high in boron. Boron occurs naturally in arid soils originating from geologically young deposits. It...

  6. Criticality analysis in uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Tsuyoshi; Kiyose, Ryohei

    1977-01-01

    In a large scale uranium enrichment plant, uranium inventory in cascade rooms is not very large in quantity, but the facilities dealing with the largest quantity of uranium in that process are the UF 6 gas supply system and the blending system for controlling the product concentration. When UF 6 spills out of these systems, the enriched uranium is accumulated, and the danger of criticality accident is feared. If a NaF trap is placed at the forestage of waste gas treatment system, plenty of UF 6 and HF are adsorbed together in the NaF trap. Thus, here is the necessity of checking the safety against criticality. Various assumptions were made to perform the computation surveying the criticality of the system composed of UF 6 and HF adsorbed on NaF traps with WIMS code (transport analysis). The minimum critical radius resulted in about 53 cm in case of 3.5% enriched fuel for light water reactors. The optimum volume ratio of fissile material in the double salt UF 6 .2NaF and NaF.HF is about 40 vol. %. While, criticality survey computation was also made for the annular NaF trap having the central cooling tube, and it was found that the effect of cooling tube radius did not decrease the multiplication factor up to the cooling tube radius of about 5 cm. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

  7. Boron rates for triticale and wheat crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Corrêa Juliano Corulli

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available No reports are registered on responses to boron fertilization nutrient deficiency and toxicity in triticale crops. The aim of this study was to evaluate triticale response to different rates of boron in comparison to wheat in an hapludox with initial boron level at 0.08 mg dm-3 4 4 factorial design trial completely randomized blocks design (n = 4. Boron rates were 0; 0.62; 1.24 and 1.86 mg dm-3; triticale cultivars were IAC 3, BR 4 and BR 53 and IAPAR 38 wheat crop was used for comparison. The wheat (IAPAR 38 crop presented the highest boron absorption level of all. Among triticale cultivars, the most responsive was IAC 53, presenting similar characteristics to wheat, followed by BR 4; these two crops are considered tolerant to higher boron rates in soil. Regarding to BR 53, no absorption effect was observed, and the cultivars was sensitive to boron toxicity. Absorption responses differed for each genotype. That makes it possible to choose and use the best-adapted plants to soils with different boron rates.

  8. UF/sub 6/ test loop for evaluation and implementation of international enrichment plant safeguards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooley, J.N.; Fields, L.W.; Swindle, D.W. Jr.

    1987-01-01

    A functional test loop capable of simulating UF/sub 6/ flows, pressures, and pipe deposits characteristic of gas centrifuge enrichment plant piping has been designed and fabricated by the Enrichment Safeguards Program of Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., for use by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) at its Safeguards Analytical Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria. The purpose of the test loop is twofold: (1) to enable the IAEA to evaluate and to calibrate enrichment safeguards measurement instrumentation to be used in limited frequency-unannounced access (LFUA) inspection strategy measurements at gas centrifuge enrichment plants and (2) to train IAEA inspectors in the use of such instrumentation. The test loop incorporates actual sections of cascade header pipes from the centrifuge enrichment plants subject to IAEA inspections. The test loop is described, applications for its use by the IAEA are detailed, and results from an initial demonstration session using the test loop are summarized. By giving the IAEA the in-house capability to evaluate LFUA inspection strategy approaches, to develop inspection procedures, to calibrate instrumentation, and to train inspectors, the UF/sub 6/ cascade header pipe test loop will contribute to the IAEA's success in implementing LFUA strategy inspections at gas centrifuge enrichment facilities subject to international safeguards inspections

  9. Measurement of the enrichment of uranium-hexafluoride gas in product pipes in the centrifuge enrichment plant at Almelo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Packer, T.W.; Lees, E.W.; Aaldijk, J.K.; Harry, R.J.S.

    1987-09-01

    One of the objectives of safeguarding centrifuge enrichment plants is to apply non-destructive measurements inside the cascade area to confirm that the enrichment level is in the low enriched uranium range. Research in the UK and USA has developed a NDA instrument which can confirm the presence of low enriched uranium on a rapid go/no go basis in cascade header pipework of their centrifuge enrichment plants. The instrument is based on a gamma spectroscopic measurement coupled with an X-ray fluorescence analysis. This report gives the results of measurements carried out at Almelo by the UKAEA Harwell, ECN Petten and KFA Juelich to determine if these techniques could be employed at Almelo and Gronau. The energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis has been applied to determine the total mass of uranium in the gas phase, and the deposit correction technique and the two geometry technique have been applied at Almelo to correct the measured gamma intensities for those emitted by the deposit. After an executive summary the report discusses the principles of the two correction methods. A short description of the equipment precedes the presentation of the results of the measurements and the discussion. After the conclusions the report contains two appendices which contain the derivation of the formulae for the deposit correction technique and a discussion of the systematic errors of this technique. 8 figs.; 11 refs.; 6 tables

  10. A critical assessment of boron target compounds for boron neutron capture therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawthorne, M Frederick; Lee, Mark W

    2003-01-01

    Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has undergone dramatic developments since its inception by Locher in 1936 and the development of nuclear energy during World War II. The ensuing Cold War spawned the entirely new field of polyhedral borane chemistry, rapid advances in nuclear reactor technology and a corresponding increase in the number to reactors potentially available for BNCT. This effort has been largely oriented toward the eradication of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and melanoma with reduced interest in other types of malignancies. The design and synthesis of boron-10 target compounds needed for BNCT was not channeled to those types of compounds specifically required for GBM or melanoma. Consequently, a number of potentially useful boron agents are known which have not been biologically evaluated beyond a cursory examination and only three boron-10 enriched target species are approved for human use following their Investigational New Drug classification by the US Food and Drug Administration; BSH, BPA and GB-10. All ongoing clinical trials with GBM and melanoma are necessarily conducted with one of these three species and most often with BPA. The further development of BNCT is presently stalled by the absence of strong support for advanced compound evaluation and compound discovery driven by recent advances in biology and chemistry. A rigorous demonstration of BNCT efficacy surpassing that of currently available protocols has yet to be achieved. This article discusses the past history of compound development, contemporary problems such as compound classification and those problems which impede future advances. The latter include means for biological evaluation of new (and existing) boron target candidates at all stages of their development and the large-scale synthesis of boron target species for clinical trials and beyond. The future of BNCT is bright if latitude is given to the choice of clinical disease to be treated and if a recognized study

  11. Development of northern red oak rooted cutting and enrichment planting systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthew H. Gocke; Jamie Schuler; Daniel J. Robison; Barry Goldfarb

    2005-01-01

    Enrichment planting may provide an efficient means to establish elite northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) genotypes in recently harvested natural forests. However, planting northern red oak (NRO) seedlings into natural stands has proven difficult in the past, especially when competition and other stress factors are not controlled.

  12. performance calculations of gadolinium oxide and boron nitride coated fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanker, E.; Uslu, I.; Disbudak, H.; Guenduez, G.

    1997-01-01

    A comparative study was performed on the behaviour of natural uranium dioxide-gadolinium oxide mixture fuel and boron nitride coated low enriched fuel in a pressurized water reactor. A fuel element containing one burnable poison fuel pins was modeled with the computer code WIMS, and burn-up dependent critically, fissile isotope inventory and two dimensional power distribution were obtained. Calculations were performed for burnable poison fuels containing 5% and 10% gadolinium oxide and for those coated with 1μ,5μ and 10μ of boron nitride. Boron nitride coating was found superior to gadolinium oxide on account of its smoother criticality curve, lower power peaks and insignificant change in fissile isotope content

  13. A data transmission system for the centrifuge enrichment plant safeguards project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hesse, E.W.

    1987-04-01

    A novel data transmission system was developed to enable the Australian Safeguards Office (ASO) in Sydney to monitor remotely the running of an experimental enrichment facility at the Lucas Heights Reserch Laboratories, using Telecom telephone lines. The system allowed ASO to monitor the enrichment, flows and activity in sensitive areas of the plant by means of a master computer at ASO and a slave computer at Lucas Heights. The slave computer sent requested data and scanned video pictures to determine intrusive changes to the plant. Detailed descriptions of the transmission system and method of operation are given, together with an outline of experience obtained during a three-month surveillance of the facility

  14. SHB1/HY1 Alleviates Excess Boron Stress by Increasing BOR4 Expression Level and Maintaining Boron Homeostasis in Arabidopsis Roots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qiang Lv

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential mineral nutrient for higher plant growth and development. However, excessive amounts of boron can be toxic. Here, we report on the characterization of an Arabidopsis mutant, shb1 (sensitive to high-level of boron 1, which exhibits hypersensitivity to excessive boron in roots. Positional cloning demonstrated that the shb1 mutant bears a point mutation in a gene encoding a heme oxygenase 1 (HO1 corresponding to the HY1 gene involved in photomorphogenesis. The transcription level of the SHB1/HY1 gene in roots is up-regulated under excessive boron stimulation. Either overexpressing SHB1/HY1 or applying the HO1 inducer hematin reduces boron accumulation in roots and confers high boron tolerance. Furthermore, carbon monoxide and bilirubin, catalytic products of HO1, partially rescue the boron toxicity-induced inhibition of primary root growth in shb1. Additionally, the mRNA level of BOR4, a boron efflux transporter, is reduced in shb1 roots with high levels of boron supplementation, and hematin cannot relieve the boron toxicity-induced root inhibition in bor4 mutants. Taken together, our study reveals that HO1 acts via its catalytic by-products to promote tolerance of excessive boron by up-regulating the transcription of the BOR4 gene and therefore promoting the exclusion of excessive boron in root cells.

  15. 78 FR 66779 - United States Enrichment Corporation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Including On-Site Leased...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-06

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-82,862] United States Enrichment..., applicable to workers of United States Enrichment Corporation, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, including on... were engaged in the production of low enrichment uranium. The company reports that workers leased from...

  16. Synthesis and plant growth modulation of tris (2-hydroxyethylammonium boron-containing compounds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    I. A. Dain

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To develop boron deficiency treatment composite preparations for significant agricultural crops tris(2-hydroxyethylammonium complexes containing boron and lower dicarboxylic acid (C2-C4 anions were synthesized and characterized. It was shown, that formation and stabilization of complexes containing a greater number of carbon atoms or intermolecular ?- conjugation (e.g. maleic acid is related to space and electrostatical hurdles, respectively. According to NMR spectroscopy, in case of tartaric acid complex vicinal hydroxyl bounding with boron was found. The preexisted boratrane azeotropic water distillation synthetic method was modernized (videlicet optimal solvent mixture and raw materials ratio were chosen. Various triethanolamine and boric acid reaction mediums, i.e. nonpolar (toluene, polar aprotic (dimethylsulphoxide, protic (isopropanol, 2-butanol solvents and their mixtures, were tested. In the issue optimal synthetic method, utilizing isopropanol/2-butanol mixture in ratio 3 to 1, was elaborated. In comparison to standard azeotropic water-isopropanol distillation the yield of the process was exceeded to 12.08% (from 82.70% to 94.78% and low impurity concentrations in product was committed. Besides alternative laboratory solvent-free boratrane synthetic method was developed and optimal rinsing fluid composition was found. During agricultural experiments substance effectiveness in germination power and germinability of beet seeds and productivity of sugar beet was studied. Boratrane was found to be slightly effective for seed germinability stimulation. Boratrane-containing composition (i.e. boratrane + tris(2-hydroxyethylammonium o-cresoxyacetate + 1-chloromethylsilatrane was shown to have the best results in apical root length, average root-crop and average plant weigth increasing in comparison with the control.

  17. Isotopic evidence of boron in precipitation originating from coal burning in Asian continent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakata, Masahiro; Natsumi, Masahiro; Tani, Yukinori

    2010-01-01

    The boron concentration and isotopic composition (δ 11 B) of precipitation collected from December 2002 to March 2006 at three sites on the Japan Sea coast were measured. Those sites have been considerably affected by the long-range transport of air pollutants from the Asian continent during winter and spring when the airflows from the Asian continent are predominant. The boron concentration in the precipitation increased primarily during winter whereas the δ 11 B decreased during winter or spring. It is assumed that this decrease in δ 11 B is not associated with a Rayleigh distillation process, because the previous δD values of the precipitation collected at a site on the Japan Sea coast did not decrease in the same manner. A weak correlation (r 2 =0.13-0.24, P 11 B and the nonsea-salt sulfate (nss-SO 4 2- )/B ratio at each site, suggesting that boron in the precipitation originate primarily from two sources. The first source, which is characterized by high δ 11 B and nss-SO 4 2- /B=0, is seawater. At the northern site, the enrichment factor for boron in the precipitation relative to seawater approached unity during winter. This implies that much of the boron in the precipitation is derived from unfractionated sea salts rather than gaseous boron evaporated from seawater. The second source is characterized by low δ 11 B and high nss-SO 4 2- /B ratio. Most of the nss-SO 4 2- in the precipitation originates from anthropogenic combustion activities in the Asian continent based on the previous model calculations. Coal accounts for a major portion of the total primary energy supply in China. Moreover, coal enriches boron and represents generally negative δ 11 B values. Hence, we propose that the emission of boron from coal burning is the most likely second source. Thus, boron isotopes may be useful as tracers of coal-burning plumes from the Asian continent. (author)

  18. RESPOSTA DO FEIJOEIRO A DOSES DE BORO EM CULTIVO DE INVERNO E DE PRIMAVERA DRY BEAN RESPONSE TO DOSES OF BORON IN WINTER AND SPRING PLANTINGS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HIPÓLITO ASSUNÇÃO ANTONIO MASCARENHAS

    1998-01-01

    Full Text Available Um experimento em vasos foi instalado em casa de vegetação com o objetivo de estudar a resposta do feijoeiro à aplicação de boro (B em solo com baixa disponibilidade desse nutriente. Os tratamentos consistiram na aplicação de doses correspondentes a 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 e 16 kg.ha-1 de B, na forma de bórax. Dois ensaios foram desenvolvidos, sendo o primeiro no inverno (junho a julho e o outro na primavera (setembro a outubro. No ensaio do inverno, foi observada a deficiência de B, apenas na testemunha, fato comprovado pela análise de tecidos. Nos demais tratamentos não apareceram sintomas de deficiência e os teores do elemento na parte aérea das plantas foram considerados adequados. No ensaio de primavera, não foi observada deficiência visual de B, mesmo na testemunha. Em ambos os ensaios, aplicações superiores a 2 kg.ha-1 de B proporcionaram teores muito elevados do elemento nas plantas (138 a 710 mg.kg-1. Os dados sugerem que a deficiência é mais relevante no inverno e que o excesso é prejudicial, em qualquer época, ocasionando toxicidade.A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of boron in dry bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. grown in pots. The treatments consisted of 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 16 kg.ha-1 of boron in the form of borax. Two identical experiments were carried out during the winter (June/July and the spring (September/October seasons. In the winter experiment, the boron deficiency symptoms were shown only by the control plants. In those conditions, the high concentrations of Ca and Mg and the low temperatures affected the boron absorption of the plants. The application of 1 kg.ha-1 of boron was sufficient to reduce the visible symptoms of B deficiency, and increased the dry weight of the shoots. At the rate of the 2 kg.ha-1 B or above there was excess of boron in the dry matter of the shoots. In the spring experiment there was no deficiency symptoms in the plants and the boron concentration was adequate

  19. Selected nondestructive assay instrumentation for an international safeguards system at uranium enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tape, J.W.; Baker, M.P.; Strittmatter, R.; Jain, M.; Evans, M.L.

    1979-01-01

    A selected set of nondestructive assay instruments for an international safeguards system at uranium enrichment plants is currently under development. These instruments are of three types: in-line enrichment meters for feed, product, and tails streams; area radiation monitors for direct detection of high-enriched uranium production, and an enrichment meter for spent alumina trap material. The current status of the development of each of these instruments is discussed, with supporting data, as well as the role each would play in a total international safeguards system. 5 figures

  20. Evolutionary divergence of plant borate exporters and critical amino acid residues for the polar localization and boron-dependent vacuolar sorting of AtBOR1

    KAUST Repository

    Wakuta, Shinji; Mineta, Katsuhiko; Amano, Taro; Toyoda, Atsushi; Fujiwara, Toru; Naito, Satoshi; Takano, Junpei

    2015-01-01

    Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient for plants but is toxic when accumulated in excess. The plant BOR family encodes plasma membrane-localized borate exporters (BORs) that control translocation and homeostasis of B under a wide range

  1. Research on shielding neutron efficiency of some boron-bearing fabric and transparent resin materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Changmao; Liu Jinhua; Su Jingling; Wang Zheng

    1995-01-01

    The shielding neutron efficiency of boron-bearing materials developed recently is introduced. The thermal neutron shield ratios for two kinds of non-woven cloth with thickness of 58 mg/cm 2 and 153 mg/cm 2 are 51% and 79% respectively. Their mass attenuation coefficient for 0.186, 24.4 and 144 keV neutron are 1.56, 1.29 and 0.9 cm 2 /g respectively. The thermal neutron shield ratio is 85% for the natural boron-bearing transparent resin plate with the thickness of 0.59 g/cm 2 , and 97% for enriched boron or gadolinium bearing resin plate. The shield ratios of all three materials for 24.4 keV neutrons are 38%. The transparence of natural light for enriched boron-bearing resin plates shows no considerable change after they were exposed to thermal neutrons up to 6 Sv. After they were exposed up to 20 Sv, the transparence decreases to 50% but thermal neutron shield ratio does not change. The gadolinium-bearing plate has a very strong thermal neutron-capture gamma radiation and its dose-equivalent is greater than that of incident thermal neutrons

  2. Interaction effect of phosphorus and boron on yield and quality of lettuce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sultana Zaman Chowdhury

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Proper nutrition is essential for satisfactory crop growth and production. A field experiment was conducted at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, to evaluate yield and quality of Grand Rapids lettuce using various levels of phosphorus and boron. Treatment combination of 120 kg ha-1 of phosphorus and 2 kg ha-1 of boron has significantly increased plant height, leaf number, leaf length, plant canopy, capsules plant-1, seeds capsule-1, seeds number plant-1, seed yield ha-1, germination (%, planting value (%, moisture (%, purity (%, dry matter (% and 1000 seed weight. Most of the treatment combinations performed better than control treatments in all parameter. The finding could be helpful to determine the precise levels of phosphorus and boron to improve the yield and quality of lettuce.

  3. Characterization of boron tolerant bacteria isolated from a fly ash dumping site for bacterial boron remediation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edward Raja, Chellaiah; Omine, Kiyoshi

    2013-08-01

    Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants, but can above certain concentrations be toxic to living organisms. A major environmental concern is the removal of boron from contaminated water and fly ash. For this purpose, the samples were collected from a fly ash dumping site, Nagasaki prefecture, Japan. The chemical characteristics and heavy metal concentration of the samples were performed by X-ray fluorescent analysis and leaching test. For bacterial analysis, samples were collected in sterile plastic sheets and isolation was carried out by serial dilution method. The boron tolerant isolates that showed values of maximum inhibitory concentration toward boron ranging from 100 to 260 mM level were screened. Based on 16S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, the isolates were most closely related to the genera Bacillus, Lysinibacillus, Microbacterium and Ralstonia. The boron tolerance of these strains was also associated with resistant to several heavy metals, such as As (III), Cr (VI), Cd, Cu, Pb, Ni, Se (III) and Zn. Indeed, these strains were arsenic oxidizing bacteria confirmed by silver nitrate test. These strains exhibited their salt resistances ranging from 4 to 15 % were determined in Trypticase soy agar medium. The boron tolerant strains were capable of removing 0.1-2.0 and 2.7-3.7 mg l(-1) boron from the medium and fly ash at 168 h. Thus, we have successfully identified the boron tolerant and removal bacteria from a fly ash dumping site for boron remediation.

  4. Pulverization of boron element and proportions of boron carbide in boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lang, F.M.; Finck, C.

    1956-01-01

    It is possible to reduce boron element into fine powder by means of a mortar and pestle made of sintered boron carbide, the ratio of boron carbide introduced being less than one per cent. Boron element at our disposal is made of sharp edged, dark brown, little grains of average size greater than 5 μ. Grain sizes smaller than 1μ are required for applying thin layers of such boron. (author) [fr

  5. Separation of boron isotopes using NMG type anion exchange resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itagaki, Takaharu; Kosuge, Masao; Fukuda, Junji; Fujii, Yasuhiko.

    1992-01-01

    Ion exchange separation of boron isotopes (B-10 and B-11) has been studied by using a special boron selective ion exchange resin; NMG (n-methyl glucamine)-type anion exchange resin. The resin has shown a large isotope separation coefficient of 1.02 at the experimental conditions of temperature, 80degC, and boric acid concentration, 0.2 M (mole/dm 3 ). Enriched B-10 (92%) was obtained after the migration of 1149 m by a recyclic operation of ion exchange columns in a merry-go-round method. (author)

  6. Development of IAEA safeguards at low enrichment uranium fuel fabrication plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Badawy, I.

    1988-01-01

    In this report the nuclear material at low enrichment uranium fuel fabrication plants under IAEA safeguards is studied. The current verification practices of the nuclear material and future improvements are also considered. The problems met during the implementation of the the verification measures of the nuclear material - particularly for the fuel assemblies are discussed. The additional verification activities as proposed for future improvements are also discussed including the physical inventory verification and the verification of receipts and shipments. It is concluded that the future development of the present IAEA verification practices at low enrichment uranium fuel fabrication plants would necessitate the application of quantitative measures of the nuclear material and the implementation of advanced measurement techniques and instruments. 2 fig., 4 tab

  7. Model for calculating the boron concentration in PWR type reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reis Martins Junior, L.L. dos; Vanni, E.A.

    1986-01-01

    A PWR boron concentration model has been developed for use with RETRAN code. The concentration model calculates the boron mass balance in the primary circuit as the injected boron mixes and is transported through the same circuit. RETRAN control blocks are used to calculate the boron concentration in fluid volumes during steady-state and transient conditions. The boron reactivity worth is obtained from the core concentration and used in RETRAN point kinetics model. A FSAR type analysis of a Steam Line Break Accident in Angra I plant was selected to test the model and the results obtained indicate a sucessfull performance. (Author) [pt

  8. Structure and reactivity of boron-ate complexes derived from primary and secondary boronic esters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feeney, Kathryn; Berionni, Guillaume; Mayr, Herbert; Aggarwal, Varinder K

    2015-06-05

    Boron-ate complexes derived from primary and secondary boronic esters and aryllithiums have been isolated, and the kinetics of their reactions with carbenium ions studied. The second-order rate constants have been used to derive nucleophilicity parameters for the boron-ate complexes, revealing that nucleophilicity increased with (i) electron-donating aromatics on boron, (ii) neopentyl glycol over pinacol boronic esters, and (iii) 12-crown-4 ether.

  9. Boron Removal from Seawater by Thin-Film Composite Reverse Osmosis Membranes

    KAUST Repository

    Al Sunbul, Yasmeen

    2018-04-01

    Reverse Osmosis membranes have been successfully proven to remove almost 99% of chemicals dissolved in seawater. However, removal of certain trace elements, such as boron is challenging and relatively low for seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants compared to thermal desalination plants. Boron is naturally occurring and is present in seawater at an average concentration of 4.5-5 mg/L. While boron is a vital element, its toxicity has been proven on crops, animals and possibly humans. Additionally, boron should be removed to comply with the current guideline value of 0.5 mg/L, for drinking water, issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is barely attained by a single-pass process seawater reverse osmosis plant. Currently, multipass reverse osmosis membrane operations with pH modifications are the only valid method for boron removal. However, this is not economically efficient as it requires higher energy and chemicals consumptions. The objective of this study was to investigate boron removal by commercial TFC RO membranes in addition to custom-made KAUST-synthesized TFC membrane. Five membrane samples were examined: Toray, Sepro, Koch, and KAUST in-house synthesized membrane. Three different feed pH conditions were used: pH6, pH8, and pH10. Filtration experiments were conducted in two parts. In experiment 1, all five membranes were examined for boron rejection in a dead-end permeation system, whereas in experiment 2 the two membranes with the highest boron rejection from experiment 1 were tested in a cross-flow system. Permeate and feed samples were taken continuously and analyzed for boron concentration, rejection calculation. Membrane surfaces were characterized according to hydrophilicity, roughness and surface charge. The results showed for all the tested membranes that boron rejection increased as the feed pH increased. KAUST, defect-free TFC, showed the highest performance for boron rejection for all pH conditions, although, it shows the

  10. Multi-detector system approach for unattended uranium enrichment monitoring at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Favalli, A.; Lombardi, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.

    2017-01-01

    Improving the quality of safeguards measurements at Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants while reducing the inspection effort is an important objective given the number of existing and new plants that need to be safeguarded. A useful tool in many safeguards approaches is the on-line monitoring of enrichment in process pipes. One requirement of such a monitor is a simple, reliable and precise passive measurement of the 186-keV line from 235 U. The other information required is the amount of gas in the pipe, which can be obtained by a transmission or pressure measurement. Here, we describe our research to develop such a passive measurement system. Unfortunately, a complication arises in the interpretation of the gamma measurements, from the contribution of uranium deposits on the wall of the pipe to the 186-keV peak. A multi-detector approach to address this complication is presented where two measurements, one with signal primarily from gas and one with signal primarily from deposits, are performed simultaneously with different detectors and geometries. This allows a correction to be made to the 186-keV peak for the contribution from the deposit. Finally, we present the design of the multi-detector system and the results of the experimental calibration of the proof-of-principle prototype built at LANL.

  11. Multi-detector system approach for unattended uranium enrichment monitoring at gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Favalli, A.; Lombardi, M.; MacArthur, D. W.; McCluskey, C.; Moss, C. E.; Paffett, M. T.; Ianakiev, K. D.

    2018-01-01

    Improving the quality of safeguards measurements at Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants while reducing the inspection effort is an important objective given the number of existing and new plants that need to be safeguarded. A useful tool in many safeguards approaches is the on-line monitoring of enrichment in process pipes. One requirement of such a monitor is a simple, reliable and precise passive measurement of the 186-keV line from 235U. The other information required is the amount of gas in the pipe, which can be obtained by a transmission or pressure measurement. We describe our research to develop such a passive measurement system. Unfortunately, a complication arises in the interpretation of the gamma measurements, from the contribution of uranium deposits on the wall of the pipe to the 186-keV peak. A multi-detector approach to address this complication is presented where two measurements, one with signal primarily from gas and one with signal primarily from deposits, are performed simultaneously with different detectors and geometries. This allows a correction to be made to the 186-keV peak for the contribution from the deposit. We present the design of the multi-detector system and the results of the experimental calibration of the proof-of-principle prototype built at LANL.

  12. Criteria for the safe storage of enriched uranium at the Y-12 Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cox, S.O.

    1995-07-01

    Uranium storage practices at US Department of Energy (DOE) facilities have evolved over a period spanning five decades of programmatic work in support of the nuclear deterrent mission. During this period, the Y-12 Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee has served as the principal enriched uranium facility for fabrication, chemical processing, metallurgical processing and storage. Recent curtailment of new nuclear weapons production and stockpile reduction has created significant amounts of enriched uranium available as a strategic resource which must be properly and safely stored. This standard specifies criteria associated with the safe storage of enriched uranium at the Y-12 Plant. Because programmatic needs, compliance regulations and desirable materials of construction change with time, it is recommended that these standards be reviewed and amended periodically to ensure that they continue to serve their intended purpose

  13. NEW ADVANCES IN BORON SOIL CHEMISTRY

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boron is an essential plant micronutrient for which the range between deficiency and toxicity is narrower than for any other nutrient element. Plants respond directly to the amount of B in soil solution and only indirectly to the amount of B adsorbed on soil particle surfaces. ...

  14. FACE: Free-Air CO[sub 2] Enrichment for plant research in the field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hendrey, G.R. (ed.)

    1992-08-01

    Research programs concerning the effects of Carbon Dioxide(CO)[sub 2] on cotton plants are described. Biological responses studied include foliage response to CO[sub 2] fluctuations; yield of cotton exposed to CO[sub 2] enrichment; responses of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance to elevated CO[sub 2] in field-grown cotton; cotton leaf and boll temperatures; root response to CO[sub 2] enrichment; and evaluations of cotton response to CO[sub 2] enrichment with canopy reflectance observations.

  15. FACE: Free-Air CO{sub 2} Enrichment for plant research in the field

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hendrey, G.R. [ed.

    1992-08-01

    Research programs concerning the effects of Carbon Dioxide(CO){sub 2} on cotton plants are described. Biological responses studied include foliage response to CO{sub 2} fluctuations; yield of cotton exposed to CO{sub 2} enrichment; responses of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance to elevated CO{sub 2} in field-grown cotton; cotton leaf and boll temperatures; root response to CO{sub 2} enrichment; and evaluations of cotton response to CO{sub 2} enrichment with canopy reflectance observations.

  16. Gasket for uranium enrichment plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kishi, S; Aiyoshi, H

    1977-02-08

    A gasket to be inserted between flange joints in the equipments and pipe lines of an uranium enrichment plant having neither permeability nor adsorptivity to water while maintaining mechanical, physical and chemical properties of an elastomer gasket is described. A gasket made of an elastomeric material such as a polymer is integratedly formed at its surface with anti-slip projections. The gasket is further surrounded at its upper and lower peripheral sides, as well as outer circumferential portion with a U-sectioned cover (enclosure) made of fluoro-plastics. In this arrangement, the gasket main body shows a gas-tightness for uranium hexafluoride gas and the cover exhibits a gas-tightness for other component gases such as moisture to thereby prevent degradation of the gasket due to absorption and permeation of the moisture.

  17. Enrichment of Biologically Active Compounds from Selected Plants Using Adsorptive Bubble Separation

    OpenAIRE

    Thompson, Leonor

    2006-01-01

    In this research, foam fractionation a method belonging to the Adsorptive Bubble Separation Methods, was employed to enrich the following active principles contained in medically valuable plants: Faradiol esters from Calendula officinalis, catechins from Camellia sinensis, tryptanthrin from Isatis Tinctoria and cannabinoids from Cannabis sativa. The enrichment methods have been developed in the batch mode for these principles aqueous dilute solutions, based on their physicochemical nature and...

  18. Standard specification for boron-Based neutron absorbing material systems for use in nuclear spent fuel storage racks

    CERN Document Server

    American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

    2011-01-01

    1.1 This specification defines criteria for boron-based neutron absorbing material systems used in racks in a pool environment for storage of nuclear light water reactor (LWR) spent-fuel assemblies or disassembled components to maintain sub-criticality in the storage rack system. 1.2 Boron-based neutron absorbing material systems normally consist of metallic boron or a chemical compound containing boron (for example, boron carbide, B4C) supported by a matrix of aluminum, steel, or other materials. 1.3 In a boron-based absorber, neutron absorption occurs primarily by the boron-10 isotope that is present in natural boron to the extent of 18.3 ± 0.2 % by weight (depending upon the geological origin of the boron). Boron, enriched in boron-10 could also be used. 1.4 The materials systems described herein shall be functional – that is always be capable to maintain a B10 areal density such that subcriticality Keff <0.95 or Keff <0.98 or Keff < 1.0 depending on the design specification for the service...

  19. Designing your boron-charging system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, J.

    1979-01-01

    High-pressure positive-displacement pumps used in the boron-charging setups of pressurized-water (PWR) nuclear plants because of their inherently high efficiencies over a wide range of pressures and speeds are described. Hydrogen-saturated water containing 4-12% boric acid is fed to the pump from a volume-control tank under a gas blanket. Complicated piping and the pulsation difficulties associated with reciprocating pumps make hydrogen-saturated boron-charging systems a challenge to the designer. The article describes the unusual hydraulics of the systems to help assure a trouble-free design

  20. Improvement of wheat yield grown under drought stress by boron foliar application at different growth stages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.M.F. Abdel-Motagally

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Two field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of boron foliar application and water stress on yield of wheat plant grown in calcareous soil during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons. The highest mean values obtained against boron application time were potential contributor to total grains mass by improving the plant height (99.42 and 98.32 cm, spike length (11.86 and 11.72 cm, number of spikelets m−2 (332.65 and 324.35, grain yield plant−1 (21.56 and 20.26 g, 1000-grain weight (35.2 and 37.4 g and grain yield (1.87 and 1.85 ton fed.−1, which were recorded at normal irrigation level (100% from the amount of water consumption for wheat with boron spraying at booting stage (B1 in the first and second seasons, respectively. Furthermore, boron application significantly enhanced all studied growth traits under water stress levels (50% from the amount of water consumption for wheat compared to B-untreated plants. Boron spraying at booting stage enhances also plant pigments contents recording its highest mean values under normal water level (100% from the amount of water consumption for wheat. The reduction in stress markers (proline and H2O2 and the enhancement of plant pigments content under water stress levels (50% from the amount of water consumption for wheat by B spraying suggests an alleviating effect of boron foliar application to water stress in the test plant. This alleviating effect was more pronounced when B applied at booting stage. Therefore, booting stage was found to be the best time for boron application to get higher grains production and consequently, better economic returns of wheat. Keywords: Wheat, Growth stages, Boron application time, Water stress, Crop yield, Plant pigments, Proline, H2O2

  1. Blueprint for domestic uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    The AEC advisory committee on domestic production of uranium enrichment has studied for more than a year how to achieve the domestic enrichment of uranium by the construction and operation of a commercial enriching plant using centrifugal separation method, and the report was submitted to the Atomic Energy Commission on August 18, 1980. Japan has depended wholly on overseas services for her uranium enrichment needs, but the development of domestic enrichment has been carried on in parallel. The AEC decided to construct a uranium enrichment pilot plant using centrifuges, and it has been forwarded as a national project. The plant is operated by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. since 1979. The capacity of the plant will be raised to approximately 75 ton SWU a year. The centrifuges already operated have provided the first delivery of fuel of about 1 ton for the ATR ''Fugen''. The demand-supply balance of uranium enrichment service, the significance of the domestic enrichment of uranium, the evaluation of uranium enrichment technology, the target for domestic enrichment plan, the measures to promote domestic uranium enrichment, and the promotion of the construction of a demonstration plant are reported. (Kako, I.)

  2. Improved ductility of Ni3Si by microalloying with boron or carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taub, A.I.; Briant, C.L.

    1989-01-01

    The effects of boron and carbon additions on the tendency for intergranular fracture in trinickel silicide intermetallics are reported. Melt spinning of Ni 77 Si 23 alloyed with 0.1 at. pct boron results in full bend ductility and complete transgranular fracture compared with brittle intergranular fracture for the unmodified compound. Alloying with 0.1 at. pct carbon also produced full bend ductility but a mixed mode failure (30 pct transgranular). For both carbon and boron additions, reducing the Ni concentration of the base compound results in a greater percentage of intergranular fracture. For Ni 77 Si 23 , the solubility limit is between 0.1 and 0.2 t. pct boron. For compounds with silicon concentrations of 23.5 and 24.0 at. pct, the solubility limit is less than 0.1 at. pct boron. Boron additions above the solubility limit result in Ni 3 B precipitates which degrade the bend ductility and increase the percentage of intergranular fracture. Alloying with carbon above the solubility limit ( 77 Si 23 , increasing the carbon concentration from 0.1 to 1.0 at. pct resulted in no change in the ductility. Auger examination of the grain boundary composition showed strong segregation of both boron and carbon. Enrichment in silicon concentration was also observed

  3. Possible application of boron neutron capture therapy to canine osteosarcoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, Akira

    1985-01-01

    Possibility for successful treatment of canine osteosarcoma by boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was demonstrated based upon an uptake study of the boron compound and an experimental treatment by BNCT. In the up take study following intravenous administration of Na 2 B 12 H 11 SH, satisfactorily higher boron concentration with some variation between tumors is likely to be obtained 12 hours after the administration, together with significantly lower boron levels in blood and bone. Based upon these results, osteosarcoma of a mongrel dog was successfully treated by BNCT. The tumor received approximately 3800 rads with single neutron irradiation (approximately 1.4 x 10 13 n./cm 2 ) about 12 hours after intravenous infusion of Na 2 B 12 H 11 SH of 96 % enriched 10 B in the ratio of 50 mg 10 B/kg. Clinical and radiographical improvements were remarkable and no neoplastic cell was found in any part of the original neoplastic lesion and its surrounding tissue at the time of autopsy after 30 days. (author)

  4. NEW ADVANCES IN BORON SOIL CHEMISTRY - Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boron is an essential plant micronutrient for which the range between deficiency and toxicity is narrower than for any other nutrient element. Plants respond directly to the amount of B in soil solution and only indirectly to the amount of B adsorbed on soil particle surfaces. ...

  5. Phytotoxicity and Plant Productivity Analysis of Tar-Enriched Biochars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, M. L.; Masiello, C. A.; Dugan, B.; Rudgers, J. A.; Capareda, S. C.

    2008-12-01

    Biochar is one of the three by-products obtained by the pyrolysis of organic material, the other two being syngas and bio-oil. The pyrolysis of biomass has generated a great amount of interest in recent years as all three by-products can be put toward beneficial uses. As part of a larger project designed to evaluate the hydrologic impact of biochar soil amendment, we generated a biochar through fast pyrolysis (less than 2 minutes) of sorghum stock at 600°C. In the initial biochar production run, the char bin was not purged with nitrogen. This inadvertent change in pyrolysis conditions produced a fast-pyrolysis biochar enriched with tars. We chose not to discard this batch, however, and instead used it to test the impact of tar-enriched biochars on plants. A suite of phytotoxicity tests were run to assess the effects of tar-rich biochar on plant germination and plant productivity. We designed the experiment to test for negative effects, using an organic carbon and nutrient-rich, greenhouse- optimized potting medium instead of soil. We used Black Seeded Simpson lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as the test organism. We found that even when tars are present within biochar, biochar amendment up to 10% by weight caused increased lettuce germination rates and increased biomass productivity. In this presentation, we will report the statistical significance of our germination and biomass data, as well as present preliminary data on how biochar amendment affects soil hydrologic properties.

  6. The Boron Isotopic Composition of Elephant Dung: Inputs to the Global Boron Budget

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, L. B.; Hervig, R. L.

    2011-12-01

    A survey of boron in kerogen showed isotopically light δ11B values (0 to -50%) that are distinctly different from most mineral and natural water B reservoirs. Diagenesis releases this isotopically light B into pore fluids when hydrocarbons are generated, thus enriching oilfield brines in 10B. This observation suggests that borated biomolecules (BM) are primarily tetrahedral favoring 10B, whereas 11B is preferred in trigonal coordination. Plants, with optimal concentrations up to 100ppm, contribute more B than animal remains to sediment. Elephants are one of the largest herbivores on earth, consuming 200 - 250 kg of plant material/day and producing 50 kg of manure/day. They are inefficient at digestion, thus the manure contains >50% undigested plant material. Dung samples are therefore ideal for studying the δ11B of both the food input and digested output of a significant B supply to sedimentary systems. Horse and rabbit manure were studied for comparison to evaluate B isotope variations in the food supply and potential vital effects on the output. B-content and isotopic composition of dung plant material and digested fractions were measured in the solid state by secondary ion mass spectrometry. The digests were rinsed in 1.8% mannitol, a B-complexing agent, to remove surface adsorbed-B, then air dried and Au-coated for charge compensation. Results showed that the elephant diet contains 3-13 ppm B, with an average δ11B of -20 ± 0.8% (1σ), while rabbit food had 88 ppm B with a δ11B of -50 ± 1.3 %. The digested fraction of the elephant dung contains 4-10ppm B with average δ11B values of -12 ± 1.2%. In comparison, horse manure with 11-21 ppm B has a δ11B of -10.7 ± 0.5% and rabbit manure contains 2-3 ppm B with a δ11B of -8.8 ± 1%. Boron isotope compositions of these manures are indistinguishable (within error). Clearly plant material is a major contributor of isotopically light B to sediments. The herbivores studied fractionate their total B intake in

  7. Boron isotope fractionation in magma via crustal carbonate dissolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deegan, Frances M; Troll, Valentin R; Whitehouse, Martin J; Jolis, Ester M; Freda, Carmela

    2016-08-04

    Carbon dioxide released by arc volcanoes is widely considered to originate from the mantle and from subducted sediments. Fluids released from upper arc carbonates, however, have recently been proposed to help modulate arc CO2 fluxes. Here we use boron as a tracer, which substitutes for carbon in limestone, to further investigate crustal carbonate degassing in volcanic arcs. We performed laboratory experiments replicating limestone assimilation into magma at crustal pressure-temperature conditions and analysed boron isotope ratios in the resulting experimental glasses. Limestone dissolution and assimilation generates CaO-enriched glass near the reaction site and a CO2-dominated vapour phase. The CaO-rich glasses have extremely low δ(11)B values down to -41.5‰, reflecting preferential partitioning of (10)B into the assimilating melt. Loss of (11)B from the reaction site occurs via the CO2 vapour phase generated during carbonate dissolution, which transports (11)B away from the reaction site as a boron-rich fluid phase. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of boron isotope fractionation during crustal carbonate assimilation and suggest that low δ(11)B melt values in arc magmas could flag shallow-level additions to the subduction cycle.

  8. Boron isotope fractionation in magma via crustal carbonate dissolution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deegan, Frances M.; Troll, Valentin R.; Whitehouse, Martin J.; Jolis, Ester M.; Freda, Carmela

    2016-08-01

    Carbon dioxide released by arc volcanoes is widely considered to originate from the mantle and from subducted sediments. Fluids released from upper arc carbonates, however, have recently been proposed to help modulate arc CO2 fluxes. Here we use boron as a tracer, which substitutes for carbon in limestone, to further investigate crustal carbonate degassing in volcanic arcs. We performed laboratory experiments replicating limestone assimilation into magma at crustal pressure-temperature conditions and analysed boron isotope ratios in the resulting experimental glasses. Limestone dissolution and assimilation generates CaO-enriched glass near the reaction site and a CO2-dominated vapour phase. The CaO-rich glasses have extremely low δ11B values down to -41.5‰, reflecting preferential partitioning of 10B into the assimilating melt. Loss of 11B from the reaction site occurs via the CO2 vapour phase generated during carbonate dissolution, which transports 11B away from the reaction site as a boron-rich fluid phase. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of boron isotope fractionation during crustal carbonate assimilation and suggest that low δ11B melt values in arc magmas could flag shallow-level additions to the subduction cycle.

  9. The interaction of boron with goethite: Experiments and CD-MUSIC modeling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goli, E.; Rahnemaie, R.; Hiemstra, T.; Malakouti, M.J.

    2011-01-01

    Boron (B) is an essential element for plants and animals growth that interacts with mineral surfaces regulating its bioavailability and mobility in soils, sediments, and natural ecosystems. The interaction with mineral surfaces is quite important because of a narrow range between boron deficiency

  10. Influence of boron on the morphological and physiological growth parameters of bean

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, S.A. de

    1982-01-01

    Effect of boron on Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Cacahuate was studied in nutrient solutions containing 0.000; 0.005; 0.050 and 0.500 ppm of the element. The deficiency of boron affected root growth, leaf development and plant growth. Lower values of net assimilation rate (NAR) indicated reduced photosynthetic activity in the case of boron deficiency. (M.A.C.) [pt

  11. Enrichment of Cs-137 in some wild plants and determination of the transfer factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molzahn, D.

    1993-01-01

    As a consequence of the nuclear weapons tests and the accident in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant some wild plants exhibit a relatively high enrichment in Cs-137. The examples cited here include heather, forest grown grass, ferns, needles and cones of spruces and firs and, obviously, also some species of mushrooms. While the transfer factors of cultivated plants range from 0.001 to 0.1 according to the literature and measurements of our own, values from 1 to 38 have been measured for heather, depending on the nature of the soil. One of the consequences of this relatively high enrichment is the enhanced cesium content in honeys produced from heather. It is intended to continue the relevant measurements in 1993. (orig.) [de

  12. Parameters Symptomatic for Boron Toxicity in Leaves of Tomato Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis M. Cervilla

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The incidence of boron (B toxicity has risen in areas of intensive agriculture close to the Mediterranean sea. The objective of this research was to study the how B toxicity (0.5 and 2 mM B affects the time course of different indicators of abiotic stress in leaves of two tomato genotypes having different sensitivity to B toxicity (cv. Kosaco and cv. Josefina. Under the treatments of 0.5 and 2 mM B, the tomato plants showed a loss of biomass and foliar area. At the same time, in the leaves of both cultivars, the B concentration increased rapidly from the first day of the experiment. These results were more pronounced in the cv. Josefina, indicating greater sensitivity than in cv. Kosaco with respect to excessive B in the environment. The levels of O2 •− and anthocyanins presented a higher correlation coefficient (r>0.9 than did the levels of B in the leaf, followed by other indicators of stress, such as GPX, chlorophyll b and proline (r>0.8. Our results indicate that these parameters could be used to evaluate the stress level as well as to develop models that could help prevent the damage inflicted by B toxicity in tomato plants.

  13. The effects of boron on improving aluminium tolerance in coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Rezaei

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the role of boron (BO33- on improving tolerance of coriander plant (Coriandrum sativum L. subjected to different concentrations of aluminum (Al3+ was evaluated. In this regard, an experiment was implemented with seven different concentrations of aluminum including: 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00, 3.00 and 4.00 mg/L Al3+ and three concentrations of boron including: 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 mg/L BO33- with the control treatment. The experiment was concluded based on completely randomized design with three replications. Seeds of coriander were germinated in germinator and seedlings were grown in Hogland´s solution with different boron and aluminium concentrations. Results showed that different levels of Al3+, decreased dry weight, leaf area, length of shoot and root, amount of chlorophyll and aluminium, while proline concentration and Al3+accumulation increased. Nearly, in all concentrations of Al3+, plant height, dry weight and chlorophyll content promoted with increasing boron concentrations, but proline concentration was decreased. It could be concluded that application of boron along with Al3+, might have proved plant growth and neutralized effects of Al toxicity.

  14. Facile synthesis of a boronate affinity sorbent from mesoporous nanomagnetic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes composite and its application for enrichment of catecholamines in human urine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Haibo, E-mail: hbhe2006@shu.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Zhou, Ziqing; Dong, Chen; Wang, Xin [Department of Chemistry, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Yu, Qiong-wei [Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Lei, Yunyi; Luo, Liqiang [Department of Chemistry, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Feng, Yuqi [Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), Department of Chemistry, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China)

    2016-11-09

    A boronate-decorated nanomagnetic organic-inorganic hybrid material was facilely synthesized by utilizing the nanomagnetic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) composite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@POSS) as the base platform. A simple copolymerization occurred between 3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid (AAPBA) and the residual end vinyl groups supplied by the substrate. Here the special emphasis was placed on the octavinyl POSS, which not only acted as the building blocks for a hybrid architecture but also facilitated the process of grafting boronate groups onto the surface of POSS based nanomagnetic composite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@POSS). The successful immobilization of affinity ligand-AAPBA on the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@POSS was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES), field emission scanning electron microscope. A magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) for cis-diols enrichment was developed using the as-prepared Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@POSS-AAPBA material as an affinity sorbent and three catecholamines (CAs), namely noradrenaline, epinephrine and isoprenaline, as model analytes. Under the optimal extraction conditions, sensitive and simultaneous analysis of three CAs from the urine sample was achieved by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV). The limits of detection (LOD, S/N = 3) and the limits of quantitation (LOQ, S/N = 10) for the target analytes were 0.81–1.32 ng mL{sup −1} and 2.70–4.40 ng mL{sup −1}, respectively. Also good recoveries (85.5–101.7%) and repeatability (RSD≤10.1%) were obtained by this method. This work not only showed a facility for the utilization of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@POSS as a substrate for constructing a boronate functionalized nanomagnetic sorbent, but also demonstrated the capability of the derived material for recognition of trace amount of cis-diols biomolecules presented in complicated biological matrices

  15. Determination of residual boron in thermally treated controlled-porosity glasses, by colorimetry, spectrography and isotachophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dawidowicz, A.L.; Matusewicz, J.; Wysocka-Lisek, J.

    1989-01-01

    Controlled-porosity glasses (CPGs) are often applied as sorbents in chromatography. Besides having high thermal, chemical and mechanical resistance they are characterized by a very narrow pore-size distribution and the choice of mean pore diameter and porosity covers a wide range. In spite of these advantages, their range of use in chromatography is restricted because of their strong adsorption properties, which are connected with the presence of residual boron atoms in the porous CPG skeleton. The boron concentration on the CPG surface can be increased by proper thermal treatment. When CPGs are heated in the range 400-800 0 the residual boron atoms in the network diffuse from the bulk to the surface. The paper discusses the boron content in porous glasses of different mean pore diameters and the determination of the enrichment of boron on the GPG surface, by three independent methods: colorimetry, spectrography and isotachophoresis. (author)

  16. Contamination of the ground waters and surface waters by boron in Lerma Valley, NW-Argentina - an inventory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bundschuh, J.

    1992-01-01

    Ground- and surface waters in areas unaffected by pollution from borax and boric acid producing plants exhibit low boron concentrations of less than 300 μg B/l. Only at the boric acid plant 'Mineratea' is the groundwater contaminated, with up to 6200 μg B/l occurring within an area of 8 to 10 km 2 with more than 1000 μg boron/l. Even higher boron concentrations (up to 18 μg B/l) are present in polluted surface waters. Not the boron concentration in the irrigation water, but the absolute amount of boron added to the plants by irrigation is what determines plant toxicity. For the contaminated area of the boric acid 'Mineratea', characterized by boron concentrations of between 1000 and 6000 μg B/l, the maximal amounts of irrigation water that can be applied lies between 300 and 8 mm. In order to protect the local groundwater resoures from present and future contamination, environmental impact assessment on industrial projects in the area are required. In this way, the quality of the drinking and irrigation water can be guaranteed through suitable measures, without hindering further necessary industrial development of the region. (orig./UWA) [de

  17. Teasing apart plant community responses to N enrichment: the roles of resource limitation, competition and soil microbes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farrer, Emily C; Suding, Katharine N

    2016-10-01

    Although ecologists have documented the effects of nitrogen enrichment on productivity, diversity and species composition, we know little about the relative importance of the mechanisms driving these effects. We propose that distinct aspects of environmental change associated with N enrichment (resource limitation, asymmetric competition, and interactions with soil microbes) drive different aspects of plant response. We test this in greenhouse mesocosms, experimentally manipulating each factor across three ecosystems: tallgrass prairie, alpine tundra and desert grassland. We found that resource limitation controlled productivity responses to N enrichment in all systems. Asymmetric competition was responsible for diversity declines in two systems. Plant community composition was impacted by both asymmetric competition and altered soil microbes, with some contributions from resource limitation. Results suggest there may be generality in the mechanisms of plant community change with N enrichment. Understanding these links can help us better predict N response across a wide range of ecosystems. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

  18. International safeguards at the feed and withdrawal area of a gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordon, D.M.; Sanborn, J.B.

    1980-01-01

    This paper discusses the application of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards at a model gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant designed for the production of low-enriched uranium; particular emphasis is placed upon the verification by the IAEA of the facility material balance accounting. 13 refs

  19. Enriched boric acid as an optimized neutron absorber in the EPR primary coolant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cosse, Christelle; Jolivel, Fabienne; Berger, Martial

    2012-09-01

    This paper focuses on one of the most important EPR PWR reactor design optimizations, through primary coolant conditioning by enriched boric acid (EBA). On PWRs throughout the world, boric acid has already been implemented in primary coolant and associated auxiliary systems for criticality control, due to its high Boron 10 neutron absorption cross section. Boric acid also allows primary coolant pH 300C control in combination with lithium hydroxide in many PWRs. The boric acid employed in the majority of existing PWRs is the 'natural' one, with a typical isotopic atomic abundance in Boron 10 about 19.8 at.%. However, EPR requirements for neutron management are more important, due to its fully optimized design compared to older PWRs. From the boron point of view, it means that criticality could be controlled either by increased 'natural' Boron concentrations or by using EBA. Comparatively to 'natural' boric acid, EBA allows for: - the use of smaller storage volumes for an identical total Boron concentration, or lower total Boron concentration if the tank volumes are kept identical. The latter also reduces the risks of boric acid crystallization, in spite of increased neutron-absorbing properties - the application of an evolutionary chemistry operating regime called Advanced pH Control, making it possible to maintain a constant pH 300C value at 7.2 in the primary coolant at nominal conditions throughout entire cycles. This optimized stability of pH 300C will contribute to reduce the consequences of contamination of the reactor coolant system by corrosion products, and consequently, all related issues - the reduction of borated liquid wastes, thanks to maximal recycling resulting from EPR design. The increased design costs associated with EBA are consequently compensated by a reduced total consumption of this chemical. Therefore, the basic design choice for the EPR is the use of EBA. For the Flamanville 3 EPR, according to the above

  20. Analytical methods for the determination of boron in reactor materials programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chitre, R.S.; Joshi, V.R.; Iyer, C.S.P.

    1983-01-01

    Spectrophotometric methods of determination of boron based on the complexation reaction between boric acid and protonated curcumin are briefly reviewed. Direct determination of boron in heavy water, plant leaves, copper and its alloys, and aluminium and its alloys using a modified method of Hayes and Metcalfe is described. A method for determination of boron, when its content is very low as in case of uranium metal, diuranate, uranium oxide and thorium nitrate, is also described. In this method, boron is first separated as methyl borate by distillation of the sample with methanol in acid media. The distilled ester is absorbed by hydroxide solution and boron is analysed after removal of methanol. The precision obtained is indicated. (M.G.B.)

  1. Application of in situ current normalized PIGE method for determination of total boron and its isotopic composition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chhillar, Sumit; Acharya, R.; Sodaye, S.; Pujari, P.K.

    2014-01-01

    A particle induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) method using proton beam has been standardized for determination of isotopic composition of natural boron and enriched boron samples. Target pellets of boron standard and samples were prepared in cellulose matrix. The prompt gamma rays of 429 keV, 718 keV and 2125 keV were measured from 10 B(p,αγ) 7 Be, 10 B(p, p'γ) 10 B and 11 B(p, p'γ) 11 B nuclear reactions, respectively. For normalizing the beam current variations in situ current normalization method was used. Validation of method was carried out using synthetic samples of boron carbide, borax, borazine and lithium metaborate in cellulose matrix. (author)

  2. Melatonin and resveratrol reverse the toxic effect of high boron (B) and modulate biochemical parameters in pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarafi, Eleana; Tsouvaltzis, Pavlos; Chatzissavvidis, Christos; Siomos, Anastasios; Therios, Ioannis

    2017-03-01

    The objectives of this research were to test a possible involvement of melatonin (MEL) and resveratrol (RES) in restoring growth and to control boron (B) toxicity in peppers. The plants were subjected to four different nutrient solution treatments as following: 1) half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution (Control), 2) half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution+100 μM B (100 μMB), 3) half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution+100 μM boron+100 μMresveratrol (100 μMRES), and 4) half-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution+100 μM B+1 μMmelatonin (1 μM MEL). Pepper plants subjected to B excess (100 μM) for 68 days (d) exhibited visible B toxicity symptoms, reduced rate of photosynthesis (Pn) and reduced dry weight (DW), while their leaf and fruit had the greatest increase of B concentration. The reduction of photosynthesis was restored, the reduction of DW was prevented, while the B leaf and fruit accumulation was moderated with the application of both 100 μMresveratrol (RES) and 1 μMmelatonin (MEL). Moreover, plants exposed to MEL and/or RES displayed no visible B toxicity symptoms. The present study revealed a novel role of MEL and/or RES in the adaptation of pepper plants to B excess based on plant growth, physiological and biochemical criteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Quality of deli-style turkey enriched with plant sterols.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grasso, S; Brunton, N P; Lyng, J G; Harrison, S M; Monahan, F J

    2016-12-01

    Low-fat meat products could be excellent carriers for plant sterols, known for their cholesterol-lowering properties. In this study, we developed a protocol for the manufacture of a deli-style turkey enriched with plant sterols (S) at a level sufficient to deliver the maximum plant sterols amount recommended for cholesterol reduction by the European Food Safety Authority (3 g of plant sterols per day) in a 70 g portion. We investigated the stability of the plant sterols and the effects of their addition on the product quality. Plant sterols remained stable during the seven-day storage period. The addition of plant sterols significantly affected some texture parameters, shear force, lipid oxidation, L values and water-holding capacity compared with control (C). Sensory analysis was carried out by an untrained panel (32) using the difference-from-control test between C and S samples to evaluate first the extent of the overall sensory difference and then the extent of sensory difference on colour, texture and flavour. Results indicated that panellists considered the intensity of the difference between C and S samples to be 'small'. Plant sterols could be used as a potential health-promoting meat ingredient with no effect on plant sterol stability but with some effects on texture and sensory characteristics. © The Author(s) 2016.

  4. Status report - expert knowledge of operators in fuel reprocessing plants, enrichment plants and fuel fabrication plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Preuss, W.; Kramer, J.; Wildberg, D.

    1987-01-01

    The necessary qualifications of the responsible personnel and the knowledge required by personnel otherwise employed in nuclear plants are among the requirements for licensing laid down in paragraph 7 of the German Atomic Energy Act. The formal regulations for nuclear power plants are not directly applicable to plants in the fuel cycle because of the differences in the technical processes and the plant and work organisation. The aim of the project was therefore to establish a possible need for regulations for the nuclear plants with respect to the qualification of the personnel, and to determine a starting point for the definition of the required qualifications. An extensive investigation was carried out in the Federal Republic of Germany into: the formal requirements for training; the plant and personnel organisation structures; the tasks carried out by the responsible and otherwise employed personnel; and the state of training. For this purpose plant owners and managers were interviewed and the literature and plant specific documentation (e.g. plant rules) were reviewed. On the basis of literature research, foreign practices were determined and used to make comparative evaluations. The status report is divided into three separate parts for the reprocessing, the uranium enrichment, and the manufacture of the fuel elements. On the basis of the situation for reprocessing plants (particularly that of the WAK) and fuel element manufacturing plants, the development of a common (not uniform) regulation for all the examined plants in the fuel cycle was recommended. The report gives concrete suggestions for the content of the regulations. (orig.) [de

  5. United States uranium enrichment policies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roberts, R.W.

    1977-01-01

    ERDA's uranium enrichment program policies governing the manner in which ERDA's enrichment complex is being operated and expanded to meet customer requirements for separative work, research and development activities directed at providing technology alternatives for future enrichment capacity, and establishing the framework for additional domestic uranium enrichment capacity to meet the domestic and foreign nuclear industry's growing demand for enrichment services are considered. The ERDA enrichment complex consists of three gaseous diffusion plants located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; Paducah, Kentucky; and Portsmouth, Ohio. Today, these plants provide uranium enrichment services for commercial nuclear power generation. These enrichment services are provided under contracts between the Government and the utility customers. ERDA's program involves a major pilot plant cascade, and pursues an advanced isotope separation technique for the late 1980's. That the United States must develop additional domestic uranium enrichment capacity is discussed

  6. A feasibility study for the application of enriched gadolinia burnable absorber rods in nuclear core design

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Chung Chan; Zee, Sung Quun; Kim, Kang Seog; Song, Jae Seung

    2000-12-01

    An analysis model using MICBURN-3/CASMO-3 is established for the enriched gadolinia burnable absorber rods. A homogenized cross section editing code, PROLOG, is modified so that it can handle such a fuel assembly that includes two different types of gadolinia rods. Study shows that Gd-155 and Gd-157 are almost same in suppressing the excess reactivity and it is recommended to enrich both odd number isotopes, Gd-155 and Gd-157. It is estimated that the cycle length increases by 2 days if enriched gadolinia rods are used in the commercial nuclear power plant such as YGN-3 of which the cycle length is assumed 2 years. For the advanced integral reactor SMART in which ultra long cycle length and soluble boron-free operation concept is applied, natural gadolinia burnable absorber rods fail to control the excess reactivity. On the other hand, enriched gadolinia rods are successful in controling the excess reactivity. To minimize power peakings, various placements of gadolinia rods are tested. Also initial reactivity holddown and gadolinia burnout time are parametrized with respect to the number of gadolinia rods and gadolinia weight fractions

  7. Spectrographic determination of impurities in enriched uranium solutions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Capdevila, C.; Roca, M.

    1980-01-01

    A spectrographic procedure for the determination of trace amounts of Al, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, L i , Hg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Ru, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, and Zr in enriched uranyl nitrate solutions from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels is described. After removal of uranium by either TBP or TNOA solvent extraction, the aqueous phase Is analysed by the graphite spark technique. TBP is adequate for all impurities, excepting boron and phosphorus; both of these elements can sat is factory be determined by using TNOA after the addition of mannitol to avoid boron losses. (Author) 4 refs

  8. 10 CFR Appendix B to Part 110 - Illustrative List of Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant Components Under NRC's Export Licensing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Illustrative List of Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant... 110—Illustrative List of Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant Components Under NRC's Export Licensing Authority 1. Assemblies and components especially designed or prepared for use in gas centrifuges. Note: The...

  9. Subtle Gardeners: Inland Predators Enrich Local Topsoils and Enhance Plant Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedriani, José M; Garrote, Pedro José; Delgado, María del Mar; Penteriani, Vincenzo

    2015-01-01

    Inland vertebrate predators could enrich of nutrients the local top soils in the area surrounding their nests and dens by depositing faeces, urine, and prey remains and, thus, alter the dynamics of plant populations. Surprisingly, and in contrast with convincing evidence from coastal habitats, whether and how this phenomenon occurs in inland habitats is largely uncertain even though these habitats represent a major fraction of the earth's surface. We investigated during two consecutive breeding seasons the potential enrichment of the top-soils associated with inland ground-nesting eagle owls Bubo bubo, as well as its possible consequences in the growth of two common annual grasses in southern Spain. Top-soils associated with owl nests differed strongly and significantly from control top-soils in chemical parameters, mainly fertility-related properties. Specifically, levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen, organic matter, and available potassium were 49.1, 5.6, 3.1, and 2.7 times higher, respectively, in top-soils associated with owl nests as compared to control top-soils. Germination experiments in chambers indicated that nutrient enrichment by nesting owls enhanced seedling growth in both annual grasses (Phalaris canariensis and Avena sativa), with seedling size being 1.4-1.3 times higher in owl nest top-soils than in control top-soils. Our experimental study revealed that pervasive inland, predatory birds can profoundly enrich the topsoil around their nests and, thus, potentially enhance local vegetation growth. Because diverse inland vertebrate predators are widespread in most habitats they have a strong potential to enhance spatial heterogeneity, impinge on plant communities, and exert an overlooked effect on primary productivity worldwide.

  10. Subtle Gardeners: Inland Predators Enrich Local Topsoils and Enhance Plant Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José M Fedriani

    Full Text Available Inland vertebrate predators could enrich of nutrients the local top soils in the area surrounding their nests and dens by depositing faeces, urine, and prey remains and, thus, alter the dynamics of plant populations. Surprisingly, and in contrast with convincing evidence from coastal habitats, whether and how this phenomenon occurs in inland habitats is largely uncertain even though these habitats represent a major fraction of the earth's surface. We investigated during two consecutive breeding seasons the potential enrichment of the top-soils associated with inland ground-nesting eagle owls Bubo bubo, as well as its possible consequences in the growth of two common annual grasses in southern Spain. Top-soils associated with owl nests differed strongly and significantly from control top-soils in chemical parameters, mainly fertility-related properties. Specifically, levels of available phosphorus, total nitrogen, organic matter, and available potassium were 49.1, 5.6, 3.1, and 2.7 times higher, respectively, in top-soils associated with owl nests as compared to control top-soils. Germination experiments in chambers indicated that nutrient enrichment by nesting owls enhanced seedling growth in both annual grasses (Phalaris canariensis and Avena sativa, with seedling size being 1.4-1.3 times higher in owl nest top-soils than in control top-soils. Our experimental study revealed that pervasive inland, predatory birds can profoundly enrich the topsoil around their nests and, thus, potentially enhance local vegetation growth. Because diverse inland vertebrate predators are widespread in most habitats they have a strong potential to enhance spatial heterogeneity, impinge on plant communities, and exert an overlooked effect on primary productivity worldwide.

  11. Effect of boron on growth criteria of some wheat cultivars

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashraf Metwally

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Toxic soil concentrations of the essential micronutrient boron (B represent major limitations to crop production worldwide. Plants have a range of defense systems that might be involved in their affinity to resist and tolerate nutrients stress.Materials and methods: The experiments were carried out to study the differential responses in five wheat cultivars to boron toxicity. Results: The fresh and dry matter yield of the test wheat cultivars showed marked decrease as the concentration of boron was increased. Elevated concentration of boron had a notable inhibitory effect on the biosynthesis of pigments fractions in the test wheat cultivars as severely as dry matter gain. The adverse concentration effects of boron on some metabolic responses were clearly displayed by shoot and root systems, exhibited in the elevated rates of proline, hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde formation. Potassium leakage was severely affected by boron-stress in some cultivars at all tested concentrations, while in some others a moderate damage was manifested only at the higher boron concentrations.Conclusions: Sakha 93 out of all the different cultivars investigated was found to display the lowest sensitivity to boron-stress, while Gemmeza 9 was the most sensitive one.

  12. Boron-Mediated Plant Somatic Embryogenesis: A Provocative Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhananjay K. Pandey

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A central question in plant regeneration biology concerns the primary driving forces invoking the acquisition of somatic embryogenesis. Recently, the role of micronutrient boron (B in the initiation and perpetuation of embryogenesis has drawn considerable attention within the scientific community. This interest may be due in part to the bewildering observation that the system-wide induction of embryogenic potential significantly varied in response to a minimal to optimal supply of B (minimal ≤ 0.1 mM, optimal = 0.1 mM. At the cellular level, certain channel proteins and cell wall-related proteins important for the induction of embryogenesis have been shown to be transcriptionally upregulated in response to minimal B supply suggesting the vital role of B in the induction of embryogenesis. At the molecular level, minimal to no B supply increased the endogenous level of auxin, which subsequently influenced the auxin-inducible somatic embryogenesis receptor kinases, suggesting the role of B in the induction of embryogenesis. Also, minimal B concentration may “turn on” other genetic and/or cellular transfactors reported earlier to be essential for cell-restructuring and induction of embryogenesis. In this paper, both the direct and indirect roles of B in the induction of somatic embryogenesis are highlighted and suggested for future validation.

  13. Airborne effluent control at fuel enrichment, conversion, and fabrication plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchell, M.E.

    1976-01-01

    Uranium conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication facilities generate gaseous wastes that must be treated prior to being discharged to the atmosphere. Since all three process and/or handle similar compounds, they also encounter similar gaseous waste disposal problems, the majority of which are treated in a similar manner. Ventilation exhausts from personnel areas and equipment off-gases that do not contain corrosive gases (such as HF) are usually passed through roughening and/or HEPA filters prior to release. Ventilation exhausts that contain larger quantities of particles, such as the conversion facilities' U 3 O 8 sampling operation, are passed through bag filters or cyclone separators, while process off-gases containing corrosive materials are normally treated by sintered metal filters or scrubbers. The effectiveness of particle removal varies from about 90 percent for a scrubber alone to more than 99.9 percent for HEPA filters or a combination of the various filters and scrubbers. The removal of nitrogen compounds (N 2 , HNO 3 , NO/sub x/, and NH 3 ) is accomplished by scrubbers in the enrichment and fuel fabrication facilities. The conversion facility utilizes a nitric acid recovery facility for both pollution control and economic recovery of raw materials. Hydrogen removal from gaseous waste streams is generally achieved with burners. Three different systems are currently utilized by the conversion, enrichment, and fuel fabrication plants to remove gaseous fluorides from airborne effluents. The HF-rich streams, such as those emanating from the hydrofluorination and fluorine production operations of the conversion plant, are passed through condensers to recover aqueous hydrofluoric acid

  14. A study on the nuclear characteristics of enriched gadolinia burnable absorber rods; the first year (2000) report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zee, Sung Quun; Lee, C.C.; Song, J. S.; Cho, B. O.; Joo, H. G.; Park, S. Y.; Kim, H. Y.; Cho, J. Y.; Kim, K. S.

    2001-04-01

    An analysis model using MICBURN-3/CASMO-3 is established for the enriched gadolinia burnable absorber rods. A homogenized cross section editing code, PROLOG, is modified so that it can handle such a fuel assembly that includes two different types of gadolinia rods. Study shows that Gd-155 and Gd-157 are almost same in suppressing the excess reactivity and it is recommended to enrich both odd number isotopes, Gd-155 and Gd-157. It is estimated that the cycle length increases by 2 days if enriched gadolinia rods are used in the commercial nuclear power plant such as YGN-3 of which the cycle length is assumed 2 years. For the advanced integral reactor SMART in which ultra long cycle length and soluble boron-free operation concept is applied, natural gadolinia burnable absorber rods fail to control the excess reactivity. On the other hand, enriched gadolinia rods are successful in controling the excess reactivity. To minimize power peakings, various placements of gadolinia rods are tested. Also initial reactivity holddown and gadolinia burnout time are parametrized with respect to the number of gadolinia rods and gadolinia weight fractions

  15. Safety of uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yonekawa, Shigeru; Morikami, Yoshio; Morita, Minoru; Takahashi, Tsukasa; Tokuyasu, Takashi.

    1991-01-01

    With respect to safety evaluation of the gas centrifuge enrichment facility, several characteristic problems are described as follows. Criticality safety in the cascade equipments can be obtained to maintain the enrichment of UF 6 below 5 %. External radiation dose equivalent rate of the 30B cylinder is low enough, the shield is not necessary. Penetration ratio of the two-stage HEPA filters for UF 6 aerosol is estimated at 10 -9 . From the experimental investigation, vacuum tightness is not damaged by destruction of gas centrifuge rotor. Carbon steel can be used for uranium enrichment equipments under the condition below 100degC. (author)

  16. Using Process Load Cell Information for IAEA Safeguards at Enrichment Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laughter, Mark D.; Whitaker, J. Michael; Howell, John

    2010-01-01

    Uranium enrichment service providers are expanding existing enrichment plants and constructing new facilities to meet demands resulting from the shutdown of gaseous diffusion plants, the completion of the U.S.-Russia highly enriched uranium downblending program, and the projected global renaissance in nuclear power. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducts verification inspections at safeguarded facilities to provide assurance that signatory States comply with their treaty obligations to use nuclear materials only for peaceful purposes. Continuous, unattended monitoring of load cells in UF 6 feed/withdrawal stations can provide safeguards-relevant process information to make existing safeguards approaches more efficient and effective and enable novel safeguards concepts such as information-driven inspections. The IAEA has indicated that process load cell monitoring will play a central role in future safeguards approaches for large-scale gas centrifuge enrichment plants. This presentation will discuss previous work and future plans related to continuous load cell monitoring, including: (1) algorithms for automated analysis of load cell data, including filtering methods to determine significant weights and eliminate irrelevant impulses; (2) development of metrics for declaration verification and off-normal operation detection ('cylinder counting,' near-real-time mass balancing, F/P/T ratios, etc.); (3) requirements to specify what potentially sensitive data is safeguards relevant, at what point the IAEA gains on-site custody of the data, and what portion of that data can be transmitted off-site; (4) authentication, secure on-site storage, and secure transmission of load cell data; (5) data processing and remote monitoring schemes to control access to sensitive and proprietary information; (6) integration of process load cell data in a layered safeguards approach with cross-check verification; (7) process mock-ups constructed to provide simulated load

  17. Thermoelectric properties of boron and boron phosphide CVD wafers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumashiro, Y.; Yokoyama, T.; Sato, A.; Ando, Y. [Yokohama National Univ. (Japan)

    1997-10-01

    Electrical and thermal conductivities and thermoelectric power of p-type boron and n-type boron phosphide wafers with amorphous and polycrystalline structures were measured up to high temperatures. The electrical conductivity of amorphous boron wafers is compatible to that of polycrystals at high temperatures and obeys Mott`s T{sup -{1/4}} rule. The thermoelectric power of polycrystalline boron decreases with increasing temperature, while that of amorphous boron is almost constant in a wide temperature range. The weak temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity of BP polycrystalline wafers reflects phonon scattering by grain boundaries. Thermal conductivity of an amorphous boron wafer is almost constant in a wide temperature range, showing a characteristic of a glass. The figure of merit of polycrystalline BP wafers is 10{sup -7}/K at high temperatures while that of amorphous boron is 10{sup -5}/K.

  18. Hyb-Seq: Combining Target Enrichment and Genome Skimming for Plant Phylogenomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin Weitemier

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Premise of the study: Hyb-Seq, the combination of target enrichment and genome skimming, allows simultaneous data collection for low-copy nuclear genes and high-copy genomic targets for plant systematics and evolution studies. Methods and Results: Genome and transcriptome assemblies for milkweed (Asclepias syriaca were used to design enrichment probes for 3385 exons from 768 genes (>1.6 Mbp followed by Illumina sequencing of enriched libraries. Hyb-Seq of 12 individuals (10 Asclepias species and two related genera resulted in at least partial assembly of 92.6% of exons and 99.7% of genes and an average assembly length >2 Mbp. Importantly, complete plastomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA cistrons were assembled using off-target reads. Phylogenomic analyses demonstrated signal conflict between genomes. Conclusions: The Hyb-Seq approach enables targeted sequencing of thousands of low-copy nuclear exons and flanking regions, as well as genome skimming of high-copy repeats and organellar genomes, to efficiently produce genome-scale data sets for phylogenomics.

  19. Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, J.G.; Sha, W.T.

    1995-03-01

    Thermal mixing and boron dilution in a pressurized water reactor were analyzed with COMMIX codes. The reactor system was the four-loop Zion reactor. Two boron dilution scenarios were analyzed. In the first scenario, the plant is in cold shutdown and the reactor coolant system has just been filled after maintenance on the steam generators. To flush the air out of the steam generator tubes, a reactor coolant pump (RCP) is started, with the water in the pump suction line devoid of boron and at the same temperature as the coolant in the system. In the second scenario, the plant is at hot standby and the reactor coolant system has been heated to operating temperature after a long outage. It is assumed that an RCP is started, with the pump suction line filled with cold unborated water, forcing a slug of diluted coolant down the downcomer and subsequently through the reactor core. The subsequent transient thermal mixing and boron dilution that would occur in the reactor system is simulated for these two scenarios. The reactivity insertion rate and the total reactivity are evaluated and a sensitivity study is performed to assess the accuracy of the numerical modeling of the geometry of the reactor coolant system

  20. Implementation trial of high performance trace analysis/environmental sampling (HPTA/ES) in uranium centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nackaerts, H.; Kloeckner, W.; Landresse, G.; MacLean, F.; Betti, M.; Forcina, V.; Hiernaut, T.; Tamborini, G.; Koch, L.; Schenkel, R.

    1999-01-01

    Field trials have demonstrated that the analysis of particles upon swipes obtained from inside nuclear installations provides clear signatures of past operations in that installation. This can offer a valuable tool for gaining assurance regarding the compliance with declared activities and the absence of undeclared activities (e.g. enrichment, reprocessing, and reactor operation) at such sites. This method, known as 'Environmental Sampling' (ES) or 'High Performance Trace Analysis' (HPTA) in EURATOM terminology, is at present being evaluated by the EURATOM Safeguards Directorate (ESD) in order to assess its possible use in nuclear installations within the European Union. It is expected that incorporation of HPTA/ES of sample collection and analysis into routine inspection activities will allow EURATOM to improve the effectiveness of safeguards in these installations and hopefully save inspection resources as well. The EURATOM Safeguards Directorate has therefore performed implementation trials involving the collection of particles by the so-called swipe sampling method in uranium centrifuge enrichment plants and hot cells in the European Union. These samples were subsequently analysed by the Joint Research Centre, Institute for Transuranium Elements (ITU) in Karlsruhe. Sampling points were chosen on the basis of the activities performed in the vicinity and by considering the possible ways through which particles are released, diffused and transported. The aim was to test the efficiency of the method as regards: the collection of enough representative material; the identification of a large enough number of uranium particles; the accurate measurement of the enrichment of the uranium particles found on the swipe; the representativity of the results in respect of past activities in the plant; the capability of detecting whether highly enriched uranium has been produced, used or occasionally transported in a location where low enriched uranium is routinely produced in

  1. Long-term disposal of enrichment plant tails

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-08-01

    Approximately 97% of the uranium fed to the isotope separation plants is recovered as tails containing nominally 0.2 wt percent U-235. Essentially all this tails material produced in the past, as well as that currently being generated, is stored as solidified UF 6 in steel cylinders. This report describes a stand-alone, 10 tU/day facility for converting the UF 6 to a stable uranium oxide powder amenable to long-term storage in steel drums. The conversion is accomplished in a two-step process in which the UF 6 is first reduced to UF 4 with hydrogen in a tower reactor and then the UF 4 is pyrohydrolyzed to UO 2 with steam in a three-stage screw reactor. One reduction reactor supplies the feed for three pyrohydrolysis reactor lines. Included in the process flow sheets and reactor design details are descriptions of the major auxiliary components for vaporizing and feeding the UF 6 , a dissociator for ammonia used as a hydrogen source, a system for recovering anhydrous hydrogen fluoride, and a reactor system for the disposal of hydrous hydrogen fluoride. Two of the nominal 10 tU/day plants would be required to handle the tails produced in isotope separation plants supplying enriched uranium to a nuclear power industry with a generation capacity of 50 GWe per year

  2. Rapid transporter regulation prevents substrate flow traffic jams in boron transport

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sotta, Naoyuki; Duncan, Susan; Tanaka, Mayuki; Sato, Takafumi

    2017-01-01

    Nutrient uptake by roots often involves substrate-dependent regulated nutrient transporters. For robust uptake, the system requires a regulatory circuit within cells and a collective, coordinated behaviour across the tissue. A paradigm for such systems is boron uptake, known for its directional transport and homeostasis, as boron is essential for plant growth but toxic at high concentrations. In Arabidopsis thaliana, boron uptake occurs via diffusion facilitators (NIPs) and exporters (BORs), each presenting distinct polarity. Intriguingly, although boron soil concentrations are homogenous and stable, both transporters manifest strikingly swift boron-dependent regulation. Through mathematical modelling, we demonstrate that slower regulation of these transporters leads to physiologically detrimental oscillatory behaviour. Cells become periodically exposed to potentially cytotoxic boron levels, and nutrient throughput to the xylem becomes hampered. We conclude that, while maintaining homeostasis, swift transporter regulation within a polarised tissue context is critical to prevent intrinsic traffic-jam like behaviour of nutrient flow. PMID:28870285

  3. Response of the oral mucosa to porphyrin mediated boron neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morris, G.M.

    2003-01-01

    Pre-clinical studies are now in progress to develop boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) modalities for the treatment of head and neck carcinomas. BNCT is a bimodal therapy which involves the administration of a boron-10 enriched compound, that accumulates preferentially in tumours, prior to irradiation with low energy neutrons. These neutrons are captured by boron-10 atoms to produce a highly localised radiation exposure. More recently, it has been demonstrated that various boronated porphyrins can target a variety of tumours. Of the porphyrins evaluated to date, copper tetracarboranylphenyl porphyrin (CuTCPH) is a strong candidate for potential clinical evaluation. It has extremely high specificity for a variety of tumour models. Therapeutic efficacy of CuTCPH mediated BNCT has been demonstrated in pre-clinical studies using the murine EMT-6 carcinoma model. In the present investigation the response of the oral mucosa to CuTCPH mediated boron neutron capture (BNC) irradiation was assessed using a standard rat model (ventral tongue). Single exposure irradiation was carried out on the thermal neutron beam at the Brookhaven Medical Research Reactor, at 3 days after the final injection of the boronated porphyrin. The impact of CuTCPH mediated BNC irradiation on oral mucosa at therapeutically effective exposure times, assessed using the ventral tongue model, was minimal. This was primarily due to the fact that blood boron levels (from CuTCPH) were very low at the time of irradiation. Analysis of the dose-effect data for CuTCPH gave a compound biological effectiveness (CBE) factor of 2.5. It can be concluded that, although, the CBE factor (calculated using blood boron concentrations) was relatively high, CuTCPH mediated BNC irradiation should not cause significant damage at clinically relevant radiation doses. This is because blood boron levels would be very low at the time of irradiation

  4. Boron toxicity causes multiple effects on Malus domestica pollen tube growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kefeng eFang

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants. However, boron is also toxic to cells at high concentrations, although the mechanism of this stress is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of boron stress on Malus domestica pollen tube growth and its possible regulatory pathway. Our results show that a high concentration of boron inhibited pollen germination and tube growth and led to the morphological abnormality of pollen tubes. Fluorescent labeling coupled with a scanning ion-selective electrode technique detected that boron stress could decrease [Ca2+]c and induce the disappearance of the [Ca2+]c gradient, which are critical for pollen tube polar growth. Actin filaments were therefore altered by boron stress. Immuno-localization and fluorescence labeling, together with Fourier-transform infrared analysis (FTIR, suggested that boron stress influenced the accumulation and distribution of callose, de-esterified pectins, esterified pectins and arabinogalactan proteins in pollen tubes. All of the above results provide new insights into the regulatory role of boron in pollen tube development. In summary, boron likely plays a structural and regulatory role in relation to [Ca2+]c, actin cytoskeleton and cell wall components and thus regulates Malus domestica pollen germination and tube polar growth.

  5. Boron Toxicity Causes Multiple Effects on Malus domestica Pollen Tube Growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Kefeng; Zhang, Weiwei; Xing, Yu; Zhang, Qing; Yang, Liu; Cao, Qingqin; Qin, Ling

    2016-01-01

    Boron is an important micronutrient for plants. However, boron is also toxic to cells at high concentrations, although the mechanism of this toxicity is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of boron toxicity on Malus domestica pollen tube growth and its possible regulatory pathway. Our results showed that a high concentration of boron inhibited pollen germination and tube growth and led to the morphological abnormality of pollen tubes. Fluorescent labeling coupled with a scanning ion-selective electrode technique detected that boron toxicity could decrease [Ca(2+)]c and induce the disappearance of the [Ca(2+)]c gradient, which are critical for pollen tube polar growth. Actin filaments were therefore altered by boron toxicity. Immuno-localization and fluorescence labeling, together with fourier-transform infrared analysis, suggested that boron toxicity influenced the accumulation and distribution of callose, de-esterified pectins, esterified pectins, and arabinogalactan proteins in pollen tubes. All of the above results provide new insights into the regulatory role of boron in pollen tube development. In summary, boron likely plays a structural and regulatory role in relation to [Ca(2+)]c, actin cytoskeleton and cell wall components and thus regulates Malus domestica pollen germination and tube polar growth.

  6. Centrifuge enrichment program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Astley, E.R.

    1976-01-01

    Exxon Nuclear has been active in privately funded research and development of centrifuge enrichment technology since 1972. In October of 1975, Exxon Nuclear submitted a proposal to design, construct, and operate a 3000-MT SWU/yr centrifuge enrichment plant, under the provisions of the proposed Nuclear Fuel Assurance Act of 1975. The U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) accepted the proposal as a basis for negotiation. It was proposed to build a 1000-MT SWU/yr demonstration increment to be operational in 1982; and after successful operation for about one year, expand the facilities into a 3000-MT SWU/yr plant. As part of the overall centrifuge enrichment plant, a dedicated centrifuge manufacturing plant would be constructed; sized to support the full 3000-MT SWU/yr plant. The selection of the centrifuge process by Exxon Nuclear was based on an extremely thorough evaluation of current and projected enrichment technology; results show that the technology is mature and the process will be cost effective. The substantial savings in energy (about 93%) from utilization of the centrifuge option rather than gaseous diffusion is a compelling argument. As part of this program, Exxon Nuclear has a large hardware R and D program, plus a prototype centrifuge manufacturing capability in Malta, New York. To provide a full-scale machine and limited cascade test capability, Exxon Nuclear is constructing a $4,000,000 Centrifuge Test Facility in Richland, Washington. This facility was to initiate operations in the Fall of 1976. Exxon Nuclear is convinced that the centrifuge enrichment process is the rational selection for emergence of a commercial enrichment industry

  7. Boron Stress Activates the General Amino Acid Control Mechanism and Inhibits Protein Synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uluisik, Irem; Kaya, Alaattin; Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Karakaya, Huseyin C.; Carlson, Bradley A.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.; Koc, Ahmet

    2011-01-01

    Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants, and it is beneficial for animals. However, at high concentrations boron is toxic to cells although the mechanism of this toxicity is not known. Atr1 has recently been identified as a boron efflux pump whose expression is upregulated in response to boron treatment. Here, we found that the expression of ATR1 is associated with expression of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis. These mechanisms are strictly controlled by the transcription factor Gcn4 in response to boron treatment. Further analyses have shown that boron impaired protein synthesis by promoting phosphorylation of eIF2α in a Gcn2 kinase dependent manner. The uncharged tRNA binding domain (HisRS) of Gcn2 is necessary for the phosphorylation of eIF2α in the presence of boron. We postulate that boron exerts its toxic effect through activation of the general amino acid control system and inhibition of protein synthesis. Since the general amino acid control pathway is conserved among eukaryotes, this mechanism of boron toxicity may be of general importance. PMID:22114689

  8. Boron stress activates the general amino acid control mechanism and inhibits protein synthesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irem Uluisik

    Full Text Available Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants, and it is beneficial for animals. However, at high concentrations boron is toxic to cells although the mechanism of this toxicity is not known. Atr1 has recently been identified as a boron efflux pump whose expression is upregulated in response to boron treatment. Here, we found that the expression of ATR1 is associated with expression of genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis. These mechanisms are strictly controlled by the transcription factor Gcn4 in response to boron treatment. Further analyses have shown that boron impaired protein synthesis by promoting phosphorylation of eIF2α in a Gcn2 kinase dependent manner. The uncharged tRNA binding domain (HisRS of Gcn2 is necessary for the phosphorylation of eIF2α in the presence of boron. We postulate that boron exerts its toxic effect through activation of the general amino acid control system and inhibition of protein synthesis. Since the general amino acid control pathway is conserved among eukaryotes, this mechanism of boron toxicity may be of general importance.

  9. Boronic Acid-Based Approach for Separation and Immobilization of Glycoproteins and Its Application in Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Liu

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Glycoproteins influence a broad spectrum of biological processes including cell-cell interaction, host-pathogen interaction, or protection of proteins against proteolytic degradation. The analysis of their glyco-structures and concentration levels are increasingly important in diagnosis and proteomics. Boronic acids can covalently react with cis-diols in the oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins to form five- or six-membered cyclic esters. Based on this interaction, boronic acid-based ligands and materials have attracted much attention in both chemistry and biology as the recognition motif for enrichment and chemo/biosensing of glycoproteins in recent years. In this work, we reviewed the progress in the separation, immobilization and detection of glycoproteins with boronic acid-functionalized materials and addressed its application in sensing.

  10. Preparation and characterization of fluorophenylboronic acid-functionalized affinity monolithic columns for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qianjin; Liu, Zhen

    2015-01-01

    Boronate affinity monolithic columns have been developed into an important means for the selective recognition and capture of cis-diol-containing biomolecules, such as glycoproteins, nucleosides and saccharides. The ligands of boronic acids are playing an important role in boronate affinity monolithic columns. Although several boronate affinity monoliths with high affinity toward cis-diol-containing biomolecules have been reported, only few publications are focused on their detailed procedures for preparation and characterization. This chapter describes in detail the preparation and characterization of a boronate affinity monolithic column applying 2,4-difluoro-3-formyl-phenylboronic acid (DFFPBA) as a ligand. The DFFPBA-functionalized monolithic column not only exhibited an ultrahigh boronate affinity toward cis-diol-containing biomolecules, but also showed great potential for the selective enrichment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules in real samples.

  11. Cholesterol lowering effect of a soy drink enriched with plant sterols in a French population with moderate hypercholesterolemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bard Jean-Marie

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Plant sterols are an established non-pharmacological means to reduce total and LDL blood cholesterol concentrations and are therefore recommended for cholesterol management by worldwide-renown health care institutions. Their efficacy has been proven in many types of foods with the majority of trials conducted in spreads or dairy products. As an alternative to dairy products, soy based foods are common throughout the world. Yet, there is little evidence supporting the efficacy of plant sterols in soy-based foods. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a soy drink enriched with plant sterols on blood lipid profiles in moderately hypercholesterolemic subjects. Methods In a randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind mono-centric study, 50 subjects were assigned to 200 ml of soy drink either enriched with 2.6 g plant sterol esters (1.6 g/d free plant sterol equivalents or without plant sterols (control for 8 weeks. Subjects were instructed to maintain stable diet pattern and physical activity. Plasma concentrations of lipids were measured at initial visit, after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks. The primary measurement was the change in LDL cholesterol (LDL-C. Secondary measurements were changes in total cholesterol (TC, non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C and triglycerides. Results Regular consumption of the soy drink enriched with plant sterols for 8 weeks significantly reduced LDL- C by 0.29 mmol/l or 7% compared to baseline (p 96%, and products were well tolerated. Conclusion Daily consumption of a plant sterol-enriched soy drink significantly decreased total, non-HDL and LDL cholesterol and is therefore an interesting and convenient aid in managing mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia.

  12. Boron availability to plants from coal combustion by-products

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kukier, U.; Sumner, M.E.

    1996-01-01

    Agronomic use of coal combustion by-products is often associated with boron (B) excess in amended soils and subsequently in plants. A greenhouse study with corn (Zea mays L.) as test plant was conducted to determine safe application rates of five fly ashes and one flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FDG). All by-products increased soil and corn tissue B concentration, in some cases above toxicity levels which are 5 mg hot water soluble B (hwsB)kg -1 soil and 100 mg B kg -1 in corn tissue. Acceptable application rates varied from 4 to 100 Mg ha -1 for different by-products. Leaching and weathering of a high B fly ash under ponding conditions decreased its B content and that of corn grown in fly ash amended soil, while leaching of the same fly ash under laboratory conditions increased fly ash B availability to corn in comparison to the fresh fly ash. Hot water soluble B in fly ash or FDG amended soil correlated very well with corn tissue B. Hot water soluble B in fly ash amended soil could be predicted based on soil pH and B solubility in ash at different pH values but not so in the case of FDG. Another greenhouse study was conducted to compare the influence of FDG and Ca(OH 2 ) on B concentration in spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) leaves grown in soil amended with the high B fly ash. The Ca(OH) 2 significantly decreased tissue B content, while FDG did not affect B uptake from fly ash amended soil. 41 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs

  13. Enrichment plants. A survey of major new uranium enriching projects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovan, D.

    1976-01-01

    The work enrichment situation is reported. The development of enrichment in the U.S. and in Europe is outlined. A brief description is given of the technology of separation by diffusion and by centrifugation and the advantages and disadvantages of the two processes are compared. Finally the supply and demand situation is briefly considered. (U.K.)

  14. Use of calcium and boron in the production of grain and sunflower silage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Newton Martin

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Boron and calcium are related to many physiological processes of the plant, which are affected by its deficiency, such as sugar transport, synthesis and cell wall structure, carbohydrate metabolism and plasma membrane integrity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of boron and calcium application via leaf and soil on the yield components in silage quality and content of macronutrients in leaves of sunflower. The experiment was conducted at Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR, Campus Dois Vizinhos, from September 2008 to April 2009, in a randomized block design with four replications, using the genotype Agrobel - La Tijereta. Morphological characteristics of the plants, the yield components (grain yield and weight of hundred grains, silage quality and content of nutrient uptake were evaluated. The sunflower crop did not respond to application of boron and calcium, to effects on yield components in silage quality and content of nutrients absorbed by plants. However, it was found increases in the partition dry grain and plant height.

  15. Evaluation of selective boron absorption in liver tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiaraviglio, D.; Grazia, F. De; Zonta, A.; Altieri, S.; Pedroni, P.; Braghieri, B.; Fossati, F.; Pinelli, T.; Perotti, A.; Specchiarello, S.; Perlini, G.; Rief, H.

    1988-01-01

    The first step was a pharmacokinetic study to identify substances which are good boron transporters and are therefore able to provide a high concentration of the nuclide with respect to the healthy hepatic tissue in the MHN. For this purpose the tumor M5076/73 (M5), which matastasizes spontaneously in liver, was inoculated subcutaneously in a group of C57B1/6 mice. Thirty days after the inoculation, when 90% of the liver was invaded by metastases, a boric acid 0.3 M solution enriched to 96% 10 B was injected into the caudal vein. The mice were sacrificed and the liver was frozen for measurements. Boron concentration in the various samples was achieved by measuring the energy distribution of α particles produced in the nuclear reaction 10 B(n, α) 7 Li induced by a thermal neutron beam extracted from the Triga Mark II reactor,

  16. Gaseous diffusion -- the enrichment workhorse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shoemaker, J.E. Jr.

    1984-01-01

    Construction of the first large-scale gaseous diffusion facility was started as part of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in 1943. This facility, code named ''K-25,'' began operation in January 1945 and was fully on stream by September 1945. Four additional process buildings were later added in Oak Ridge as the demand for enriched uranium escalated. New gaseous diffusion plants were constructed at Paducah, Kentucky, and Portsmouth, Ohio, during this period. The three gaseous diffusion plants were the ''workhorses'' which provided the entire enriched uranium demand for the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. As the demand for enriched uranium for military purposes decreased during the early 1960s, power to the diffusion plants was curtailed to reduce production. During the 1960s, as plans for the nuclear power industry were formulated, the role of the diffusion plants gradually changed from providing highly-enriched uranium for the military to providing low-enriched uranium for power reactors

  17. Boron affects the growth and ultrastructure of castor bean plants Boro afeta o crescimento e a ultra-estrutura da mamoneira

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Denis Herisson da Silva

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The cultivation of oleaginous plants like the castor bean guarantees employment for agricultural families and can contribute in energy and chemical sectors, especially in the northeastern semi-arid regions of Brazil. Boron (B deficiency is a widespread nutritional disorder despite the fact that various anthropogenic sources with high B content may increase soil B to toxic levels for plants. The present study was designed to investigate the ultrastructural effects of boron deficiency and toxicity on castor bean plants which were grown under greenhouse condition using plastic containers with 10 L of nutrient solution. Boron treatments comprised: control (no B; 0.27 mg L-1, 5.40 mg L-1 B pots (one plant per pot, tested in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The dry matter of all plant parts and B concentration were determined. Cellular ultrastructure was evaluated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy on samples of leaves and petioles. Dry matter yield was affected by the B absence treatment but there was no difference for the 5.4 mg L-1 B (toxic conditions treatment. A marginal leaf burn at edge and tips of oldest leaves and absence of starch granules in chloroplasts were noted for the B toxicity treatment. The deformation of the youngest leaves, the death of the apical meristem as well as the swelling of the middle lamella, absence of starch granules in chloroplasts and petiole vessels untidily were observed in the B absent treatment. It is concluded that the production and development of castor bean plants is affected by boron deficiency, but not for boron toxicity conditions.A mamoneira é uma oleaginosa com grande potencial para a geração de renda na agricultura familiar e para produção de matéria prima para a indústria química e setor energético brasileiro, especialmente em regiões do semi-árido nordestino. A deficiência de boro (B ocorre de forma generalizada no Brasil e a aplicação excessiva deste

  18. Uranium enrichment in South Africa: from the world-unique Z-plant to the use of high-technology lasers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McDowell, M.W.

    1995-01-01

    A historical discussion of the technology used in South Africa for the enrichment of uranium, as well as other technological spin-offs for the country that followed from the construction of the Z-plant. The national energy strategy and objectives of the government during the Apartheid years resulted in the development of several large-scale energy projects. The pressure of sanctions forced the Z-plant to be rushed into operation at an uneconomical capacity of 250 000 SWU per annum. In 1994 this implied that enriched uranium was produced at a cost of $200 per SWU while the world market price was below $90. While the production of enriched uranium at the Z-plant ceased early in 1995, the expertise gained will not be lost entirely. As a result of the high energy and financial capital intensive current methods of producing enriched uranium, research started in the early 1970's into alternative production processes making use of lasers. South Africa has opted for the MLIS (molecular laser isotope separation) process, as a result of its vast experience gained from the Z-plant in the handling of the molecular input gas UF6 (uranium hexafluoride), and this has been under development since the early 1980's. During 1994 significant progress was made with MLIS, in particular with single-step enrichment from natural uranium to better than 4% uranium 235 on a macro scale. The Atomic Energy Corporation of South Africa's strategy is to licence the process internationally. 3 tabs., 3 figs

  19. Uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1991-08-01

    This paper reports that in 1990 the Department of Energy began a two-year project to illustrate the technical and economic feasibility of a new uranium enrichment technology-the atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS) process. GAO believes that completing the AVLIS demonstration project will provide valuable information about the technical viability and cost of building an AVLIS plant and will keep future plant construction options open. However, Congress should be aware that DOE still needs to adequately demonstrate AVLIS with full-scale equipment and develop convincing cost projects. Program activities, such as the plant-licensing process, that must be completed before a plant is built, could take many years. Further, an updated and expanded uranium enrichment analysis will be needed before any decision is made about building an AVLIS plant. GAO, which has long supported legislation that would restructure DOE's uranium enrichment program as a government corporation, encourages DOE's goal of transferring AVLIS to the corporation. This could reduce the government's financial risk and help ensure that the decision to build an AVLIS plant is based on commercial concerns. DOE, however, has no alternative plans should the government corporation not be formed. Further, by curtailing a planned public access program, which would have given private firms an opportunity to learn about the technology during the demonstration project, DOE may limit its ability to transfer AVLIS to the private sector

  20. Hyb-Seq: Combining target enrichment and genome skimming for plant phylogenomics1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weitemier, Kevin; Straub, Shannon C. K.; Cronn, Richard C.; Fishbein, Mark; Schmickl, Roswitha; McDonnell, Angela; Liston, Aaron

    2014-01-01

    • Premise of the study: Hyb-Seq, the combination of target enrichment and genome skimming, allows simultaneous data collection for low-copy nuclear genes and high-copy genomic targets for plant systematics and evolution studies. • Methods and Results: Genome and transcriptome assemblies for milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) were used to design enrichment probes for 3385 exons from 768 genes (>1.6 Mbp) followed by Illumina sequencing of enriched libraries. Hyb-Seq of 12 individuals (10 Asclepias species and two related genera) resulted in at least partial assembly of 92.6% of exons and 99.7% of genes and an average assembly length >2 Mbp. Importantly, complete plastomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA cistrons were assembled using off-target reads. Phylogenomic analyses demonstrated signal conflict between genomes. • Conclusions: The Hyb-Seq approach enables targeted sequencing of thousands of low-copy nuclear exons and flanking regions, as well as genome skimming of high-copy repeats and organellar genomes, to efficiently produce genome-scale data sets for phylogenomics. PMID:25225629

  1. Reproductive toxicity in boron exposed workers in Bandirma, Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Başaran, Nurşen; Duydu, Yalçin; Bolt, Hermann M

    2012-06-01

    Boric acid and sodium borates have been considered as being "toxic to reproduction and development", following results of animal studies with high doses. However unfavorable effects of boron exposure on reproduction and development have not been proved in epidemiological studies so far. The aim of the present study was to investigate the reproductive toxicity indicators in highly exposed workers employed in a boric acid production plant in Bandırma, Turkey. Two hundred and four workers participated in this study. The mean blood boron concentration of the high exposure group of workers was 223.89 ± 69.49 (152.82-454.02)ng/g. Unfavorable effects of boron exposure on the reproductive toxicity indicators were not observed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  2. Microwave digestion techniques applied to determination of boron by ICP-AES in BNCT program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Farias, Silvia S.; Di Santo, Norberto R.; Garavaglia, Ricardo N.; Pucci, Gladys N.; Batistoni, Daniel A.; Schwint, Amanda E.

    1999-01-01

    Recently, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has merged as an interesting option for the treatment of some kind of tumors where established therapies show no success. A molecular boronated species, enriched in 10 B is administrated to the subject; it localizes in malignant tissues depending the kind of tumor and localization. Therefore, a very important fact in BNCT research is the detection of boron at trace or ultra trace levels precisely and accurately. This is extremely necessary as boronated species do localize in tumoral tissue and also localize in liver, kidney, spleen, skin, membranes. By this way, before testing a boronated species, it is mandatory to determine its biodistribution in a statistically meaning population, that is related with managing of a great number of samples. In the other hand, it is necessary to exactly predict when to begin the irradiation and to determine the magnitude of radiation to obtain the desired radiological dose for a specified mean boron concentration. This involves the determination of boron in whole blood, which is related with boron concentration in the tumor object of treatment. The methodology selected for the analysis of boron in whole blood and tissues must join certain characteristics: it must not be dependant of the chemical form of boron, it has to be fast and capable to determine boron accurately and precisely in a wide range of concentrations. The design and validation of experimental models involving animals in BNCT studies and the determination of boron in blood of animals and subjects upon treatment require reliable analytical procedures to determine boron quantitatively in those biologic materials. Inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) using pneumatic nebulization is one of the most promising methods for boron analysis, but the sample must be liquid and have low solid concentration. In our case, biological tissues and blood, it is mandatory to mineralize and/or dilute samples

  3. Critical experiments with 4.31 wt % 235U-enriched UO2 rods in highly borated water lattices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durst, B.M.; Bierman, S.R.; Clayton, E.D.

    1982-08-01

    A series of critical experiments were performed with 4.31 wt % 235 U enriched UO 2 fuel rods immersed in water containing various concentrations of boron ranging up to 2.55 g/l. The boron was added in the form of boric acid (H 3 BO 3 ). Critical experimental data were obtained for two different lattice pitches wherein the water-to-uranium oxide volume ratios were 1.59 and 1.09. The experiments provide benchmarks on heavily borated systems for use in validating calculational techniques employed in analyzing fuel shipping casks and spent fuel storage systems that may utilize boron for criticality control

  4. Enrichment of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid in Bean Sprouts: Exploring Biosynthesis of Plant Metabolite Using Common Household Reagents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojanarata, Theerasak; Plianwong, Samarwadee; Opanasopit, Praneet; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait

    2018-01-01

    The enrichment of plant foods with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is currently an interesting issue in the field of nutraceuticals and can be used as an experiment for upper-division undergraduate students. Here, an interdisciplinary hands-on experiment to produce GABA-enriched mung bean sprouts using common household reagents is described. Based…

  5. Method for separation and enrichment of isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakihana, H.; Miyamatsu, T.

    1977-01-01

    Boron or uranium isotopes can be chemically separated and enriched with high speed and with high separating efficiency by using weakly basic anion exchange fibers having a diameter of not more than 100 μ, an aspect ratio of at least 5 and an exchange capacity of at least 2 meq/g-dry fiber, which are packed in a column at a specific volume of 2.0 to 20.0 ml/g-dry fiber

  6. Roles of ATR1 paralogs YMR279c and YOR378w in boron stress tolerance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bozdag, Gonensin Ozan; Uluisik, Irem; Gulculer, Gulce Sila; Karakaya, Huseyin C.; Koc, Ahmet

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → ATR1 paralog YMR279c plays role in boron detoxification. → YMR279c overexpression lowers cytoplasmic boron levels. → ATR1 paralog YOR378w has no roles in boron stress response. -- Abstract: Boron is a necessary nutrient for plants and animals, however excess of it causes toxicity. Previously, Atr1 and Arabidopsis Bor1 homolog were identified as the boron efflux pump in yeast, which lower the cytosolic boron concentration and help cells to survive in the presence of toxic amount of boron. In this study, we analyzed ATR1 paralogs, YMR279c and YOR378w, to understand whether they participate in boron stress tolerance in yeast. Even though these genes share homology with ATR1, neither their deletion rendered cells boron sensitive nor their expression was significantly upregulated by boron treatment. However, expression of YMR279, but not YOR378w, from the constitutive GAPDH promoter on a high copy plasmid provided remarkable boron resistance by decreasing intracellular boron levels. Thus our results suggest the presence of a third boron exporter, YMR279c, which functions similar to ATR1 and provides boron resistance in yeast.

  7. Boron-enhanced diffusion of boron from ultralow-energy boron implantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Agarwal, A.; Eaglesham, D.J.; Gossmann, H.J.; Pelaz, L.; Herner, S.B.; Jacobson, D.C.

    1998-01-01

    The authors have investigated the diffusion enhancement mechanism of BED (boron enhanced diffusion), wherein the boron diffusivity is enhanced three to four times over the equilibrium diffusivity at 1,050 C in the proximity of a silicon layer containing a high boron concentration. It is shown that BED is associated with the formation of a fine-grain polycrystalline silicon boride phase within an initially amorphous Si layer having a high B concentration. For 0.5 keV B + , the threshold implantation dose which leads to BED lies between 3 x 10 14 and of 1 x 10 15 /cm -2 . Formation of the shallowest possible junctions by 0.5 keV B + requires that the implant dose be kept lower than this threshold

  8. Mathematical modeling based evaluation and simulation of boron removal in bioelectrochemical systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ping, Qingyun; Abu-Reesh, Ibrahim M; He, Zhen

    2016-11-01

    Boron removal is an arising issue in desalination plants due to boron's toxicity. As an emerging treatment concept, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) can achieve potentially cost-effective boron removal by taking advantage of cathodic-produced alkali. Prior studies have demonstrated successful removal of boron in microbial desalination cells (MDCs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs), both of which are representative BES. Herein, mathematical models were developed to further evaluate boron removal by different BES and understand the key operating factors. The models delivered very good prediction of the boron concentration in the MDC integrated with Donnan Dialysis (DD) system with the lowest relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.00%; the predication of the MFC performance generated the highest RMSE of 18.55%. The model results of salt concentration, solution pH, and current generation were well fitted with experimental data for RMSE values mostly below 10%. The long term simulation of the MDC-DD system suggests that the accumulation of salt in the catholyte/stripping solution could have a positive impact on the removal of boron due to osmosis-driven convection. The current generation in the MDC may have little influence on the boron removal, while in the MFC the current-driven electromigration can contribute up to 40% of boron removal. Osmosis-induced convection transport of boron could be the major driving force for boron removal to a low level 22.2 in order to avoid boron accumulation in the anolyte effluent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Adsorption of boron from boron-containing wastewaters by ion exchange in a continuous reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem; Boncukcuoglu, Recep; Yilmaz, M. Tolga; Kocakerim, M. Muhtar

    2005-01-01

    In this study, boron removal from boron-containing wastewaters prepared synthetically was investigated. The experiments in which Amberlite IRA 743, boron specific resin was used were carried out in a column reactor. The bed volume of resin, boron concentration, flow rate and temperature were selected as experimental parameters. The experimental results showed that percent of boron removal increased with increasing amount of resin and with decreasing boron concentration in the solution. Boron removal decreased with increasing of flow rate and the effect of temperature on the percent of total boron removal increased the boron removal rate. As a result, it was seen that about 99% of boron in the wastewater could be removed at optimum conditions

  10. Toxicity assessment of boron (B) by Lemna minor L. and Lemna gibba L. and their possible use as model plants for ecological risk assessment of aquatic ecosystems with boron pollution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gür, Nurcan; Türker, Onur Can; Böcük, Harun

    2016-08-01

    As many of the metalloid-based pollutants, the boron (B) toxicity issues have aroused more and more global attentions, especially concerning drinking water sources which flow through boron-rich areas. Therefore, feasible and innovative approaches are required in order to assess B toxicity in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the toxic effects of B on Lemna minor L. and Lemna gibba L. were investigated using various endpoints including number of fronds, growth rates, dry biomass and antioxidants enzymatic activities. Lemna species were exposed to B concentrations of 2 (control), 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 and 128 mg L(-1) for a test period of 7 days. The results demonstrated that plant growth was significantly reduced when the B concentration reached 16 mg L(-1). Furthermore, our results also concluded that among the antioxidative enzymes, SOD, APX and GPX can serve as important biomarkers for B-rich environment. The present results suggested that L. minor and L. gibba are very useful model plants for phytoremediation of low-B contaminated wastewater and they are also suitable options for B biomonitoring due to high phototoxic sensitivity against B. In this respect, the scientific insight of the present study is to fill the gaps in the research about the use of L. minor and L. gibba in ecotoxicological research associated with B toxicity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Boron Removal in Seawater Reverse Osmosis System

    KAUST Repository

    Rahmawati, Karina

    2011-07-01

    Reverse osmosis successfully proves to remove more than 99% of solute in seawater, providing fresh water supply with satisfied quality. Due to some operational constraints, however, some trace contaminants removal, such as boron, cannot be achieved in one pass system. The stringent criterion for boron from World Health Organization (WHO) and Saudi Arabia local standard (0.5 mg/l) is hardly fulfilled by single pass sea water reverse osmosis (SWRO) plants. Some design processes have been proposed to deal with boron removal, but they are not economically efficient due to high energy and chemical consumption. The objective of this study was to study boron removal by different reverse osmosis membranes in two pH conditions, with and without antiscalant addition. Thus, it was expected to observe the possibility of operating single pass system and necessity to operate two pass system using low energy membrane. Five membrane samples were obtained from two different manufacturers. Three types of feed water pH were used, pH 8, pH 10, and pH 10 with antiscalant addition. Experiment was conducted in parallel to compare membrane performance from two manufacturers. Filtration was run with fully recycle mode for three days. Sample of permeate and feed were taken every 12 hours, and analyzed for their boron and TDS concentration. Membrane samples were also tested for their surface charge. The results showed that boron rejection increases as the feed pH increases. This was caused by dissociation of boric acid to negatively charged borate ion and more negatively charged membrane surface at elevated pH which enhance boron rejection. This study found that single pass reverse osmosis system, with and without elevating the pH, may not be possible to be applied because of two reasons. First, permeate quality in term of boron, does not fulfill WHO and local Saudi Arabia regulations. Second, severe scaling occurs due to operation in alkaline condition, since Ca and Mg concentration are

  12. Short-term coral bleaching is not recorded by skeletal boron isotopes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoepf, Verena; McCulloch, Malcolm T; Warner, Mark E; Levas, Stephen J; Matsui, Yohei; Aschaffenburg, Matthew D; Grottoli, Andréa G

    2014-01-01

    Coral skeletal boron isotopes have been established as a proxy for seawater pH, yet it remains unclear if and how this proxy is affected by seawater temperature. Specifically, it has never been directly tested whether coral bleaching caused by high water temperatures influences coral boron isotopes. Here we report the results from a controlled bleaching experiment conducted on the Caribbean corals Porites divaricata, Porites astreoides, and Orbicella faveolata. Stable boron (δ11B), carbon (δ13C), oxygen (δ18O) isotopes, Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, U/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios, as well as chlorophyll a concentrations and calcification rates were measured on coral skeletal material corresponding to the period during and immediately after the elevated temperature treatment and again after 6 weeks of recovery on the reef. We show that under these conditions, coral bleaching did not affect the boron isotopic signature in any coral species tested, despite significant changes in coral physiology. This contradicts published findings from coral cores, where significant decreases in boron isotopes were interpreted as corresponding to times of known mass bleaching events. In contrast, δ13C and δ18O exhibited major enrichment corresponding to decreases in calcification rates associated with bleaching. Sr/Ca of bleached corals did not consistently record the 1.2°C difference in seawater temperature during the bleaching treatment, or alternatively show a consistent increase due to impaired photosynthesis and calcification. Mg/Ca, U/Ca, and Ba/Ca were affected by coral bleaching in some of the coral species, but the observed patterns could not be satisfactorily explained by temperature dependence or changes in coral physiology. This demonstrates that coral boron isotopes do not record short-term bleaching events, and therefore cannot be used as a proxy for past bleaching events. The robustness of coral boron isotopes to changes in coral physiology, however, suggests that reconstruction of

  13. Determination of very small contents of boron by pH difference measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boehm, H.; Kirmse, E.M.; Schilbach, U.

    1983-01-01

    For the determination of boron as a trace element for food of plants in a very complicated salt matrix an analytical proceeding was developed, which allows to determine the content of boron without separation. The principle of analysis is based on the esterification of boric acid with a multivalent alcohol, which leeds to a monovalent strong complex acid. The change of the pH value of the analysing solution is measured. From the initial pH number, the end pH number, the volume of the analysing solution and the ionic product of water corresponding with the operating temperature the quantity of boric acid of boron that is equivalent the produced quantity of H + -ions is calculated by means of a linear program. The standard deviation of analytical proceeding amounts to 13.9 ng B. For the determination of the contents of boron of an unknown sample, five to ten separate measurements are carried out. For solutions, which are about 1x10 -6 M of boric acid, there are necessary 10 ml of sample for each separate measurement. The confidence interval of analytical results is found to be between +- 0.5 and +- 15.5% (P=0.99). For the determination of the content of boron in plant materials about 50-100 mg of dry weight are necessary. (Author)

  14. Socioeconomic effects of the DOE Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant. Volume 1: methodology and analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    The socioeconomic effects of the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant being built in Portsmouth, Ohio were studied. Chapters are devoted to labor force, housing, population changes, economic impact, method for analysis of services, analysis of service impacts, schools, and local government finance

  15. Projected uranium measurement uncertainties for the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Younkin, J.M.

    1979-02-01

    An analysis was made of the uncertainties associated with the measurements of the declared uranium streams in the Portsmouth Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP). The total uncertainty for the GCEP is projected to be from 54 to 108 kg 235 U/year out of a measured total of 200,000 kg 235 U/year. The systematic component of uncertainty of the UF 6 streams is the largest and the dominant contributor to the total uncertainty. A possible scheme for reducing the total uncertainty is given

  16. Promotion of uranium enrichment business

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurushima, Morihiro

    1981-01-01

    The Committee on Nuclear Power has studied on the basic nuclear power policy, establishing its five subcommittees, entrusted by the Ministry of Nternational Trade and Industry. The results of examination by the subcommittee on uranium enrichment business are given along with a report in this connection by the Committee. In order to establish the nuclear fuel cycle, the aspect of uranium enrichment is essential. The uranium enrichment by centrifugal process has proceeded steadily in Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation. The following matters are described: the need for domestic uranium enrichment, the outlook for overseas enrichment services and the schedule for establishing domestic enrichment business, the current state of technology development, the position of the prototype enrichment plant, the course to be taken to establish enrichment business the main organization operating the prototype and commercial plants, the system of supplying centrifuges, the domestic conversion of natural uranium the subsidies for uranium enrichment business. (J.P.N.)

  17. Unattended Monitoring of HEU Production in Gaseous Centrifuge Enrichment Plants using Automated Aerosol Collection and Laser-based Enrichment Assay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anheier, Norman C.; Bushaw, Bruce A.

    2010-01-01

    Nuclear power is enjoying rapid growth as government energy policies and public demand shift toward low carbon energy production. Pivotal to the global nuclear power renaissance is the development and deployment of robust safeguards instrumentation that allows the limited resources of the IAEA to keep pace with the expansion of the nuclear fuel cycle. Undeclared production of highly enriched uranium (HEU) remains a primary proliferation concern for modern gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs), due to their massive separative work unit (SWU) processing power and comparably short cascade equilibrium timescale. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is developing an unattended safeguards instrument, combining continuous aerosol particulate collection with uranium isotope assay, to provide timely detection of HEU production within a GCEP. This approach is based on laser vaporization of aerosol particulates, followed by laser spectroscopy to characterize the uranium enrichment level. Our prior investigation demonstrated single-shot detection sensitivity approaching the femtogram range and relative isotope ratio uncertainty better than 10% using gadolinium as a surrogate for uranium. In this paper we present measurement results on standard samples containing traces of depleted, natural, and low enriched uranium, as well as measurements on aerodynamic size uranium particles mixed in background materials (e.g., dust, minerals, soils). Improvements and optimizations in the detection electronics, signal timing, calibration, and laser alignment have lead to significant improvements in detection sensitivity and enrichment accuracy, contributing to an overall reduction in the false alarm probability. The sample substrate media was also found to play a significant role in facilitating laser-induced vaporization and the production of energetic plasma conditions, resulting in ablation optimization and further improvements in the isotope abundance sensitivity.

  18. Safety aspects in a chemical exchange process plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, B.K.

    2016-01-01

    Based on a chemical exchange process involving solid liquid exchange, studies have been undertaken to enrich 10 B isotope of boron using ion exchange chromatography in which a strong base anion exchange resin in hydroxyl form is equilibrated with boric acid solution in presence of mannitol (a complexing reagent to boric acid) to enhance the acidity and hence the isotopic exchange separation factor for 10 B = 11 B exchange reaction. Using the electrochemical techniques such as pH-metry and conductimetry, the choice of a suitable complexing reagent was made amongst ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, dextrose and mannitol for cost-effective separation of isotopes of boron and monitoring of band movements using these electrochemical techniques. The optimum conditions for the regeneration of strong base anion exchange resins of type-I and type-II were determined for cost-effective separation of isotopes of boron by ion exchange chromatography. The possibility of using unspent alkali content of the effluent was also exploited. Removal of carbonate impurity from Rayon grade caustic lye (used as regenerant after dilution) and recycling of Ba(OH) 2 was studied to avoid waste disposal problems. This process is an industrially viable process. The various safety aspects followed during operation of this plant are described in this paper. (author)

  19. The Effect of Nitrogen Application on Boron Toxicity Reduction in Pistachio (Pistacia vera cv. Badami-Zarand Saplings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    babak motesharezadeh

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Boron is one of the seven essential microelements for the natural growth of plants. The toxicity of this element occurs in arid and semi-arid regions, which is because of its high level in soils and the irrigation water of mentioned regions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen application on boron toxicity tolerance in pistachio, Badami-Zarand variety. The effects of three nitrogen levels (0, 250, and 350 mg/kg of soil on the reduction of toxicity due to the three levels of boron (0, 15, and 30 mg/kg of soil were examined in Badami-Zarandi variety of pistachio under greenhouse conditions. After 7 months from sowing the seeds, pistachio seedlings were harvested and desired traits were measured. The results showed that by increasing boron application level, boron concentration in the shoot and root of seedlings increased whereas their dry weight decreased. Using of nitrogen reduced the negative effects of boron on the dry weight and led to increase dry weight and decrease boron concentration in the shoot and root of pistachio, Badami variety. Nitrogen application at the levels of 250 and 350 mg N per kg of soil reduced boron uptake in shoots by reinforcing plant vegetative system and increasing chlorophyll content by 13.5% and 30.2%, respectively and finally led to diluted boron concentration in the plant (dilution effect and reduced the effects of boron toxicity. Hence, optimized nitrogen application is suggested as one of the management methods in controlling Boron toxicity under these conditions. Materials and Methods: A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with four replications was carried out. Soil sampling was done in 0-30 cm depth in a zeekzack way from a pistachio garden that located in mahmoodiye area in Rafsanjan. The soil sample was air-dried and passed through a 2mm sieve. The soil chemical and physical properties were measured. In this study, badami-zarand cultivar seed

  20. Real-time boronization in PBX-M using erosion of solid boronized targets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kugel, H.W.; Timberlake, J.; Bell, R.; LeBlanc, B.; Okabayashi, M.; Paul, S.; Tighe, W.; Hirooka, Y.

    1994-11-01

    Thirty one real-time boronizations were applied to PBX-M using the plasma erosion of solid target probes. More than 17 g of boron were deposited in PBX-M using this technique. The probes were positioned at the edge plasma to optimize vaporization and minimize spallation. Auger depth profile analysis of poloidal and toroidal deposition sample coupon arrays indicate that boron was transported by the plasma around the torus and deep into the divertors. During discharges with continuous real-time boronization, low-Z and high-Z impurities decreased rapidly as plasma surfaces were covered during the first 20-30 discharges. After boronization, a short-term improvement in plasma conditions persisted prior to significant boron erosion from plasma surfaces, and a longer term, but less significant improvement persisted as boron farther from the edge continued gettering. Real-time solid target boronization has been found to be very effective for accelerating conditioning to new regimes and maintaining high performance plasma conditions

  1. Critical experiments on an enriched uranium solution system containing periodically distributed strong thermal neutron absorbers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rothe, R.E.

    1996-01-01

    A series of 62 critical and critical approach experiments were performed to evaluate a possible novel means of storing large volumes of fissile solution in a critically safe configuration. This study is intended to increase safety and economy through use of such a system in commercial plants which handle fissionable materials in liquid form. The fissile solution's concentration may equal or slightly exceed the minimum-critical-volume concentration; and experiments were performed for high-enriched uranium solution. Results should be generally applicable in a wide variety of plant situations. The method is called the 'Poisoned Tube Tank' because strong neutron absorbers (neutron poisons) are placed inside periodically spaced stainless steel tubes which separate absorber material from solution, keeping the former free of contamination. Eight absorbers are investigated. Both square and triangular pitched lattice patterns are studied. Ancillary topics which closely model typical plant situations are also reported. They include the effect of removing small bundles of absorbers as might occur during inspections in a production plant. Not taking the tank out of service for these inspections would be an economic advantage. Another ancillary topic studies the effect of the presence of a significant volume of unpoisoned solution close to the Poisoned Tube Tank on the critical height. A summary of the experimental findings is that boron compounds were excellent absorbers, as expected. This was true for granular materials such as Gerstley Borate and Borax; but it was also true for the flexible solid composed of boron carbide and rubber, even though only thin sheets were used. Experiments with small bundles of absorbers intentionally removed reveal that quite reasonable tanks could be constructed that would allow a few tubes at a time to be removed from the tank for inspection without removing the tank from production service

  2. Efeitos do boro em algodoeiro cultivado em condições de casa de vegetação Effects of boron application to cotton plant in a greenhouse study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelson M. da Silva

    1979-01-01

    Full Text Available Visando obter subsídios para a instalação de futuros ensaios de campo com adubação boratada do algodoeiro, foi conduzido estudo em casa de vegetação, utilizando-se solo comprovadamente carente em boro para essa cultura. Foram usadas doses de 0, 133, 266 e 532mg de bórax por vaso contendo 5,0kg de terra. Em vasos extras, estudaram-se níveis mais elevados do produto. O efeito de boro sobre a altura média das plantas, peso de capulho, peso de sementes e comprimento de fibra foi significativo estatisticamente e de natureza quadrática. A concentração de B na matéria seca da parte aérea da planta ou da folha cresceu em proporção à dose utilizada. No caso da análise de folhas de plantas carentes, a concentração variou de 10 a 39ppm, com média de 19pmm de B, enquanto em plantas com grave sintoma de toxicidade foi obtido índice superior a 590ppm de B. Em plantas com carência de boro foi observado um ou vários dos seguintes sintomas: paralisação de crescimento, superbrotamento, intumescimento de nós com escurecimento de tecido, deformações do limbo e do pecíolo de cotilédones e de folhas verdadeiras, anéis concêntricos com necroses correspondentes da medula de pecíolos foliares e deformações das flores. Como sintoma de toxicidade, observou-se clorose marginal e internerval do cotilédone e/ou da folha verdadeira, que evoluiu ou não para necrose do tecido, permanecendo as nervuras com coloração verde normal.A greenhouse experiment of borax application to cotton cultivated on a boron deficient soil, was conducted in order to obtain data for development of future field trials. Borax was applied to pot containing 5,0kg of soil in amounts of 0, 133, 266 e 532mg. Additional treatments with higher levels of boron was applied to extra pots. The influence of boron on plant height, weight of bolls and seeds and on fiber lenght was statistically significant and of quadratic nature. The content of boron, determined either in

  3. Ceramic silicon-boron-carbon fibers from organic silicon-boron-polymers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riccitiello, Salvatore R. (Inventor); Hsu, Ming-Ta S. (Inventor); Chen, Timothy S. (Inventor)

    1993-01-01

    Novel high strength ceramic fibers derived from boron, silicon, and carbon organic precursor polymers are discussed. The ceramic fibers are thermally stable up to and beyond 1200 C in air. The method of preparation of the boron-silicon-carbon fibers from a low oxygen content organosilicon boron precursor polymer of the general formula Si(R2)BR(sup 1) includes melt-spinning, crosslinking, and pyrolysis. Specifically, the crosslinked (or cured) precursor organic polymer fibers do not melt or deform during pyrolysis to form the silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fiber. These novel silicon-boron-carbon ceramic fibers are useful in high temperature applications because they retain tensile and other properties up to 1200 C, from 1200 to 1300 C, and in some cases higher than 1300 C.

  4. Uranium enrichment. 1980 annual report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-05-01

    This report contains data and related information on the production of enriched uranium at the gaseous diffusion plants and an update on the construction and project control center for the gas centrifuge plant. Power usage at the gaseous diffusion plants is illustrated. The report contains several glossy color pictures of the plants and processes described. In addition to gaseous diffusion and the centrifuge process, three advanced isotope separation process are now being developed. The business operation of the enrichment plants is described; charts on revenue, balance sheets, and income statements are included

  5. The new enrichment plant of AREVA, a worthy heir of Georges Besse's industrial visions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oursel, L.

    2011-01-01

    The Georges Besse II enrichment plant was inaugurated on December 14., 2010. This plant was the most important investment in France during the last decade, about 3 billion euros. This plant is based on the centrifugation technology instead of the gaseous diffusion that is still in operation in the Georges Besse plant of EURODIF. This plant has been designed in an environment-friendly approach: the centrifugation technology uses 50 times less electricity than gaseous diffusion, does not require taking water from the Rhone river for cooling, does not produce sound nuisances, and the moderate height of the buildings allows a better integration in the environment. The low amount of matter involved in the centrifugation process gives the plant a high level of safety. The plant has a capacity of 7.5 millions UTS with a possible extension to 11 millions UTS. (A.C.)

  6. Use of water as displacing agent in ion exchange chromatographic separation of isotope of boron using weak base ion exchange resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, B.K.; Mohanakrishnan, G.; Anand Babu, C.; Krishna Prabhu, R.

    2008-01-01

    Experiments were undertaken to study the feasibility of using weakly basic anion exchange resin for enrichment of isotopes of boron by ion exchange chromatography and water as eluent. The results of experiments carried out to determine total chloride capacity (TCC), strong base capacity (SBC) of the resin at different concentrations of boric acid and enrichment profiles are reported in this paper. (author)

  7. Detection of illicit HEU production in gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants using neutron counting techniques on product cylinders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Freeman, Corey R.; Geist, William H.

    2010-01-01

    Innovative and novel safeguards approaches are needed for nuclear energy to meet global energy needs without the threat of nuclear weapons proliferation. Part of these efforts will include creating verification techniques that can monitor uranium enrichment facilities for illicit production of highly-enriched uranium (HEU). Passive nondestructive assay (NDA) techniques will be critical in preventing illicit HEU production because NDA offers the possibility of continuous and unattended monitoring capabilities with limited impact on facility operations. Gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEP) are commonly used to produce low-enriched uranium (LEU) for reactor fuel. In a GCEP, gaseous UF 6 spins at high velocities in centrifuges to separate the molecules containing 238 U from those containing the lighter 235 U. Unfortunately, the process for creating LEU is inherently the same as HEU, creating a proliferation concern. Insuring that GCEPs are producing declared enrichments poses many difficult challenges. In a GCEP, large cascade halls operating thousands of centrifuges work together to enrich the uranium which makes effective monitoring of the cascade hall economically prohibitive and invasive to plant operations. However, the enriched uranium exiting the cascade hall fills product cylinders where the UF 6 gas sublimes and condenses for easier storage and transportation. These product cylinders hold large quantities of enriched uranium, offering a strong signal for NDA measurement. Neutrons have a large penetrability through materials making their use advantageous compared to gamma techniques where the signal is easily attenuated. One proposed technique for detecting HEU production in a GCEP is using neutron coincidence counting at the product cylinder take off stations. This paper discusses findings from Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended (MCNPX) code simulations that examine the feasibility of such a detector.

  8. The enrichment behavior of natural radionuclides in pulverized oil shale-fired power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaasma, Taavi; Kiisk, Madis; Meriste, Tõnis; Tkaczyk, Alan Henry

    2014-01-01

    The oil shale industry is the largest producer of NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) waste in Estonia. Approximately 11–12 million tons of oil shale containing various amounts of natural radionuclides is burned annually in the Narva oil shale-fired power plants, which accounts for approximately 90% of Estonian electricity production. The radionuclide behavior characteristics change during the fuel combustion process, which redistributes the radionuclides between different ash fractions. Out of 24 operational boilers in the power plants, four use circulating fluidized bed (CFB) technology and twenty use pulverized fuel (PF) technology. Over the past decade, the PF boilers have been renovated, with the main objective to increase the efficiency of the filter systems. Between 2009 and 2012, electrostatic precipitators (ESP) in four PF energy blocks were replaced with novel integrated desulphurization technology (NID) for the efficient removal of fly ash and SO 2 from flue gases. Using gamma spectrometry, activity concentrations and enrichment factors for the 238 U ( 238 U, 226 Ra, 210 Pb) and 232 Th ( 232 Th, 228 Ra) family radionuclides as well as 40 K were measured and analyzed in different PF boiler ash fractions. The radionuclide activity concentrations in the ash samples increased from the furnace toward the back end of the flue gas duct. The highest values in different PF boiler ash fractions were in the last field of the ESP and in the NID ash, where radionuclide enrichment factors were up to 4.2 and 3.3, respectively. The acquired and analyzed data on radionuclide activity concentrations in different PF boiler ashes (operating with an ESP and a NID system) compared to CFB boiler ashes provides an indication that changes in the fuel (oil shale) composition and boiler working parameters, as well as technological enhancements in Estonian oil shale fired power plants, have had a combined effect on the distribution patterns of natural radionuclides in

  9. Developments in uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohrhauer, H.

    1995-01-01

    The enrichment services market is still characterized by overcapacities. While consumption worldwide will rise by some 15% to 39,000 t SWU/a over the next ten years, capacities amount to nearly 50,000 t SWU/a. The price for enrichment services probably has reached its all time low. Prices below U.S. $ 100/kg SWU are not likely to cover costs even of the economically most advanced enrichment processes. Urenco has prepared for the difficult enrichment business in the years to come by streamlining and cost cutting measures. The company intends to hold and increase its share of more than 10% in the world market. The uranium enrichment plant of Gronau will be expanded further. Expansion beyond 1000 t is subject to another permit being granted under the Atomic Energy Act, an application for which was filed in December 1994. Centrifuge technology is the superior enrichment technology, i.e., there is still considerable potential for further development. Construction of enrichment plants employing the centrifuge technology in the United States and in France is being pursued in various phases, from feasibility studies to licensing procedures. Before these plants could be implemented, however, considerable problems of organization would have to be solved, and the market would have to change greatly, respectively. The laser process, at the present time, does not seem to be able to develop into a major industrial competitor. (orig.) [de

  10. Safeguards approaches for conversion and gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stanuch, C.; Whitaker, M.; Lockwood, D.; Boyer, B.

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes recent studies and investigations of new safeguards measures and inspection tools to strengthen international safeguards at GCEPs (Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants) and conversion plants. The IAEA has indicated that continuous, unattended process monitoring should play a central role in future safeguards approaches for conversion plants and GCEPs. Monitoring safeguards relevant information from accountancy scales, process load cells, and unit header pipes can make existing safeguards approaches more efficient by replacing repetitive, routine, labor-intensive inspection activities with automated systems. These systems can make the safeguards approach more effective by addressing more completely the safeguards objectives at these facilities. Automated collection and analysis of the data can further enable the IAEA to move towards a fully-information driven inspection regime with randomized (from the operator's perspective), short-notice inspections. The reduction in repetitive on-site inspection activities would also be beneficial to plant operators, but only if sensitive and proprietary information can be protected and the new systems prove to be reliable. New facilities that incorporate Safeguards by Design into the earliest design stages can facilitate the effective DIV (Design Information Verification) of the plant to allow the inspectors to analyze the capacity of the plant, to project maximum production from the plant, and to provide a focus on the areas in the plant where credible diversion scenarios could be attempted. Facilitating efficient nuclear material accountancy by simplifying process pipework and making flow measurement points more accessible can allow for easier estimation of plant holdup and a potential reduction in the number of person-days of inspection. Lastly, a universal monitoring standard that tracks the location, movement, and use of UF 6 cylinders may enhance the efficiency of operations at industry sites and would

  11. Salinity's influence on boron toxicity in broccoli: I. Impacts on yield, biomass distribution, and water use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Research addressing the interactive effects of the dual plant stress factors, excess boron and salinity, on crop productivity has expanded considerably over the past few years. The purpose of this research was to determine and quantify the interactive effects of salinity, saltcomposition and boron ...

  12. Mathematical modeling based evaluation and simulation of boron removal in bioelectrochemical systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ping, Qingyun [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States); Abu-Reesh, Ibrahim M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha (Qatar); He, Zhen, E-mail: zhenhe@vt.edu [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061 (United States)

    2016-11-01

    Boron removal is an arising issue in desalination plants due to boron's toxicity. As an emerging treatment concept, bioelectrochemical systems (BES) can achieve potentially cost-effective boron removal by taking advantage of cathodic-produced alkali. Prior studies have demonstrated successful removal of boron in microbial desalination cells (MDCs) and microbial fuel cells (MFCs), both of which are representative BES. Herein, mathematical models were developed to further evaluate boron removal by different BES and understand the key operating factors. The models delivered very good prediction of the boron concentration in the MDC integrated with Donnan Dialysis (DD) system with the lowest relative root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.00%; the predication of the MFC performance generated the highest RMSE of 18.55%. The model results of salt concentration, solution pH, and current generation were well fitted with experimental data for RMSE values mostly below 10%. The long term simulation of the MDC-DD system suggests that the accumulation of salt in the catholyte/stripping solution could have a positive impact on the removal of boron due to osmosis-driven convection. The current generation in the MDC may have little influence on the boron removal, while in the MFC the current-driven electromigration can contribute up to 40% of boron removal. Osmosis-induced convection transport of boron could be the major driving force for boron removal to a low level < 2 mg L{sup −} {sup 1}. The ratio between the anolyte and the catholyte flow rates should be kept > 22.2 in order to avoid boron accumulation in the anolyte effluent. - Highlights: • Mathematical models are developed to understand boron removal in BES. • Boron removal can be driven by electromigration induced by current generation. • Diffusion induced by a salt concentration gradient also contributes to boron removal. • Osmosis and current driven convection transport play diverse roles in different BES.

  13. Aspects of the chemistry of boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moellinger, H.

    1976-01-01

    Crystal phases of elementary boron are reviewed as well as boron-sulphur, boron-selenum, boron-tellurium, and boron-nitrogen compounds, carboranes, and boron-carbohydrate complexes. A boron cadastre of rivers and lakes serves to illustrate the role of boron in environmental protection. Technically relevant boron compounds and their uses are mentioned. (orig.) 891 HK/orig. 892 MB [de

  14. Boron-Proton Nuclear-Fusion Enhancement Induced in Boron-Doped Silicon Targets by Low-Contrast Pulsed Laser

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Picciotto

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available We show that a spatially well-defined layer of boron dopants in a hydrogen-enriched silicon target allows the production of a high yield of alpha particles of around 10^{9} per steradian using a nanosecond, low-contrast laser pulse with a nominal intensity of approximately 3×10^{16}  W cm^{−2}. This result can be ascribed to the nature of the long laser-pulse interaction with the target and with the expanding plasma, as well as to the optimal target geometry and composition. The possibility of an impact on future applications such as nuclear fusion without production of neutron-induced radioactivity and compact ion accelerators is anticipated.

  15. Integrated Information Technology Framework for Analysis of Data from Enrichment Plants to Support the Safeguards Mission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marr, Clifton T.; Thurman, David A.; Jorgensen, Bruce V.

    2008-01-01

    Many examples of software architectures exist that support process monitoring and analysis applications which could be applied to enrichment plants in a fashion that supports the Safeguards Mission. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has developed mature solutions that will provide the framework to support online statistical analysis of enrichment plans and the entire nuclear fuel cycle. Most recently, PNNL has developed a refined architecture and supporting tools that address many of the common problems analysis and modeling environments experience: pipelining, handling large data volumes, and real-time performance. We propose the architecture and tools may be successfully used in furthering the goals of nuclear material control and accountability as both an aid to processing plant owners and as comprehensive monitoring for oversight teams.

  16. Boron toxicity in rice (Oryza sativa L.). I. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of tolerance to boron toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochiai, K; Uemura, S; Shimizu, A; Okumoto, Y; Matoh, T

    2008-06-01

    Boron toxicity tolerance of rice plants was studied. Modern japonica subspecies such as Koshihikari, Nipponbare, and Sasanishiki were tolerant, whereas indica subspecies such as Kasalath and IR36 were intolerant to excessive application of boron (B), even though their shoot B contents under B toxicity were not significantly different. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of japonica Nekken-1 and indica IR36 were used for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis to identify the gene responsible for B toxicity tolerance. A major QTL that could explain 45% of the phenotypic variation was detected in chromosome 4. The QTL was confirmed using a population derived from a recombinant inbred line which is heterogenic at the QTL region. The QTL was also confirmed in other chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs).

  17. LiB and its boron-deficient variants under pressure

    KAUST Repository

    Hermann, Andreas

    2012-10-15

    Results of computational investigations of the structural and electronic properties of the ground states of binary compounds LiB x with 0.67 ≤x≤1.00 under pressure are reported. Structure predictions based on evolutionary algorithms and particle swarm optimization reveal that with increasing pressure, stoichiometric 1:1-LiB undergoes a variety of phase transitions, is significantly stabilized with respect to the elements and takes up a diamondoid boron network at high pressures. The Zintl picture is very useful in understanding the evolution of structures with pressure. The experimentally seen finite range of stability for LiB x phases with 0.8≤x≤1.00 is modeled both by boron-deficient variants of the 1:1-LiB structure and lithium-enriched intercalation structures. We find that the finite stability range vanishes at pressures P≥40GPa, where stoichiometric compounds then become more stable. A metal-to-insulator transition for LiB is predicted at P = 70 GPa. © 2012 American Physical Society.

  18. LiB and its boron-deficient variants under pressure

    KAUST Repository

    Hermann, Andreas; Suarez-Alcubilla, Ainhoa; Gurtubay, Idoia G.; Yang, Li-Ming; Bergara, Aitor; Ashcroft, N. W.; Hoffmann, Roald

    2012-01-01

    Results of computational investigations of the structural and electronic properties of the ground states of binary compounds LiB x with 0.67 ≤x≤1.00 under pressure are reported. Structure predictions based on evolutionary algorithms and particle swarm optimization reveal that with increasing pressure, stoichiometric 1:1-LiB undergoes a variety of phase transitions, is significantly stabilized with respect to the elements and takes up a diamondoid boron network at high pressures. The Zintl picture is very useful in understanding the evolution of structures with pressure. The experimentally seen finite range of stability for LiB x phases with 0.8≤x≤1.00 is modeled both by boron-deficient variants of the 1:1-LiB structure and lithium-enriched intercalation structures. We find that the finite stability range vanishes at pressures P≥40GPa, where stoichiometric compounds then become more stable. A metal-to-insulator transition for LiB is predicted at P = 70 GPa. © 2012 American Physical Society.

  19. Boron Drug Delivery via Encapsulated Magnetic Nanocomposites: A New Approach for BNCT in Cancer Treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinghuai Zhu

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Ortho-carborane cages have been successfully attached to modified magnetic nanoparticles via catalytic azide-alkyne cycloadditions between 1-R-2-butyl-Ortho-C2B10H10(R=Me,3;Ph,4 and propargyl group-enriched magnetic nanoparticles. A loading amount of 9.83 mmol boron atom/g starch-matrixed magnetic nanoparticles has been reached. The resulting nanocomposites have been found to be highly tumor-targeted vehicles under the influence of an external magnetic field (1.14T, yielding a high boron concentration of 51.4 μg/g tumor and ratios of around 10 : 1 tumor to normal tissues.

  20. Review of uranium enrichment prospects in Canada, 1976

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Developments since 1971 which affect the prospects for uranium enrichment in Canada from the federal government point of view are reviewed. The market for enriched uranium to the year 2000 is similar to that projected in 1971. The committed enrichment capacity of the world will be sufficient until 1990. The Canadian uranium mining capability may be adequate to supply an enrichment plant, but the present reserves policy along with the currently known resources are likely to restrict exports of its products during the plant life. Prices for enriched uranium produced in Canada would be higher than those reported by other proposed new plants; however, newer enrichment techniques have some potential for cost reductions. Application of enrichment with U235 (or plutonium and U233/thorium) to CANDU offers some uranium resource conservation and possible slight power cost reductions. Construction of an enrichment plant in Canada to supply the export market is less attractive in 1976 than in 1971, but there is potential for such a business in the future. (L.L.)

  1. Air strikes on uranium enrichment plants as potential sources of radioecological danger

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Živanov Dragan

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT, the signatory countries are not forbidden to preform uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes. However, if there is a justified doubt that the uranium enrichment is performed with the aim to produce nuclear weapons, this certainly causes great concern. In this case, the international community can apply pressure to a certain country if it determines that the country does not want to cease activities of making its own nuclear weapons. The international community pressure on the country can be intesified until its political leadership is not made to question and cease all activities of producing nuclear weapons. This pressure can be political, economic, and as a last resort-military. As a gesture of goodwill the country can stop the uranium enrichment process. In this way, the country shows that it finally gives up the intention to produce nuclear weapons. However, when military pressure is applied, i.e. military strikes (air strikes for example on nuclear plants used for uranium enrichment, this certainly creates a risk of releasing radioactivity into the environment. That is why the aim of this paper is to signal this very fact. Using military force in these cases leads to additional radioactive contamination of the environment, so this way of solving conflicts should be avoided within the international community.

  2. Irradiation program of slightly enriched fuel elements at the Atucha I nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casario, J.A.; Cesario, R.H.; Perez, R.A.; Sidelnik, J.I.

    1987-01-01

    An irradiation program of fuel elements with slightly enriched uranium is implemented, tending to the homogenization of core at Atucha I nuclear power plant. The main benefits of the enrichment program are: a) to extend the average discharge burnup of fuel elements, reducing the number of elements used to generate the same amount of energy. This implies a smaller annual consumption of elements and consequently the reduction of transport and replacement operations and of the storage pool systems as well as that of radioactive wastes; b) the saving of uranium and structural materials (Zircaloy and others). In the initial stage of program an homogeneous core enrichment of 0.85% by weight of U-235 is anticipated. The average discharge burnup of fuel elements, as estimated by previous studies, is approximately 11.6 MW d/kg U. The annual consumption of fuel elements is reduced from 396 of natural uranium to 205, with a load factor of 0.85. It is intended to reach the next equilibrium steps with an enrichment of 1.00 and 1.20% in U-235. (Author)

  3. Boron exposure assessment using drinking water and urine in the North of Chile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes, S; Reynaga-Delgado, E; Sancha, A M; Ferreccio, C

    2011-12-01

    Boron is an essential trace element for plants and humans however it is still an open question what levels of boron are actually safe for humans. This study, conducted between 2006 and 2010, measured exposure levels of boron in drinking water and urine of volunteers in Arica, an area in the North of Chile with high levels of naturally occurring boron. Samples were taken of tap and bottled water (173 and 22, respectively), as well as urine from 22 volunteers, and subsequently analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Boron varied in public tap water from 0.22 to 11.3mgL(-1), with a median value of 2.9mgL(-1), while concentrations of boron in bottled water varied from 0.01 to 12.2mgL(-1). Neither tap nor bottled water samples had concentrations of boron within WHO recommended limits. The concentration of boron in urine varied between 0.45 and 17.4mgL(-1), with a median of 4.28mgL(-1) and was found to be correlated with tap water sampled from the homes of the volunteers (r=0.64). Authors highly recommend that in northern Chile - where levels of boron are naturally high - that the tap and bottled water supplies be monitored in order to protect public health and that regulatory standards also be established for boron in drinking water in order to limit exposure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Boron exposure assessment using drinking water and urine in the North of Chile

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cortes, S., E-mail: scortes@med.puc.cl [Departamento de Salud Publica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago (Chile); Reynaga-Delgado, E. [Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas del Noroeste, La Paz B.C.S. (Mexico); Sancha, A.M. [Facultad de Ciencias Fisicas y Matematicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago (Chile); Ferreccio, C. [Departamento de Salud Publica, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago (Chile)

    2011-12-01

    Boron is an essential trace element for plants and humans however it is still an open question what levels of boron are actually safe for humans. This study, conducted between 2006 and 2010, measured exposure levels of boron in drinking water and urine of volunteers in Arica, an area in the North of Chile with high levels of naturally occurring boron. Samples were taken of tap and bottled water (173 and 22, respectively), as well as urine from 22 volunteers, and subsequently analyzed by inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Boron varied in public tap water from 0.22 to 11.3 mg L{sup -1}, with a median value of 2.9 mg L{sup -1}, while concentrations of boron in bottled water varied from 0.01 to 12.2 mg L{sup -1}. Neither tap nor bottled water samples had concentrations of boron within WHO recommended limits. The concentration of boron in urine varied between 0.45 and 17.4 mg L{sup -1}, with a median of 4.28 mg L{sup -1} and was found to be correlated with tap water sampled from the homes of the volunteers (r = 0.64). Authors highly recommend that in northern Chile - where levels of boron are naturally high - that the tap and bottled water supplies be monitored in order to protect public health and that regulatory standards also be established for boron in drinking water in order to limit exposure.

  5. Description of the CNEA U308 powder production plant for low enrichment fuel plates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boero, N.L.; Celora, J.; Parodi, C.A.; Pertossi, F.R.; Marajofsky, A.

    1987-01-01

    The design of the 20% enriched U 3 O 8 powder production plant was based on laboratory level experiments. The UF 6 hydrolysis, ADU precipitation, U 3 O 8 conversion processes were used. The equipment, controls and confinement were set not only by the processes but also by safety requirements according to the kind and physical form of the uranium compounds in each stage and criticality considerations. This paper describes the installation, set up and operation of the plant during production. (Author)

  6. Synthesis and biological evaluation of boronated polyglycerol dendrimers as potential agent for neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Gerald S.; Camillo, Maria A.P.; Higa, Olga Z.; Pugliesi, Reynaldo; Fermamdes, Edson G.R.; Queiroz, Alvaro A.A. de

    2005-01-01

    In this work, the polyglycerol dendrimer (PGLD) generation 5 was used to obtain a boronated macromolecule for boron neutron capture therapy. The PGLD dendrimer was synthesized by the ring opening polymerization of deprotonated glycidol using polyglycerol as core functionality in a step-growth processes denominated divergent synthesis. The PGLD dendritic structure was confirmed by gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR) and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization techniques. The synthesized dendrimer presented low dispersion in molecular weights (M w /M n = 1.05) and a degree of branching of 0.82, which characterize the polymer dendritic structure. Quantitative neutron capture radiography was used to investigate the boron-10 enrichment of the polyglycerol dendrimer. The in vitro cytotoxicity to Chinese hamster ovary cells of 10 B-PGLD dendrimer indicate lower cytotoxicity, suggesting that the macromolecule is a biocompatible material. (author)

  7. Grazing damage to plants and gastropod and grasshopper densities in a CO 2-enrichment experiment on calcareous grassland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ledergerber, Stephan; Thommen, G. Heinrich; Baur, Bruno

    Plant-herbivore interactions may change as atmospheric CO 2 concentrations continue to rise. We examined the effects of elevated atmospheric CO 2 and CO 2-exposure chambers on the grazing damage to plants, and on the abundances of potential herbivores (terrestrial gastropods and grasshoppers) in a calcareous grassland in the Jura mountains of Switzerland (village of Nenzlingen). Individuals of most plant species examined showed slight grazing damage. However, plots with CO 2 enrichment and plots with ambient atmosphere did not differ in the extent of grazing damage. Similarly, plots with CO 2 enrichment and plots with ambient atmosphere did not differ in either gastropod or grasshopper density. Experimental plots with and without chambers did not differ in the number of gastropods. However, the densities of gastropods and grasshoppers and extent of grazing damage to plants were generally lower in the experimental area than in the grassland outside the experimental field.

  8. New Small LWR Core Designs using Particle Burnable Poisons for Low Boron Concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, Ho Seong; Hwang, Dae Hee; Hong, Ser Gi

    2015-01-01

    The soluble boron has two major important roles in commercial PWR operations : 1) the control of the long-term reactivity to maintain criticality under normal operation, and 2) the shutdown of the reactor under accidents. However, the removal of the soluble boron gives several advantages in SMRs (Small Modular Reactor). These advantages resulted from the elimination of soluble boron include the significant simplification of nuclear power plant through the removal of pipes, pumps, and purification systems. Also, the use of soluble boron mitigates corrosion problems on the primary coolant loop. Furthermore, the soluble boron-free operation can remove an inadvertent boron dilution accident (BDA) which can lead to a significant insertion of positive reactivity. From the viewpoint of core physics, the removal of soluble boron or reduction of soluble boron concentration makes the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC) more negative. From the core design studies using new fuel assemblies, it is shown that the cores have very low critical soluble boron concentrations less than 500ppm, low peaking factors within the design targets, strong negative MTCs over cycles, and large enough shutdown margins both at BOC and EOC. However, the present cores have relatively low average discharge burnups of ∼ 30MWD/kg leading to low fuel economy because the cores use lots of non-fuel burnable poison rods to achieve very low critical boron concentrations. So, in the future, we will perform the trade-off study between the fuel discharge burnup and the boron concentrations by changing fuel assembly design and the core loading pattern

  9. New Small LWR Core Designs using Particle Burnable Poisons for Low Boron Concentration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, Ho Seong; Hwang, Dae Hee; Hong, Ser Gi [Kyung Hee University, Yongin (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-05-15

    The soluble boron has two major important roles in commercial PWR operations : 1) the control of the long-term reactivity to maintain criticality under normal operation, and 2) the shutdown of the reactor under accidents. However, the removal of the soluble boron gives several advantages in SMRs (Small Modular Reactor). These advantages resulted from the elimination of soluble boron include the significant simplification of nuclear power plant through the removal of pipes, pumps, and purification systems. Also, the use of soluble boron mitigates corrosion problems on the primary coolant loop. Furthermore, the soluble boron-free operation can remove an inadvertent boron dilution accident (BDA) which can lead to a significant insertion of positive reactivity. From the viewpoint of core physics, the removal of soluble boron or reduction of soluble boron concentration makes the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC) more negative. From the core design studies using new fuel assemblies, it is shown that the cores have very low critical soluble boron concentrations less than 500ppm, low peaking factors within the design targets, strong negative MTCs over cycles, and large enough shutdown margins both at BOC and EOC. However, the present cores have relatively low average discharge burnups of ∼ 30MWD/kg leading to low fuel economy because the cores use lots of non-fuel burnable poison rods to achieve very low critical boron concentrations. So, in the future, we will perform the trade-off study between the fuel discharge burnup and the boron concentrations by changing fuel assembly design and the core loading pattern.

  10. Resonant soft x-ray reflectivity of Me/B4C multilayers near the boron K edge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ksenzov, Dmitriy; Schlemper, Christoph; Pietsch, Ullrich

    2010-09-01

    Energy dependence of the optical constants of boron carbide in the short period Ru/B4C and Mo/B4C multilayers (MLs) are evaluated from complete reflectivity scans across the boron K edge using the energy-resolved photon-in-photon-out method. Differences between the refractive indices of the B4Cmaterial inside and close to the surface are obtained from the peak profile of the first order ML Bragg peak and the reflection profile near the critical angle of total external reflection close to the surface. Where a Mo/B4C ML with narrow barrier layers appears as a homogeneous ML at all energies, a Ru/B4C ML exhibits another chemical nature of boron at the surface compared to the bulk. From evaluation of the critical angle of total external reflection in the energy range between 184 and 186 eV, we found an enriched concentration of metallic boron inside the Ru-rich layer at the surface, which is not visible in other energy ranges.

  11. A reactivity hold-down strategy for soluble boron free operation by introducing Pu-238 added fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Soon Young; Kim, Jong Kyung

    2000-01-01

    A new concept of Pu-238 added fuel is introduced to control the reactivity and power distribution in soluble boron free (SBF) pressurized water reactor (PWR) core. Though extensive use of burnable poison and control rods is inevitable for reactivity suppression in SBF core, it causes the core power distribution control to be so difficult that a practical SBF operation is far distant. In this work, it is confirmed that the excess reactivity can be greatly suppressed by introducing the Pu-238 added fuel. As a result of the conceptual core design of the 600 MWe SBF PWR using Pu-238 added fuel, the core reactivity is well controlled in comparison with the results obtained from the earlier 600 MWe SBF core design works. Especially, the axial power shape control is performed successfully with the aid of simple axial zoning scheme, developed in this study, by using Pu-238 enrichment zoning. The Pu-238 added fuel is also tested for 1300 MWe SBF PWR core design, in which the power distribution control can be more difficult than that of smaller plants if soluble boron control is not available. The results show that the core excess reactivity and the power distribution can be well controlled without using soluble boron even in a large-sized PWR. Hence, one of the difficult control problems arising in SBF core design can be greatly mitigated by introducing the new fuel concept. It is further expected that the Pu-238 added fuel, the simple axial zoning scheme, and the control bank operation strategy introduced in this study are directly applicable to practical SBF core design

  12. The determination of boron and carbon in reactor grade boron carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crossley, D.; Wood, A.J.; McInnes, C.A.J.; Jones, I.G.

    1978-09-01

    The sealed tube method of dissolution at high temperature and pressure has been successfully applied in the analysis of reactor grade boron carbide for the determination of boron. A 50 mg sample of boron carbide is completely dissolved by heating with concentrated nitric acid in a sealed tube at 300 0 C. The boron content of the resultant sample solution is determined by the mannitol potentiometric titration method. The precision of the method for the determination of 2.5 mg of boron using the Harwell automatic potentiometric titrator is 0.2% (coefficient of variation). The carbon content of a boron carbide sample is determined by combustion of the sample at 1050 0 C in a stream of oxygen using vanadium pentoxide to ensure the complete oxidation of the sample. The carbon dioxide produced from the sample is measured manometrically and the precision of the method for the determination of 4 mg of carbon is 0.4% (coefficient of variation). (author)

  13. RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION DEVICES: EFFECTIVENESS IN IMPROVING SAFEGUARDS AT GAS-CENTRIFUGE URANIUM-ENRICHMENT PLANTS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    JOE, J.

    2007-01-01

    Recent advances in radio frequency identification devices (RFIDs) have engendered a growing interest among international safeguards experts. Potentially, RFIDs could reduce inspection work, viz. the number of inspections, number of samples, and duration of the visits, and thus improve the efficiency and effectiveness of international safeguards. This study systematically examined the applications of RFIDs for IAEA safeguards at large gas-centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs). These analyses are expected to help identify the requirements and desirable properties for RFIDs, to provide insights into which vulnerabilities matter most, and help formulate the required assurance tests. This work, specifically assesses the application of RFIDs for the ''Option 4'' safeguards approach, proposed by Bruce Moran, U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), for large gas-centrifuge uranium-enrichment plants. The features of ''Option 4'' safeguards include placing RFIDs on all feed, product and tails (F/P/T) cylinders, along with WID readers in all FP/T stations and accountability scales. Other features of Moran's ''Option 4'' are Mailbox declarations, monitoring of load-cell-based weighing systems at the F/P/T stations and accountability scales, and continuous enrichment monitors. Relevant diversion paths were explored to evaluate how RFIDs improve the efficiency and effectiveness of safeguards. Additionally, the analysis addresses the use of RFIDs in conjunction with video monitoring and neutron detectors in a perimeter-monitoring approach to show that RFIDs can help to detect unidentified cylinders

  14. A technique to prepare boronated B72.3 monoclonal antibody for boron neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ranadive, G.N.; Rosenzweig, H.S.; Epperly, M.W.

    1993-01-01

    B72.3 monoclonal antibody has been successfully boronated using mercaptoundecahydro-closo-dodecaborate (boron cage compound). The reagent was incorporated by first reacting the lysine residues of the antibody with m-maleimidobenzoyl succinimide ester (MBS), followed by Michael addition to the maleimido group by the mercapto boron cage compound to form a physiologically stable thioether linkage. Boron content of the antibody was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. For biodistribution studies, boronated antibody was radioiodinated with iodogen. 125 I-labeled and boronated B72.3 monoclonal antibody demonstrated clear tumor localization when administered via tail vein injections to athymic nude mice bearing LS174-T tumor xenografts. Boronated antibody was calculated to deliver 10 6 boron atoms per tumor cell. Although this falls short of the specific boron content originally proposed as necessary for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), recent calculations suggest that far fewer atoms of 10 B per tumor cell would be necessary to effect successful BNCT when the boron is targeted to the tumor cell membrane. (author)

  15. Implantation of boron in silicon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hofker, W.K.

    1975-01-01

    The distribution versus depth of boron implanted in silicon and the corresponding electrical activity obtained after annealing are studied. The boron distributions are measured by secondary-ion mass spectrometry. Boron distributions implanted at energies in the range from 30 keV to 800 keV in amorphous and polycrystalline silicon are analysed. Moments of these distributions are determined by a curve-fitting programme and compared with moments calculated by Winterbon. Boron distributions obtained by implantations along a dense crystallographic direction in monocrystalline silicon are found to have penetrating tails. After investigation of some possible mechanisms of tail formation it is concluded that the tails are due to channelling. It was found that the behaviour of boron during annealing is determined by the properties of three boron fractions consisting of precipitated boron, interstitial boron and substitutional boron. The electrical activity of the boron versus depth is found to be consistent with the three boron fractions. A peculiar redistribution of boron is found which is induced by the implantation of a high dose of heavy ions and subsequent annealing. Different mechanisms which may cause the observed effects, such as thermal diffusion which is influenced by lattice strain and damage, are discussed. (Auth.)

  16. The isotopic enrichment of uranium in 1979

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baron, M.

    1979-01-01

    The Eurodif uranium enrichment plant built on the Tricastin site is described. The uranium isotope separation plants in service abroad are presented. The main characteristics of the international enrichment market are defined [fr

  17. Enhanced binding capacity of boronate affinity adsorbent via surface modification of silica by combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and chain-end functionalization for high-efficiency enrichment of cis-diol molecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Wei; He, Maofang; Wang, Chaozhan; Wei, Yinmao, E-mail: ymwei@nwu.edu.cn

    2015-07-30

    Boronate affinity materials have been widely used for specific separation and preconcentration of cis-diol molecules, but most do not have sufficient capacity due to limited binding sites on the material surface. In this work, we prepared a phenylboronic acid-functionalized adsorbent with a high binding capacity via the combination of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and chain-end functionalization. With this method, the terminal chlorides of the polymer chains were used fully, and the proposed adsorbent contains dense boronic acid polymers chain with boronic acid on the chain end. Consequently, the proposed adsorbent possesses excellent selectivity and a high binding capacity of 513.6 μmol g{sup −1} for catechol and 736.8 μmol g{sup −1} for fructose, which are much higher than those of other reported adsorbents. The dispersed solid-phase extraction (dSPE) based on the prepared adsorbent was used for extraction of three cis-diol drugs (i.e., epinephrine, isoprenaline and caffeic acid isopropyl ester) from plasma; the eluates were analyzed by HPLC-UV. The reduced amount of adsorbent (i.e., 2.0 mg) could still eliminate interferences efficiently and yielded a recovery range of 85.6–101.1% with relative standard deviations ranging from 2.5 to 9.7% (n = 5). The results indicated that the proposed strategy could serve as a promising alternative to increase the density of surface functional groups on the adsorbent; thus, the prepared adsorbent has the potential to effectively enrich cis-diol substances in real samples. - Highlights: • Boronate adsorbent is prepared via ATRP and chain-end functionalization. • The adsorbent has quite high binding capacity for cis-diols. • Binding capacity is easily manipulated by ATRP condition. • Chain-end functionalization can improve binding capacity significantly. • Reduced adsorbent is consumed in dispersed solid-phase extraction of cis-diols.

  18. Proceedings of a specialist meeting on boron reactivity transients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1996-07-01

    The CSNI Specialist Meeting on Boron Dilution Reactivity Transients was hosted by the Penn State University in collaboration with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the TRAC Users Group. More than 70 experts from 12 OECD countries, as well as experts from Russia and other non-OECD countries attended the meeting. Thirty papers were presented in five technical sessions. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together experts involved in the different activities related to boron dilution transients. The experts came from all involved parties, including research organizations, regulatory authorities, vendors and utilities. Information was openly shared and discussed on the experimental results, plant and systems analysis, numerical analysis of mixing and probability and consequences of these transients. Regulatory background and licensing implications were also included to provide the proper frame work for the technical discussion. Each of these areas corresponded to a separate session. The meeting focused on the thermal-hydraulic aspects because of the current interest in that subject and the significant amount of new technical information being generated. Three papers of the same conference are already available in INIS as individual reports: Potential for boron dilution during small-break LOCAs in PWRs (Ref. number: 27029412); Analysis of boron dilution in a four-loop PWR (Ref. number: 27051651); Probability and consequences of a rapid boron dilution sequence in a PWR (Ref. number: 27029411)

  19. Determination of plant stanols and plant sterols in phytosterol enriched foods with a gas chromatographic-flame ionization detection method: NMKL collaborative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laakso, Päivi H

    2014-01-01

    This collaborative study with nine participating laboratories was conducted to determine the total plant sterol and/or plant stanol contents in phytosterol fortified foods with a gas chromatographic method. Four practice and 12 test samples representing mainly commercially available foodstuffs were analyzed as known replicates. Twelve samples were enriched with phytosterols, whereas four samples contained only natural contents of phytosterols. The analytical procedure consisted of two alternative approaches: hot saponification method, and acid hydrolysis treatment prior to hot saponification. As a result, sterol/stanol compositions and contents in the samples were measured. The amounts of total plant sterols and total plant stanols varying from 0.005 to 8.04 g/100 g product were statistically evaluated after outliers were eliminated. The repeatability RSD (RSDr) varied from 1.34 to 17.13%. The reproducibility RSD (RSDR) ranged from 3.03 to 17.70%, with HorRat values ranging from 0.8 to 2.1. When only phytosterol enriched food test samples are considered, the RSDr ranged from 1.48 to 6.13%, the RSD, ranged from 3.03 to 7.74%, and HorRat values ranged from 0.8 to 2.1. Based on the results of this collaborative study, the study coordinator concludes the method is fit for its purpose.

  20. Potential for boron dilution during small-break LOCAs in PWRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nourbakhsh, H.P.; Cheng, Z.

    1995-01-01

    This paper documents the results of a scoping study of boron dilution and mixing phenomena during small break loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs) in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Boron free condensate can accumulate in the cold leg loop seals when the reactor is operating in a reflux/boiler condenser mode. A problem may occur when the subsequent change in flow conditions such as loop seal clearing or re-establishment of natural circulation flow drive the diluted water in the loop seals into the reactor core without sufficient mixing with the highly borated water in the reactor downcomer and lower plenum. The resulting low boron concentration coolant entering the core may cause a power excursion leading to fuel failure. The mixing processes associated with a slow moving stream of diluted water through the loop seal to the core were examined in this report. A bounding evaluation of the range of boron concentration entering the core during a small break LOCA in a typical Westinghouse-designed, four-loop plant is also presented in this report

  1. Biogeochemical cycle of boron in a forest ecosystem: the case study of Montiers beech-stand

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roux, Philippe

    2016-01-01

    This thesis aims at establishing and understanding the biogeochemical cycle of boron and its isotopes within a forest ecosystem. In that context, many questions remain concerning the dynamics of boron within terrestrial ecosystems: - What are the major sources of boron? - What type of transfer occurs between the compartments of the environment? - What mechanisms are controlling those transfers? In order to establish this biogeochemical cycle, we quantified the different stocks (vegetation, humus and soil) and fluxes (atmospheric dust and dissolved deposition, throughfall, stem-flows, litterfall and drainage) of boron in the study site of Montiers. The use of boron isotopes will give us insight concerning the mechanisms controlling the dynamics of boron. This thesis is divided in 4 main parts: 1. The first part aims at establishing a new method of extraction, purification and measurement of boron and its isotopes within vegetation samples. 2. The second part focuses on the sources and mechanisms controlling boron within atmospheric dust and dissolved deposition on the study site of Montiers. 3. The third part aims at establishing the stocks and fluxes of boron on two distinct soils: a rendisoil (basic pH) and an alocrisoil (acid pH). The goal is to determine the influence of different soil properties on boron dynamics within its biogeochemical cycle. 4. The last part aims at establishing a model of boron and boron isotopes dynamics in the soil plant system. This model is mainly based of the measurement made in 2012. (author) [fr

  2. Yalina booster subcritical assembly performance with low enriched uranium fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Talamo, Alberto; Gohar, Yousry

    2011-01-01

    The YALINA Booster facility is a subcritical assembly located in Minsk, Belarus. The facility has special features that result in fast and thermal neutron spectra in different zones. The fast zone of the assembly uses a lead matrix and uranium fuels with different enrichments: 90% and 36%, 36%, or 21%. The thermal zone of the assembly contains 10% enriched uranium fuel in a polyethylene matrix. This study discusses the performance of the three YALINA Booster configurations with the different fuel enrichments. In order to maintain the same subcriticality level in the three configurations, the number of fuel rods in the thermal zone is increased as the uranium fuel enrichment in the fast zone is decreased. The maximum number of fuel rods that can be loaded in the thermal zone is about 1185. Consequently, the neutron multiplication of the configuration with 21% enriched uranium fuel in the fast zone is enhanced by changing the position of the boron carbide and the natural uranium absorber rods, located between the fast and the thermal zones, to form an annular rather than a square arrangement. (author)

  3. Yalina booster subcritical assembly performance with low enriched uranium fuel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Talamo, Alberto; Gohar, Yousry, E-mail: alby@anl.gov [Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL (United States)

    2011-07-01

    The YALINA Booster facility is a subcritical assembly located in Minsk, Belarus. The facility has special features that result in fast and thermal neutron spectra in different zones. The fast zone of the assembly uses a lead matrix and uranium fuels with different enrichments: 90% and 36%, 36%, or 21%. The thermal zone of the assembly contains 10% enriched uranium fuel in a polyethylene matrix. This study discusses the performance of the three YALINA Booster configurations with the different fuel enrichments. In order to maintain the same subcriticality level in the three configurations, the number of fuel rods in the thermal zone is increased as the uranium fuel enrichment in the fast zone is decreased. The maximum number of fuel rods that can be loaded in the thermal zone is about 1185. Consequently, the neutron multiplication of the configuration with 21% enriched uranium fuel in the fast zone is enhanced by changing the position of the boron carbide and the natural uranium absorber rods, located between the fast and the thermal zones, to form an annular rather than a square arrangement. (author)

  4. Perennial soybean seeds coated with high doses of boron and zinc ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this work was to study combinations of high doses of boron (B) and zinc (Zn) in the recoating of perennial soybean seeds, in order to provide these nutrients to the future plants. The physical, physiological and nutritional characteristics of the coated seeds and initial development of plants in a greenhouse ...

  5. Boron evaporation in thermally-driven seawater desalination: Effect of temperature and operating conditions

    KAUST Repository

    Alpatova, Alla; Alsaadi, Ahmad Salem; Ghaffour, NorEddine

    2018-01-01

    The volatilization of boron in thermal desalination processes, namely multi-stage flash (MSF) and air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) was investigated for the first time. This phenomenon was observed at feed temperatures above 55 °C in both studied processes. In simulated MSF process with two feeds, model boric acid and Red Sea water, boron concentration in distillate increased with feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 104 °C because of the increase in boric acid vapor pressure. Salinity and pH were the main factors controlling boron evaporation. The achieved boron concentrations in simulated MSF process were consistent with those measured in distillate samples collected from commercial MSF plants. The AGMD process also revealed a strong influence of operating temperature on boron removal. However, unlike MSF process, the boron concentration in AGMD permeate decreased with the feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 80 °C due probably to increase in vapor production and corresponding permeate dilution. When AGMD was operated in concentrating mode at a constant feed temperature of 80 °C, permeate boron concentration increased with process time due to concentration polarization and membrane fouling. A 10% flux decline observed after 21 h was attributed to CaCO scaling on the membrane surface.

  6. Boron evaporation in thermally-driven seawater desalination: Effect of temperature and operating conditions

    KAUST Repository

    Alpatova, Alla

    2018-03-26

    The volatilization of boron in thermal desalination processes, namely multi-stage flash (MSF) and air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) was investigated for the first time. This phenomenon was observed at feed temperatures above 55 °C in both studied processes. In simulated MSF process with two feeds, model boric acid and Red Sea water, boron concentration in distillate increased with feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 104 °C because of the increase in boric acid vapor pressure. Salinity and pH were the main factors controlling boron evaporation. The achieved boron concentrations in simulated MSF process were consistent with those measured in distillate samples collected from commercial MSF plants. The AGMD process also revealed a strong influence of operating temperature on boron removal. However, unlike MSF process, the boron concentration in AGMD permeate decreased with the feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 80 °C due probably to increase in vapor production and corresponding permeate dilution. When AGMD was operated in concentrating mode at a constant feed temperature of 80 °C, permeate boron concentration increased with process time due to concentration polarization and membrane fouling. A 10% flux decline observed after 21 h was attributed to CaCO scaling on the membrane surface.

  7. The study of high-boron steel and high-boron cast iron used for shield

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Xuerong; Lu Jixin; Wen Yaozeng; Wang Zhaishu; Cheng Jiantin; Cheng Wen; Shun Danqi; Yu Jinmu

    1996-12-01

    The smelting, forging, heat-treatment technology and the mechanical properties of three kinds of high-boron steels (type 1: 0.5% boron; type 2: 0.5% boron and 4% or 2% nickel; type 3: 0.5% boron, 0.5% nickel and 0.5% molybdenum) were studied. The test results show that the technology for smelting, forging and heat-treatment (1050 degree C/0.5 h water cooled + 810 degree C/1 h oil cooled) in laboratory is feasible. Being sensitive to notch, the impact toughness of high-boron steel type 1 is not steady and can not meet the technology requirements on mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of both high-boron steel type 2 and type 3 can meet the technological requirements. The smelting technology of high-boron casting iron containing 0.5% boron was researched. The tests show that this casting iron can be smelted in laboratory and its properties can basically satisfy the technology requirements. (10 refs., 6 figs., 11 tab.)

  8. Nuclear Physics meets Medicine and Biology: Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

    CERN Document Server

    F. Ballarini, F; S. Bortolussi, S; P. Bruschi, P; A.M. Clerici, A M; A. De Bari, A; P. Dionigi, P; C. Ferrari, C; M.A. Gadan, M A; N. Protti, N; S. Stella, S; C. Zonta, C; A. Zonta, A; S. Altieri, S

    2010-01-01

    BNCT is a tumour treatment based on thermal-neutron irradiation of tissues enriched with 10B, which according to the 10B(n, )7Li reaction produces particles with high Linear Energy Transfer and short range. Since this treatment can deliver a therapeutic tumour dose sparing normal tissues, BNCT represents an alternative for diffuse tumours and metastases, which show poor response to surgery and photontherapy. In 2001 and 2003, in Pavia BNCT was applied to an isolated liver, which was infused with boron, explanted, irradiated and re-implanted. A new project was then initiated for lung tumours, developing a protocol for Boron concentration measurements and performing organ-dose Monte Carlo calculations; in parallel, radiobiology studies are ongoing to characterize the BNCT effects down to cellular level. After a brief introduction, herein we will present the main activities ongoing in Pavia including the radiobiological ones, which are under investigation not only experimentally but also theoretically, basing on...

  9. The elimination of chlorinated, chlorofluorocarbon, and other RCRA hazardous solvents from the Y-12 Plant's enriched uranium operations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johnson, D.H.; Patton, R.L.; Thompson, L.M.

    1990-01-01

    A major driving force in waste minimization within the plant is the reduction of mixed radioactive wastes associated with operations on highly enriched uranium. High enriched uranium has a high concentration of the uranium-235 isotope (up to 97.5% enrichment) and is radioactive, giving off alpha and low level gamma radiation. The material is fissionable with as little as two pounds dissolved in water being capable of producing a spontaneous chain reaction. For these reasons the material is processed in small batches or small geometries. Additionally, the material is completely recycled because of its strategic and monetary value. Since the early eighties, the plant has had an active waste minimization program which has concentrated on substitution of less hazardous solvents wherever possible. The following paper summarizes efforts in two areas - development of a water-based machining coolant to replace perchloroethylene and substitution of an aliphatic solvent to replace solvents producing hazardous wastes as defined by the Resource, Conservation, and Recovery Act (RCRA)

  10. Abscisic acid and transpiration rate are involved in the response to boron toxicity in Arabidopsis plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macho-Rivero, Miguel Ángel; Camacho-Cristóbal, Juan José; Herrera-Rodríguez, María Begoña; Müller, Maren; Munné-Bosch, Sergi; González-Fontes, Agustín

    2017-05-01

    Boron (B) is an essential microelement for vascular plant development, but its toxicity is a major problem affecting crop yields in arid and semi-arid areas of the world. In the literature, several genes involved in abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and responses are upregulated in Arabidopsis roots after treatment with excess B. It is known that the AtNCED3 gene, which encodes a crucial enzyme for ABA biosynthesis, plays a key role in the plant response to drought stress. In this study, root AtNCED3 expression and shoot ABA content were rapidly increased in wild-type plants upon B-toxicity treatment. The Arabidopsis ABA-deficient nced3-2 mutant had higher transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and accumulated more B in their shoots than wild-type plants, facts that were associated with the lower levels of ABA in this mutant. However, in wild-type plants, B toxicity caused a significant reduction in stomatal conductance, resulting in a decreased transpiration rate. This response could be a mechanism to limit the transport of excess B from the roots to the leaves under B toxicity. In agreement with the higher transpiration rate of the nced3-2 mutant, this genotype showed an increased leaf B concentration and damage upon exposure to 5 mM B. Under B toxicity, ABA application decreased B accumulation in wild-type and nced3-2 plants. In summary, this work shows that excess B applied to the roots leads to rapid changes in AtNCED3 expression and gas exchange parameters that would contribute to restrain the B entry into the leaves, this effect being mediated by ABA. © 2016 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

  11. Systems approach used in the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rooks, W.A. Jr.

    1982-01-01

    A requirement exists for effective and efficient transfer of technical knowledge from the design engineering team to the production work force. Performance-Based Training (PBT) is a systematic approach to the design, development, and implementation of technical training. This approach has been successfully used by the US Armed Forces, industry, and other organizations. The advantages of the PBT approach are: cost-effectiveness (lowest life-cycle training cost), learning effectiveness, reduced implementation time, and ease of administration. The PBT process comprises five distinctive and rigorous phases: Analysis of Job Performance, Design of Instructional Strategy, Development of Training Materials and Instructional Media, Validation of Materials and Media, and Implementation of the Instructional Program. Examples from the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP) are used to illustrate the application of PBT

  12. Systems approach used in the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rooks, W.A. Jr.

    1982-01-01

    A requirement exists for effective and efficient transfer of technical knowledge from the design engineering team to the production work force. Performance-Based Training (PBT) is a systematic approach to the design, development, and implementation of technical training. This approach has been successfully used by the US Armed Forces, industry, and other organizations. The advantages of the PBT approach are: cost-effectiveness (lowest life-cycle training cost), learning effectiveness, reduced implementation time, and ease of administration. The PBT process comprises five distinctive and rigorous phases: Analysis of Job Performance, Design of Instructional Strategy, Development of Training Materials and Instructional Media, Validation of Materials and Media, and Implementation of the Instructional Program. Examples from the Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP) are used to illustrate the application of PBT.

  13. BCM6: New Generation of Boron Meter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pirat, P.

    2010-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: Rolls-Royce has developed a new generation of boron meter, based on more than 30 years of experience. The Rolls-Royce BCM6 boron meter provides Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) operators with the boron concentration of the primary circuit. The meter provides continuous and safe measurements with no manual sampling and no human contact. In this paper, technical features, advantages and customer benefits of the use of the new generation of Rolls-Royce BCM6 boron meter will be detailed. Values and associated alarms are provides over different media: 4-20 mA outputs, relays, displays in the main control room and in the chemical lab, and digital links. A special alarm avoids unexpected homogeneous dilution of the primary circuit, which is a critical operational parameter. The Rolls-Royce BCM6 boron meter is fully configurable over a set of parameters allowing adaptation to customer needs. It has a differential capability, thus eliminating neutronic noise and keeping measurements accurate, even in the case of fuel clad rupture. Measurements are accurate, reliable, and have a quick response time. Equipment meets state-of-the-art qualification requests. Designed in 2008, the BCM6 boron meter is the newest equipment of Rolls-Royce boron meters product line. It has been chosen to equip the French EPR NPP and complies with the state-of-the-art of the technology. Rolls-Royce has more than 30 years of experience in Instrumentation and Controls with more than 75 NPP units operating worldwide. All of this experience return has been put in this new generation of equipment to provide the customer with the best operation. About Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce is a global business providing integrated power systems for use on land, at sea and in the air. The Group has a balanced business portfolio with leading market positions. Rolls-Royce has a broad range of civil nuclear expertise, including work related to licensing and safety reviews, engineering design

  14. Gas centrifuge enrichment plants inspection frequency and remote monitoring issues for advanced safeguards implementation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyer, Brian David; Erpenbeck, Heather H.; Miller, Karen A.; Ianakiev, Kiril D.; Reimold, Benjamin A.; Ward, Steven L.; Howell, John

    2010-01-01

    Current safeguards approaches used by the IAEA at gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) need enhancement in order to verify declared low enriched uranium (LEU) production, detect undeclared LEU production and detect high enriched uranium (BEU) production with adequate probability using non destructive assay (NDA) techniques. At present inspectors use attended systems, systems needing the presence of an inspector for operation, during inspections to verify the mass and 235 U enrichment of declared cylinders of uranium hexafluoride that are used in the process of enrichment at GCEPs. This paper contains an analysis of how possible improvements in unattended and attended NDA systems including process monitoring and possible on-site destructive analysis (DA) of samples could reduce the uncertainty of the inspector's measurements providing more effective and efficient IAEA GCEPs safeguards. We have also studied a few advanced safeguards systems that could be assembled for unattended operation and the level of performance needed from these systems to provide more effective safeguards. The analysis also considers how short notice random inspections, unannounced inspections (UIs), and the concept of information-driven inspections can affect probability of detection of the diversion of nuclear material when coupled to new GCEPs safeguards regimes augmented with unattended systems. We also explore the effects of system failures and operator tampering on meeting safeguards goals for quantity and timeliness and the measures needed to recover from such failures and anomalies.

  15. Technical and economic aspects of new gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment capacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langley, R.A. Jr.; O'Donnell, A.J.

    1977-01-01

    Work is well advanced on design and construction of the next major increment of U.S. uranium enrichment capacity. The plant will use the gaseous diffusion process to provide the required capacity and reliability at a competitive enrichment services cost. Gaseous diffusion technology is the base against which other processes are compared in order to assess their commercial viability. While it has generally been described as a mature technology with limited future development potential, work on design of the new U.S. plant has resulted in major improvement in plant design with corresponding decreases in plant capacity and operating costs. The paper describes major technological advances incorporated into the new plant design and their impact on enrichment costs. These include the effects of: - advanced barrier technology; - tandem compressor drive systems; - optimization of number of equipment sizes; - single level plant design; - development of rapid power level change capability; - electrical system simplification; - plant arrangement and layout. Resulting capital costs and projected enrichment costs are summarized. Enrichment costs are placed in the context of total nuclear fuel cycle costs. Trade-offs between uranium feed material quantities and enrichment plant tails assays are described, and optimization of this aspect of the nuclear fuel cycle is discussed. The effect on enrichment plant characteristics is described. Flexibility and capability of the new U.S. enrichment plant to meet these changing optimization conditions are described

  16. Boron toxicity in banana (Musa AAA) plantations of Costa Rica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vargas, Alfonso; Serrano, Edgardo; Arias, Fulvio; Arias M, Oscar

    2007-01-01

    A marginal, irregular and continuous necrosis was observed in the leaves of in banana plants (Musa AAA, cvs. Grande Naine and Valery), This necrosis was developed from an irregular chlorotic area, from the edge towards the internal part of the leaf blade. The central portion of the leaf kept the original green color. Soil and foliar analyses showed that symptoms were caused by high boron concentrations, probably due to excessive soil or foliage applications of the nutriment, or to the effect of very frequent applications of boron during fertigation, combined with a decrease of calcium in the leaf. (author) [es

  17. Analysis of variation in few-group cross section behavior subjected to burnup and boron concentration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zongyao; Li Dongsheng.

    1986-01-01

    The paper analyzes the variations of few-group cross section behavior in neutron diffusion subjected to fuel burnup and critical boron concentration in a core. The influences of the behavior on the core excess reactivity, crirical boron concentration, power distribution and the yield of isotopes are also analyzed. A reactor core of samll-medium-sized nuclear power plant is analyzed as an example

  18. Determination of boron in water solution by an indirect neutron activation technique from a 241Am/Be source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sales, H.B.

    1981-08-01

    Boron content in water solutions has been analysed by Indirect Activation Technique a twin 241 Am/Be neutron source with a source strength of 9x10 6 n/seg. The boron concentration was inferred from the measurement of the activity induced in a vanadium flux monitor. The vanadium rod was located inside the boron solution in a standart geometrical set up with respect to the neutron source. Boron concentrations in the range of 100 to 1000 ppm were determined with an overall accuracy of about 2% during a total analysis time of about 20 minutes. Eventhough the analysis is not selective for boron yet due the rapid, simple and precise nature, it is proposed for the analysis of boron in the primary coolant circuit of Nuclear Power Plants of PWR type. (Author) [pt

  19. Lattice dynamics of α boron and of boron carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vast, N.

    1999-01-01

    The atomic structure and the lattice dynamics of α boron and of B 4 C boron carbide have been studied by Density Functional Theory (D.F.T.) and Density Functional Perturbation Theory (D.F.P.T.). The bulk moduli of the unit-cell and of the icosahedron have been investigated, and the equation of state at zero temperature has been determined. In α boron, Raman diffusion and infrared absorption have been studied under pressure, and the theoretical and experimental Grueneisen coefficients have been compared. In boron carbide, inspection of the theoretical and experimental vibrational spectra has led to the determination of the atomic structure of B 4 C. Finally, the effects of isotopic disorder have been modeled by an exact method beyond the mean-field approximation, and the effects onto the Raman lines has been investigated. The method has been applied to isotopic alloys of diamond and germanium. (author)

  20. Growth and yield response of sunflower (helianthus annuus l.) to sulphur and boron application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tahir, M.; Shah, S.A.; Tanveer, A.; Rehman, H.U.

    2014-01-01

    An experiment was conducted to study the growth and yield response of sunflower to sulphur and boron application. Sulphur (control, 15, 30 kg/ha) and foliar sprays of 1% boron solution (control, spray at 4 week after emergence, 20 days after first spray, at 4 weeks after germination + 20 days after first spray) was applied in soil. The results showed significant increase of all growth and yield parameters by varying levels of sulphur and boron application. Application of 30 kg sulphur/ha enhanced stem diameter (1.99 cm), number of achene per head (765.75) and oil content (36.42%). In case of combined use of sulphur and boron application, maximum plant height (171 cm), head diameter (20.71 cm), 1000-achene weight (54.56 g), biological yield (16.49 t/ha) and achene yield (3.99 t/ha) was recorded by the application of 2 sprays of boron solution (1%) at 4 weeks after germination and reproductive stage. (author)

  1. Research of boron conversion coating in neutron detector with boron deposited GEM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye Di; Sun Zhijia; Zhou Jianrong; Wang Yanfeng; Yang Guian; Xu Hong; Chen Yuanbai; Xiao Yu; Diao Xungang

    2014-01-01

    GEM is a flourishing new gas detector and nowadays its technology become more mature. It has outstanding properties, such as excellent position resolution, high counting rate, radiation resistance, simple and flexible signal readout, can be large-area detector, wide application range. Detector with boron deposited GEM uses multilayer GEM with deposited boron film as neutron conversion carrier which reads out the information of neutron shot from the readout electrode with gas amplification from every GEM layer. The detector is high performance which can meet the demands of neutron detector of a new generation. Boron deposited neutron conversion electrode with boron deposited cathode and GEM included is the core part of the detector. As boron is a high-melting-point metalloid (> 2 000 ℃), electroplating and thermal evaporation are inappropriate ways. So finding a way to deposit boron on electrode which can meet the demands become a key technology in the development of neutron detector with boron deposited GEM. Compared with evaporation, sputtering has features such as low deposition temperature, high film purity, nice adhesive, thus is appropriate for our research. Magnetron sputtering is a improved way of sputtering which can get lower sputtering air pressure and higher target voltage, so that we can get better films. Through deposit process, the research uses magnetron sputtering to deposit pure boron film on copper electrode and GEM film. This method can get high quality, nice adhere, high purity, controllable uniformity, low cost film with high speed film formation. (authors)

  2. The effect of plant sterol-enriched turkey meat on cholesterol bio-accessibility during in vitro digestion and Caco-2 cell uptake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grasso, S; Harrison, S M; Monahan, F J; Brayden, D; Brunton, N P

    2018-03-01

    This study evaluated the effect of a plant sterol-enriched turkey product on cholesterol bio-accessibility during in vitro digestion and cholesterol uptake by Caco-2 monolayers. Turkey products, one plant sterol-enriched (PS) and one plant sterol-free (C), were produced in an industrial pilot plant. Before simulated digestion, matrices were spiked with cholesterol (1:5 weight ratio of cholesterol to plant sterol). Plant sterols were included at a concentration equivalent to the minimum daily intake recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for cholesterol lowering. After simulated digestion, the percentage of cholesterol micellarization and uptake by Caco-2 cells in the presence of PS meat were measured. Compared to C meat, PS meat significantly inhibited cholesterol micellarization on average by 24% and Caco-2 cell accumulation by 10%. This study suggests that plant sterols in meat can reduce cholesterol uptake by intestinal epithelia and it encourages efforts to make new PS-based functional foods.

  3. Boron carbide-carbon composites and composites for cryogenic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sheinberg, H.

    1979-01-01

    Because of its neutronic properties, high hardness, and high melting temperature, boron carbide (B 4 C) is widely used at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. However because of its hardness and mode of manufacture, it is expensive to machine finish to tight dimensional specifictions. For some neutronic applications, a density considerably below the theoretical 2.52 Mg/m 3 was acceptable, and this relaxation in density specification permitted addition of carbon as a second phase to reduce machining costs. We conducted an experimental program to prepare 50.8-mm-diam by 34.8-mm-thick cylinders of B 4 C and B 4 C-C composites with concentrations of carbon varying from 5.5 to 30 volume percent. Additionally we used three forms of carbon, natural flake graphite, synthetic graphite flour, and a fine furnace black as the source of the second phase. We determined the sound velocity, compressive strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, electrical resistivity, and microstructure as functions of composition. Additionally, an enriched boron ( 10 B)-carbon composite was studied as an alternate material

  4. A molecular framework for the inhibition of Arabidopsis root growth in response to boron toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquea, Felipe; Federici, Fernan; Moscoso, Cristian; Vega, Andrea; Jullian, Pastor; Haseloff, Jim; Arce-Johnson, Patricio

    2012-04-01

    Boron is an essential micronutrient for plants and is taken up in the form of boric acid (BA). Despite this, a high BA concentration is toxic for the plants, inhibiting root growth and is thus a significant problem in semi-arid areas in the world. In this work, we report the molecular basis for the inhibition of root growth caused by boron. We show that application of BA reduces the size of root meristems, correlating with the inhibition of root growth. The decrease in meristem size is caused by a reduction of cell division. Mitotic cell number significantly decreases and the expression level of key core cell cycle regulators is modulated. The modulation of the cell cycle does not appear to act through cytokinin and auxin signalling. A global expression analysis reveals that boron toxicity induces the expression of genes related with abscisic acid (ABA) signalling, ABA response and cell wall modifications, and represses genes that code for water transporters. These results suggest that boron toxicity produces a reduction of water and BA uptake, triggering a hydric stress response that produces root growth inhibition. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Boron-coated straws as a replacement for 3He-based neutron detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lacy, Jeffrey L.; Athanasiades, Athanasios; Sun, Liang; Martin, Christopher S.; Lyons, Tom D.; Foss, Michael A.; Haygood, Hal B.

    2011-01-01

    US and international government efforts to equip major seaports with large area neutron detectors, aimed to intercept the smuggling of nuclear materials, have precipitated a critical shortage of 3 He gas. It is estimated that the annual demand of 3 He for US security applications alone is more than the worldwide supply. This is strongly limiting the prospects of neutron science, safeguards, and other applications that rely heavily on 3 He-based detectors. Clearly, alternate neutron detection technologies that can support large sensitive areas, and have low gamma sensitivity and low cost must be developed. We propose a low-cost technology based on long copper tubes (straws), coated on the inside with a thin layer of 10 B-enriched boron carbide ( 10 B 4 C). In addition to the high abundance of boron on Earth and low cost of 10 B enrichment, the boron-coated straw (BCS) detector offers distinct advantages over conventional 3 He-based detectors, and alternate technologies such as 10 BF 3 tubes and 10 B-coated rigid tubes. These include better distribution inside moderator assemblies, many-times faster electronic signals, no pressurization, improved gamma-ray rejection, no toxic or flammable gases, and ease of serviceability. We present the performance of BCS detectors dispersed in a solid plastic moderator to address the need for portal monitoring. The design adopts the outer dimensions of currently deployed 3 He-based monitors, but takes advantage of the small BCS diameter to achieve a more uniform distribution of neutron converter throughout the moderating material. We show that approximately 63 BCS detectors, each 205 cm long, distributed inside the moderator, can match or exceed the detection efficiency of typical monitors fitted with a 5 cm diameter 3 He tube, 187 cm long, pressurized to 3 atm.

  6. Boron-coated straws as a replacement for 3He-based neutron detectors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lacy, Jeffrey L.; Athanasiades, Athanasios; Sun, Liang; Martin, Christopher S.; Lyons, Tom D.; Foss, Michael A.; Haygood, Hal B.

    2011-10-01

    US and international government efforts to equip major seaports with large area neutron detectors, aimed to intercept the smuggling of nuclear materials, have precipitated a critical shortage of 3He gas. It is estimated that the annual demand of 3He for US security applications alone is more than the worldwide supply. This is strongly limiting the prospects of neutron science, safeguards, and other applications that rely heavily on 3He-based detectors. Clearly, alternate neutron detection technologies that can support large sensitive areas, and have low gamma sensitivity and low cost must be developed. We propose a low-cost technology based on long copper tubes (straws), coated on the inside with a thin layer of 10B-enriched boron carbide ( 10B 4C). In addition to the high abundance of boron on Earth and low cost of 10B enrichment, the boron-coated straw (BCS) detector offers distinct advantages over conventional 3He-based detectors, and alternate technologies such as 10BF 3 tubes and 10B-coated rigid tubes. These include better distribution inside moderator assemblies, many-times faster electronic signals, no pressurization, improved gamma-ray rejection, no toxic or flammable gases, and ease of serviceability. We present the performance of BCS detectors dispersed in a solid plastic moderator to address the need for portal monitoring. The design adopts the outer dimensions of currently deployed 3He-based monitors, but takes advantage of the small BCS diameter to achieve a more uniform distribution of neutron converter throughout the moderating material. We show that approximately 63 BCS detectors, each 205 cm long, distributed inside the moderator, can match or exceed the detection efficiency of typical monitors fitted with a 5 cm diameter 3He tube, 187 cm long, pressurized to 3 atm.

  7. Note on boron toxicity in oats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Langille, W M; Mahoney, J F

    1959-01-01

    Boron was applied at the rate of 35 pounds per acre of borax to a field of oats. With the first noticeable growth there appeared a definite chlorotic condition of the oat seedlings on plots receiving boron treatments. Analysis of chlorotic tissue at 3 weeks after seeding indicated 110 ppm boron, while apparently healthy tissue contained 6.1 ppm boron at the same stage of growth. There was a rapid decline in the boron content of the oat tissue as the crop grew older. At maturity the oat tissue from the boron-treated plots contained an average of 14.15 ppm boron as compared with 4.10 boron from untreated areas. Boron toxicity had no harmful effect so far as yields were concerned, under the conditions of this experiment. 3 references.

  8. Method for producing polycrystalline boron nitride

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alexeevskii, V.P.; Bochko, A.V.; Dzhamarov, S.S.; Karpinos, D.M.; Karyuk, G.G.; Kolomiets, I.P.; Kurdyumov, A.V.; Pivovarov, M.S.; Frantsevich, I.N.; Yarosh, V.V.

    1975-01-01

    A mixture containing less than 50 percent of graphite-like boron nitride treated by a shock wave and highly defective wurtzite-like boron nitride obtained by a shock-wave method is compressed and heated at pressure and temperature values corresponding to the region of the phase diagram for boron nitride defined by the graphite-like compact modifications of boron nitride equilibrium line and the cubic wurtzite-like boron nitride equilibrium line. The resulting crystals of boron nitride exhibit a structure of wurtzite-like boron nitride or of both wurtzite-like and cubic boron nitride. The resulting material exhibits higher plasticity as compared with polycrystalline cubic boron nitride. Tools made of this compact polycrystalline material have a longer service life under impact loads in machining hardened steel and chilled iron. (U.S.)

  9. Boron evaporation in thermally-driven seawater desalination: Effect of temperature and operating conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alpatova, A; Alsaadi, A; Ghaffour, N

    2018-06-05

    The volatilization of boron in thermal desalination processes, namely multi-stage flash (MSF) and air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) was investigated for the first time. This phenomenon was observed at feed temperatures above 55 °C in both studied processes. In simulated MSF process with two feeds, model boric acid and Red Sea water, boron concentration in distillate increased with feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 104 °C because of the increase in boric acid vapor pressure. Salinity and pH were the main factors controlling boron evaporation. The achieved boron concentrations in simulated MSF process were consistent with those measured in distillate samples collected from commercial MSF plants. The AGMD process also revealed a strong influence of operating temperature on boron removal. However, unlike MSF process, the boron concentration in AGMD permeate decreased with the feed temperature increase from 55 °C to 80 °C due probably to increase in vapor production and corresponding permeate dilution. When AGMD was operated in concentrating mode at a constant feed temperature of 80 °C, permeate boron concentration increased with process time due to concentration polarization and membrane fouling. A 10% flux decline observed after 21 h was attributed to CaCO 3 scaling on the membrane surface. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. AEC determines uranium enrichment policy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    The Advisory Committee on Uranium Enrichment of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) has submitted a report to AEC chairman concerning the promotion of the introduction of advanced material, high performance centrifuges to replace conventional metallic drum centrifuges, and the development of next generation advanced centrifuges. The report also called for the postponement until around 1997 of the decision whether the development should be continued or not on atomic vapor laser isotope separation (AVLIS) and molecular laser isotope separation (MLIS) processes, as well as the virtual freezing of the construction of a chemical process demonstration plant. The report was approved by the AEC chairman in August. The uranium enrichment service market in the world will continue to be characterized by oversupply. The domestic situation of uranium enrichment supply-demand trend, progress of the expansion of Rokkasho enrichment plant, the trend in the development of gas centrifuge process and the basic philosophy of commercializing domestic uranium enrichment are reported. (K.I.)

  11. UF6 Density and Mass Flow Measurements for Enrichment Plants using Acoustic Techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Good, Morris S.; Smith, Leon E.; Warren, Glen A.; Jones, Anthony M.; Ramuhalli, Pradeep; Roy, Surajit; Moran, Traci L.; Denslow, Kayte M.; Longoni, Gianluca

    2017-09-01

    A key enabling capability for enrichment plant safeguards being considered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is high-accuracy, noninvasive, unattended measurement of UF6 gas density and mass flow rate. Acoustic techniques are currently used to noninvasively monitor gas flow in industrial applications; however, the operating pressures at gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) are roughly two orders magnitude below the capabilities of commercial instrumentation. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is refining acoustic techniques for estimating density and mass flow rate of UF6 gas in scenarios typical of GCEPs, with the goal of achieving 1% measurement accuracy. Proof-of-concept laboratory measurements using a surrogate gas for UF6 have demonstrated signatures sensitive to gas density at low operating pressures such as 10–50 Torr, which were observed over the background acoustic interference. Current efforts involve developing a test bed for conducting acoustic measurements on flowing SF6 gas at representative flow rates and pressures to ascertain the viability of conducting gas flow measurements under these conditions. Density and flow measurements will be conducted to support the evaluation. If successful, the approach could enable an unattended, noninvasive approach to measure mass flow in unit header pipes of GCEPs.

  12. Boron-11 MRI and MRS of intact animals infused with a boron neutron capture agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kabalka, G.W.; Davis, M.; Bendel, P.

    1988-01-01

    Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) depends on the delivery of boron-containing drugs to a targeted lesion. Currently, the verification and quantification of in vivo boron content is a difficult problem. Boron-11 spectroscopy was utilized to confirm the presence of a dimeric sulfhydryl dodecaborane BNCT agent contained in an intact animal. Spectroscopy experiments revealed that the decay time of transverse magnetization of the boron-11 spins was less than 1 ms which precluded the use of a 2DFT imaging protocol. A back-projection protocol was developed and utilized to generate the first boron-11 image of a BNCT agent in the liver of an intact Fisher 344 rat

  13. Deficiency and toxicity of boron: Alterations in growth, oxidative damage and uptake by citrange orange plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Asad; Wu, Xiuwen; Ullah, Abid; Fahad, Shah; Muhammad, Riaz; Yan, Lei; Jiang, Cuncang

    2017-11-01

    Boron (B) deficiency and toxicity are the major factors that affect plant growth and yield. The present study revealed the effect of B deficiency and toxicity on plant growth, morphology, physiology, and cell structure. A hydroponic culture experiment was conducted with five B levels, B deficient (B0), sufficient (B20, B10, B40) and toxic (B100). Our results show that both B deficient as well as excess level inhibit plant growth. In B deficiency, the major visible symptoms were appeared in roots, while B excess burned the leaf margin of older leaves. The antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) decreased at B deficiency and also decreased up to some extent at B excess, while in sufficient treatments, the higher antioxidant enzymes were found at B20. In addition, the MDA concentration decreased at B deficiency and increased with B concentration. Moreover, the photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, leaf gas exchange and intercellular CO 2 were reduced at both B deficiency as well as excess and higher at sufficient B20 treatment significantly. The chlorophyll and carotenoid content increased at B20 treatment, while decreased at B deficiency and excess. The middle lamellae of cell wall were found thick at B excess and normal at B20. The current study revealed that B deficiency as well as excess concentration affect plant growth and various morpho-physiological processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. An overview of male reproductive studies of boron with an emphasis on studies of highly exposed Chinese workers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scialli, Anthony R; Bonde, Jens Peter; Brüske-Hohlfeld, Irene

    2010-01-01

    working in boron (B) mining or processing in Liaoning province in northeast China has been published in several Chinese and a few English language papers. This study included individual assessment of boron exposure, interview data on reproductive experience and semen analysis. Employed men living....../day. Earlier studies in human workers and populations have not identified adverse effects of boron exposure on fertility, but outcome measures in these studies were relatively insensitive, based mainly on family size and did not include an evaluation of semen end points. A recent study of nearly 1000 men...... in the same community and in a remote community were used as controls. Boron workers (n=75) had a mean daily boron intake of 31.3mg B/day, and a subset of 16 of these men, employed at a plant where there was heavy boron contamination of the water supply, had an estimated mean daily boron intake of 125 mg B...

  15. β-Rhombohedral Boron: At the Crossroads of the Chemistry of Boron and the Physics of Frustration [Boron: a frustrated element

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ogitsu, Tadashi [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Schwegler, Eric [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Galli, Giulia [Univ. of California, Davis, CA (United States)

    2013-05-08

    In the periodic table boron occupies a peculiar, crossover position: on the first row, it is surrounded by metal forming elements on the left and by non-metals on the right. In addition, it is the only non-metal of the third column. Therefore it is perhaps not surprising that the crystallographic structure and topology of its stable allotrope at room temperature (β-boron) are not shared by any other element, and are extremely complex. The formidable intricacy of β- boron, with interconnecting icosahedra, partially occupied sites, and an unusually large number of atoms per unit cell (more than 300) has been known for more than 40 years. Nevertheless boron remains the only element purified in significant quantities whose ground state geometry has not been completely determined by experiments. However theoretical progress reported in the last decade has shed light on numerous properties of elemental boron, leading to a thorough characterization of its structure at ambient conditions, as well as of its electronic and thermodynamic properties. This review discusses in detail the properties of β-boron, as inferred from experiments and the ab-initio theories developed in the last decade.

  16. Alternative water chemistry for the primary loop of PWR plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Henzel, N [Siemens AG Unternehmensbereich KWU, Erlangen (Germany)

    1997-02-01

    Advanced fuel element concepts (longer cycles, higher burnup, increased rod power) call for more reactivity binding capacity and, moreover, might produce higher void fractions, particularly in the hot channel. Thus, on the one hand, more alcalizing agent is needed to maintain a high coolant pH according to the approved ``modified boron-lithium mode of operation`` in the presence of more boric acid (chemical shim); on the other hand, increasing enrichment of coolant constituents due to local boiling (higher void fraction), which must not result in accelerated corrosion of fuel cladding and structural materials, imposes enhanced requirements on both, materials technology and water chemistry. At present, the use of boric acid enriched in B10 (the isotope effective in terms of reactivity control) appears to advantageously compromise in capturing more neutrons with less total boron while maintaining or even slightly reducing lithium concentrations at the same time. There is no feasible alternative for boric acid used as the chemical shim and for hydrogen gas as the reducing agent used to suppress oxygen formation by water radiolysis. Systematic screening as performed in phase 1 of a recent project proved potassium hydroxide to be the only potential candidate to favourably replace lithium 7 hydroxide as an alcalizing agent. Unfortunately, the results of pertinent comparative corrosion tests are not unambiguous, and available operational experience with potassium hydroxide in WWER plants is not readily applicable to western world-type PWR plants. Therefore, a switch-over from lithium to potassium can be envisaged only subsequent to a comprehensive qualification program which is planned to be the objective of phase 2 of the project. This program should also comprise zinc addition tests in order to confirm the alleged positive impact of this element on corrosion rates and activity buildup. (Abstract Truncated)

  17. Covalent Surface Functionalization of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Fabricated with Diazonium Salt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhujun Wang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The chemical inertness and poor wetting properties of boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs hindered their applications. In this work, BNNTs have been functionalized with aniline groups by reacting with diazonium salt and the graft content of aniline component was calculated as high as 71.4 wt.%. The chemical structure, composition, and morphology of functionalized BNNTs were carefully characterized to illustrate the modification. The anilinocarbocation generated by decomposition of diazonium salt reacted not only with NH2 sites, but also with B-OH sites on the surface of BNNTs. Meanwhile, the reaction applied a hot strong acid environment, which would help to open parts of B-N bonds to produce more reactive sites and enrich the functional groups grafted on the surface of BNNTs. Consequently, the functionalized BNNTs exhibited significantly improved dispersion stability in chloroform compared with pristine BNNTs. Amino surface functionalization of BNNTs offered more possibilities for surface chemical design of boron nitride and its practical application.

  18. Status report on uranium enrichment associates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langley, R.A. Jr.; O'Donnell, A.J.; Garrett, G.A.

    1977-01-01

    Uranium Enrichment Associates (UEA) had as its priority project financing, an approach in which the total project is financially self-liquidating. UEA worked with financial institutions to define the combination of assurances and guarantees required by lenders in order to provide the required debt funding. UEA's assets against which the debt liability for the plant would be balanced would be the facilities under construction and the equipment on order. On the customer side, there was major concern on the part of the utilities of whether private industry would be able to complete and operate the plant owing to many of the same possibilities which concerned financial institutions. The disparity between the conditions under which financing could be obtained and the terms acceptable to utilities was a significant element in EUA's choice of process to use for its enrichment plants. UEA's technical staff then began to parallel conceptual designs of gaseous diffusion and gas cenrifuge plants. UEA negotiated with ERDA on the terms of a Cooperative Arrangement, within the provisions of the NFAA, providing the minimum conditions necessary to obtain financing and contracts with utilities for enrichment sources. The UEA plant has several features different from the ERDA plants. The UEA plant used only two basic stage sizes. The UEA design employed four main process buildings. The partners in UEA have mutually agreed to follow the private uranium enrichment project to a logical conclusion. 6 figures

  19. Starch accumulation during hydroponic growth of spinach and basil plants under carbon dioxide enrichment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holbrook, G P; Hansen, J; Wallick, K; Zinnen, T M [North Illinois University, de Kalb, IL (USA). Dept. of Biological Sciences

    1993-04-01

    The effects of CO[sub 2] enrichment, photoperiod duration, and inorganic phosphate levels on growth and starch accumulaton by spinach and basil plants were studied in a commercial hydroponic facility. During a 3-week growth period, both species exhibited increased whole-plant fresh weight as a result of an increase in atmospheric CO[sub 2] concentration from 400 to 1500 mul/1. However, basil leaves exhibited a 1.5- to 2-fold greater increase in specific leaf weight (SLW), and accumulated starch to much greater levels than did leaves of spinach. At 1500 mul CO[sub 2]/1, starch accounted for up to 38% of SLW with basil compared to [lt] 10% of SLW with spinach. The maximum ratio of starch/chlorophyll was 55.0 in basil leaves vs 8.0 in spinach leaves. High ratio values were associated with the appearance of chlorotic symptoms in leaves of basil grown under CO[sub 2] enrichment, whereas spinach did not exhibit chlorosis. Increasing inorganic phosphate concentrations from 0.7 to 1.8 mM in the hydroponic medium did not appreciably affect leaf starch accumulation in either species. Starch accumulation in basil leaves was not consistently related to the duration of the photoperiod. However, photoperiod-induced changes in leaf starch levels were much greater in basil than spinach. The results clearly indicate that different horticultural crops can show diverse responses to CO[sub 2] enrichment, and thus highlight the need to develop individual growth strategies to optimize production quality of each species.

  20. Manipulation and functionalization of nano-tubes: application to boron nitride nano-tubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maguer, A.

    2007-01-01

    This PhD work is divided into two parts dealing with boron nitride (BNNT) and carbon nano-tubes. The first part is about synthesis, purification and chemical functionalization of BNNT. Single-walled BNNT are synthesized by LASER ablation of a hBN target. Improving the synthesis parameters first allowed us to limit the byproducts (hBN, boric acid). A specific purification process was then developed in order to enrich the samples in nano-tubes. Purified samples were then used to develop two new chemical functionalization methods. They both involve chemical molecules that present a high affinity towards the BN network. The use of long chain-substituted quinuclidines and borazines actually allowed the solubilization of BNNT in organic media. Purification and functionalization were developed for single-walled BNNT and were successfully applied to multi-walled BNNT. Sensibility of boron to thermic neutrons finally gave birth to a study about covalent functionalization possibilities of the network. The second part of the PhD work deals with separation of carbon nano-tubes depending on their properties. Microwave irradiation of carbon nano-tubes first allowed the enrichment of initially polydisperse samples in large diameter nano-tubes. A second strategy involving selective interaction between one type of tubes and fullerene micelles was finally envisaged to selectively solubilize carbon nano-tubes with specific electronic properties. (author) [fr

  1. Enrichment plant management and safeguards

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurt, N.H.

    1978-01-01

    The next increment of enrichment at Portsmouth will be gas centrifuge. The safeguards program at Portsmouth is discussed, including the DYMCAS system, the computerization, and the detectors. Control of the material access areas is discussed. The licensee material surveillance and verification program is also described

  2. Rice and wheat yield improvement by the application of boron in salt affected soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mehdi, S.M.; Sarfraz, M.; Hassan, N.M.; Hassan, W.

    2007-01-01

    In recent past studies on wheat, rice and fruit plant showed that fairly large percentage of soils and crops are deficient in boron. Several times a question rose to study the boron responses in a cropping system to see the residual effect of boron. With the objective in mind, a field experiment was conducted at two sites in saline sodic soils to see the rice and wheat crops response to boron. Boron was applied to rice at the rate of 0.25, 0.50, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 Kg ha/sub -1/ as sodium tetra borate. The results showed that both paddy and straw yields increased with the increasing rates of boron and highest yield was obtained from 2 Kg ha/sub -l/. After harvesting of rice crop wheat was sown in the same layout. The treatments were divided into two equal portions. Boron was applied to one portion at the same rates as to rice while remaining half remained as such to study the residual effect of B on wheat. The results showed that grain anti straw yields increased with increasing rates of boron. In case of untreated plots to see the residual effect grain and straw yield increased with increasing rates of boron applied to rice. It was concluded that B applied to rice did show residual effect to the following wheat crop. Therefore, there is no need to apply B to following crop when B is applied to the previous crop. (author)

  3. The ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in the Kuihe River basin (Xuzhou section) and the characteristics of plant enrichment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ling; Zheng, Lei

    2018-01-01

    In order to investigate Kuihe River basin of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) pollution, the determination of the Kuihe River water body, the bottom of the river silt, riparian soil plants and heavy metal content of 9 kinds of riparian plants, investigate the pollution situation, so as to screen out the plants that has potential of enrichment and rehabilitation of heavy metal pollution. The results showed that Cd and Mn in the water body exceed bid; The pollution of Zn and Cu in the bottom mud is serious, potential ecological risk of heavy metals is Zn>Cu>Pb>Ni>Cd>As>Cr>Mn Riparian soil affected by sewage and overflow of sediment has significant positive correlation with soil heavy metals, among them, the Zn and Cu are heavy pollution; The selective absorption of heavy metals by 9 kinds of dominant plant leads to its bio concentration factor (BCF) of Cr and Pb on the low side, are all less than 1, from the translocation factor (TF), Setcreasea purpurea and Poa annua showed obvious roots type hoarding. Poa annua and Lycium chinense have a resistance on the absorption of heavy metals, Lythrum salicaria, Photinia serrulata and Broussonetia papyrifera have a unique advantage on enrichment of heavy metals, Broussonetia papyri era on a variety of strong ability of enrichment and transfer of heavy metals suggests that the woody plants in the vast application prospect in the field of rehabilitation technology of heavy metals.

  4. Profile of World Uranium Enrichment Programs - 2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laughter, Mark D.

    2007-01-01

    It is generally agreed that the most difficult step in building a nuclear weapon is acquiring weapons grade fissile material, either plutonium or highly enriched uranium (HEU). Plutonium is produced in a nuclear reactor, while HEU is produced using a uranium enrichment process. Enrichment is also an important step in the civil nuclear fuel cycle, in producing low enriched uranium (LEU) for use in fuel for nuclear reactors. However, the same equipment used to produce LEU for nuclear fuel can also be used to produce HEU for weapons. Safeguards at an enrichment plant are the array of assurances and verification techniques that ensure uranium is only enriched to LEU, no undeclared LEU is produced, and no uranium is enriched to HEU or secretly diverted. There are several techniques for enriching uranium. The two most prevalent are gaseous diffusion, which uses older technology and requires a lot of energy, and gas centrifuge separation, which uses more advanced technology and is more energy efficient. Gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) provide about 40% of current world enrichment capacity, but are being phased out as newer gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) are constructed. Estimates of current and future enrichment capacity are always approximate, due to the constant upgrades, expansions, and shutdowns occurring at enrichment plants, largely determined by economic interests. Currently, the world enrichment capacity is approximately 53 million kg-separative work units (SWU) per year, with 22 million in gaseous diffusion and 31 million in gas centrifuge plants. Another 23 million SWU/year of capacity are under construction or planned for the near future, almost entirely using gas centrifuge separation. Other less-efficient techniques have also been used in the past, including electromagnetic and aerodynamic separations, but these are considered obsolete, at least from a commercial perspective. Laser isotope separation shows promise as a possible enrichment technique

  5. WEED CONTROL AND BORON NUTRITION ON Eucalyptus IN SILVOPASTORAL SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre Magno Brighenti

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the control of weeds in the rows of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urograndis with herbicides applied singly or combined with boron (B, as well as, the response of Eucalyptus plants to this micronutrient. The experiments were carried out in a split-plot with randomized complete block design, with three replicates. Six treatments were applied to the plots: (i weeded control, (ii control without weeding, (iii glyphosate (1080 g ae ha-1 + chlorimuron-ethyl (10 g ai ha-1 + 0.05% v / v mineral oil, (iv glyphosate (1080 g ae  ha-1 + isoxaflutole (112.5 g ai ha-1,  (v glyphosate (1080 g ae ha-1 and  (vi oxyfluorfen (480 g ai ha-1. The sub-plots consisted of the absence or presence of 4 kg of boric acid (H3BO3 - 17% B in 100 L of water. The addition of boric acid in the solution containing the herbicides did not affect the weed control. There was an increase in boron content in the soil and consequently an increase in the boron levels in the eucalyptus leaves. The combined application of herbicides plus boric acid is perfectly suitable for preventing dry of the pointer on eucalyptus plants. Keywords: Eucalyptus urograndis; chemical control; herbicides; micronutrients; Urochloa decumbens.

  6. Re-translocation of boron in broccoli and lupin during early reproductive growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marentes, E; Shelp, B J [Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Horticultural Science, Guelph, ON (Canada); Vanderpool, R A [USDA, Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, ND (United States); [Spiers, G.A. Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Land Resource Science, Guelph, ON (Canada)

    1997-06-01

    The objective of the present study was to determine if boron (B) re-translocation depends on plant-B status and external-B supply. The stable {sup 10}B isotope was supplied to the root system of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck cv. Commander) and lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Ultra) plants to provide a quantitative picture of B distribution during early reproductive development. Regardless of the B regime (i.e. continuous supply with luxury, sufficient or deficient B; transfer at influorescence emergence from either a luxury- or sufficient-B supply to a deficient one) and whether {sup 10}B was acquired before or during influorescence development, a significant proportion of the B recovered in broccoli florest and lupin fruit was {sup 10}B enriched. B acquired during inflorescence development was an important source of B for reproductive structures, but the relative importance of B acquired before and after inflorescence emergence appeared to be species dependent. The occurrence of B re-translocation was not dependent upon the induction of B deficiency. The concentrations of B in phloem exsudates (0.38 to 0.03 mM) were 4- to 23-fold those in xylem sap, and more similar to the concentrations in the reproductive structures (0.86 to 0.07 mM) than those in source leaves (2.4 to 0.19 mM). The decreasing acropetal gradient of tissue-B concentrations with luxury-B supply declined dramatically or was reversed in plants grown with sufficient or deficient B. The data are consistent with B being a phloem-mobile element, and suggest that newly acquired B is particularly important during the early reproductive growth of plants. (au) 36 refs.

  7. Re-translocation of boron in broccoli and lupin during early reproductive growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marentes, E.; Shelp, B.J.; Vanderpool, R.A.

    1997-01-01

    The objective of the present study was to determine if boron (B) re-translocation depends on plant-B status and external-B supply. The stable 10 B isotope was supplied to the root system of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck cv. Commander) and lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Ultra) plants to provide a quantitative picture of B distribution during early reproductive development. Regardless of the B regime (i.e. continuous supply with luxury, sufficient or deficient B; transfer at influorescence emergence from either a luxury- or sufficient-B supply to a deficient one) and whether 10 B was acquired before or during influorescence development, a significant proportion of the B recovered in broccoli florest and lupin fruit was 10 B enriched. B acquired during inflorescence development was an important source of B for reproductive structures, but the relative importance of B acquired before and after inflorescence emergence appeared to be species dependent. The occurrence of B re-translocation was not dependent upon the induction of B deficiency. The concentrations of B in phloem exsudates (0.38 to 0.03 mM) were 4- to 23-fold those in xylem sap, and more similar to the concentrations in the reproductive structures (0.86 to 0.07 mM) than those in source leaves (2.4 to 0.19 mM). The decreasing acropetal gradient of tissue-B concentrations with luxury-B supply declined dramatically or was reversed in plants grown with sufficient or deficient B. The data are consistent with B being a phloem-mobile element, and suggest that newly acquired B is particularly important during the early reproductive growth of plants. (au) 36 refs

  8. Effect of the enriched filter pie with natural phosphate and microorganisms on soil and plant in a Vermelho-Distrófico Latossolo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leónides Castellanos González

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the research was to evaluate the use of filter pie and phosphate rock enriched with biofertilizer microorganisms on the population of microorganisms and phosphorus tenor in the soil and on plants. The experiment was conducted in a vegetation house with corn plants with Latossolo Red-Distrófico, containing seven treatments disposed in an entirely randomized design, where the treatments were: soil samples and filter pie with additions of phosphate of Araxá rock enriched with microorganisms coming from Biopack (1, Embrafos (2 and Azotofos (3, and without enrichment with microorganisms (4, and three controls, soil just with filter pie (5, soil just with phosphate rock (6 and only soil (7, with three repetitions. Height, stem diameter and number of leaves for plants were evaluated at 14, 28 and 42 days. At the 45 days the dry matters of leafs and roots were evaluated, as the same as populations of the microorganisms and phosphorus tenor in the soil and in the aerial part of the plant. The tenor of soluble phosphorus in the soil and accumulated phosphorous in the aerial part of corn plan were increased by the treatments with filter pie but not higher with filter pie enriched with biofertilizers, so its use isn’t justified. The pie treatments increase the fungus, total and solubilizers bacterial populations in the soil, provoking an increase of the height, diameter, number of leaves and dry matter of corn plants in a Red-Distrófico Latossolo.

  9. Mixing phenomena of interest to boron dilution during small break LOCAs in PWRs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nourbakhsh, H.P.; Cheng, Z.

    1995-01-01

    This paper presents the results of a study of mixing phenomena related to boron dilution during small break loss of coolant accidents (LOCAs)in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Boron free condensate can accumulate in the cold leg loop seals when the reactor is operating in a reflux/boiler-condenser mode. A problem may occur when subsequent change in flow conditions such as loop seal clearing or re-establishment of natural circulation flow drive the diluted water in the loop seals into the reactor core without sufficient mixing with the highly borated water in the reactor downcomer and lower plenum. The resulting low boron concentration coolant entering the core may cause a power excursion leading to fuel failure. The mixing processes associated with a slow moving stream of diluted water through the loop seal to the core are examined in this paper. Bounding calculations for boron concentration of coolant entering the core during a small break LOCA in a typical Westinghouse-designed four-loop plant are also presented

  10. Boronated liposome development and evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hawthorne, M.F.

    1995-01-01

    The boronated liposome development and evaluation effort consists of two separate tasks. The first is the development of new boron compounds and the synthesis of known boron species with BNCT potential. These compounds are then encapsulated within liposomes for the second task, biodistribution testing in tumor-bearing mice, which examines the potential for the liposomes and their contents to concentrate boron in cancerous tissues

  11. Enrichment technology. Dependable vendor of gas centrifuges; Enrichment Technology. Zuverlaessiger Lieferant von Gaszentrifugen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon.

    2011-10-15

    Enrichment Technology is an innovative, high-tech company that develops, manufactures and installs gas centrifuges for enriching uranium. In addition, Enrichment Technology designs enrichment plants that use gas centrifuge technology. This technology offers the most efficient and cost-effective method for enriching uranium yet: high-performance, safe technology that dominates the market with a global share of 45 percent. A determining factor in Enrichment Technology's success is its mission: supplying its customers with safe, reliable technology. Production of the centrifuges requires versatile know-how and collaboration between different departments as well as interdisciplinary teams at the various sites. More than 2000 operators at 8 sites in 5 countries contribute their individual knowledge and personal skills in order to produce this exceptional technology. The head office is in Beaconsfield near London and the operational headquarters are in Almelo in the Netherlands. There are other sites in Germany (Juelich und Gronau), Great Britain (Capenhurst) as well as project sites in the USA and France. Capenhurst is where experienced engineers design new enrichment plants and organise their construction. Centrifuge components are manufactured in Almelo and Juelich, while the pipework needed to connect up the centrifuges is produced at the site in Gronau. In Juelich, highly qualified scientists in interdisciplinary teams are continuously researching ways of improving the current centrifuges. Communication between specialists in the fields of chemistry, physics and engineering forms the basis for the company's success and the key to extending this leading position in the global enrichment market. (orig.)

  12. Evaluation of processes controlling the geochemical constituents in deep groundwater in Bangladesh: Spatial variability on arsenic and boron enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halim, M.A.; Majumder, R.K.; Nessa, S.A.; Hiroshiro, Y.; Sasaki, K.; Saha, B.B.; Saepuloh, A.; Jinno, K.

    2010-01-01

    Forty-six deep groundwater samples from highly arsenic affected areas in Bangladesh were analyzed in order to evaluate the processes controlling geochemical constituents in the deep aquifer system. Spatial trends of solutes, geochemical modeling and principal component analysis indicate that carbonate dissolution, silicate weathering and ion exchange control the major-ion chemistry. The groundwater is dominantly of Na-Cl type brackish water. Approximately 17% of the examined groundwaters exhibit As concentrations higher than the maximum acceptable limit of 10 μg/L for drinking water. Strong correlation (R 2 = 0.67) of Fe with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and positive saturation index of siderite suggests that the reductive dissolution of Fe-oxyhydroxide in presence of organic matter is considered to be the dominant process to release high content of Fe (median 0.31 mg/L) in the deep aquifer. In contrast, As is not correlated with Fe and DOC. Boron concentration in the 26% samples exceeds the standard limit of 500 μg/L, for water intended for human consumption. Negative relationships of B/Cl ratio with Cl and boron with Na/Ca ratio demonstrate the boron in deep groundwater is accompanied by brackish water and cation exchange within the clayey sediments.

  13. EURODIF: the uranium enrichment by gaseous diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rougeau, J.P.

    1981-01-01

    During the seventies the nuclear power programme had an extremely rapid growth rate which entailed to increase the world uranium enrichment capacity. EURODIF is the largest undertaking in this field. This multinational joint venture built and now operates and enrichment plant using the gaseous diffusion process at Tricastin (France). This plant is delivering low enriched uranium since two years and has contracted about 110 million SWU's till 1990. Description, current activity and prospects are given in the paper. (Author) [pt

  14. Method for estimate the economic characteristics of an uranium enrichment plant by gaseous diffusion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berault, J.C.

    1975-01-01

    To estimate the economic characteristics of an uranium enrichment plant by gaseous diffusion is to determine the prospective price of the separative work unit to which leads the concerned technology, and to collect the data allowing to ascertain that this price remains in the area of development of the prices forecasted by the other projects. The prospective price estimated by the promoter is the synthesis of the components of the go decision and which are a potential market and a comprehensive industrially proven plant design, including the basic economic and technical data of the project. Procedures for estimating these components and their synthesis, exclusive of financing problems are reviewed [fr

  15. Boron-coated straws as a replacement for {sup 3}He-based neutron detectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lacy, Jeffrey L., E-mail: jlacy@proportionaltech.com [Proportional Technologies, Inc., 8022 El Rio Street, Houston, TX 77054 (United States); Athanasiades, Athanasios; Sun, Liang; Martin, Christopher S.; Lyons, Tom D.; Foss, Michael A.; Haygood, Hal B. [Proportional Technologies, Inc., 8022 El Rio Street, Houston, TX 77054 (United States)

    2011-10-01

    US and international government efforts to equip major seaports with large area neutron detectors, aimed to intercept the smuggling of nuclear materials, have precipitated a critical shortage of {sup 3}He gas. It is estimated that the annual demand of {sup 3}He for US security applications alone is more than the worldwide supply. This is strongly limiting the prospects of neutron science, safeguards, and other applications that rely heavily on {sup 3}He-based detectors. Clearly, alternate neutron detection technologies that can support large sensitive areas, and have low gamma sensitivity and low cost must be developed. We propose a low-cost technology based on long copper tubes (straws), coated on the inside with a thin layer of {sup 10}B-enriched boron carbide ({sup 10}B{sub 4}C). In addition to the high abundance of boron on Earth and low cost of {sup 10}B enrichment, the boron-coated straw (BCS) detector offers distinct advantages over conventional {sup 3}He-based detectors, and alternate technologies such as {sup 10}BF{sub 3} tubes and {sup 10}B-coated rigid tubes. These include better distribution inside moderator assemblies, many-times faster electronic signals, no pressurization, improved gamma-ray rejection, no toxic or flammable gases, and ease of serviceability. We present the performance of BCS detectors dispersed in a solid plastic moderator to address the need for portal monitoring. The design adopts the outer dimensions of currently deployed {sup 3}He-based monitors, but takes advantage of the small BCS diameter to achieve a more uniform distribution of neutron converter throughout the moderating material. We show that approximately 63 BCS detectors, each 205 cm long, distributed inside the moderator, can match or exceed the detection efficiency of typical monitors fitted with a 5 cm diameter {sup 3}He tube, 187 cm long, pressurized to 3 atm.

  16. Profile of World Uranium Enrichment Programs-2009

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laughter, Mark D.

    2009-01-01

    It is generally agreed that the most difficult step in building a nuclear weapon is acquiring fissile material, either plutonium or highly enriched uranium (HEU). Plutonium is produced in a nuclear reactor, whereas HEU is produced using a uranium enrichment process. Enrichment is also an important step in the civil nuclear fuel cycle, in producing low enriched uranium (LEU) for use as fuel for nuclear reactors to generate electricity. However, the same equipment used to produce LEU for nuclear reactor fuel can also be used to produce HEU for weapons. Safeguards at an enrichment plant are the array of assurances and verification techniques that ensure uranium is not diverted or enriched to HEU. There are several techniques for enriching uranium. The two most prevalent are gaseous diffusion, which uses older technology and requires a lot of energy, and gas centrifuge separation, which uses more advanced technology and is more energy efficient. Gaseous diffusion plants (GDPs) provide about 40% of current world enrichment capacity but are being phased out as newer gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) are constructed. Estimates of current and future enrichment capacity are always approximate, due to the constant upgrades, expansions, and shutdowns occurring at enrichment plants, largely determined by economic interests. Currently, the world enrichment capacity is approximately 56 million kilogram separative work units (SWU) per year, with 22.5 million in gaseous diffusion and more than 33 million in gas centrifuge plants. Another 34 million SWU/year of capacity is under construction or planned for the near future, almost entirely using gas centrifuge separation. Other less-efficient techniques have also been used in the past, including electromagnetic and aerodynamic separations, but these are considered obsolete, at least from a commercial perspective. Laser isotope separation shows promise as a possible enrichment technique of the future but has yet to be

  17. Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Plants Subjected to Boron Toxicity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cervilla, Luis M.; Blasco, Begoña; Ríos, Juan J.; Romero, Luis; Ruiz, Juan M.

    2007-01-01

    Background and Aims Boron (B) toxicity triggers the formation of reactive oxygen species in plant tissues. However, there is still a lack of knowledge as to how B toxicity affects the plant antioxidant defence system. It has been suggested that ascorbate could be important against B stress, although existing information is limited in this respect. The objective of this study was to analyse how ascorbate and some other components of the antioxidant network respond to B toxicity. Methods Two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cultivars (‘Kosaco’ and ‘Josefina’) were subjected to 0·05 (control), 0·5 and 2 mm B. The following were studied in leaves: dry weight; relative leaf growth rate; total and free B; H2O2; malondialdehyde; ascorbate; glutathione; sugars; total non-enzymatic antioxidant activity, and the activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, monodehydroascorbate reductase, dehydroascorbate reductase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate oxidase and l-galactose dehydrogenase. Key Results The B-toxicity treatments diminished growth and boosted the amount of B, malondialdehyde and H2O2 in the leaves of the two cultivars, these trends being more pronounced in ‘Josefina’ than in ‘Kosaco’. B toxicity increased ascorbate concentration in both cultivars and increased glutathione only in ‘Kosaco’. Activities of antioxidant- and ascorbate-metabolizing enzymes were also induced. Conclusions High B concentration in the culture medium provokes oxidative damage in tomato leaves and induces a general increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. In particular, B toxicity increased ascorbate pool size. It also increased the activity of l-galactose dehydrogenase, an enzyme involved in ascorbate biosynthesis, and the activity of enzymes of the Halliwell–Asada cycle. This work therefore provides a starting point towards a better understanding of the role of ascorbate in the plant response against B stress. PMID:17660516

  18. A transcriptome-wide study on the microRNA- and the Argonaute 1-enriched small RNA-mediated regulatory networks involved in plant leaf senescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, J; Ma, X; Yi, Z; Tang, Z; Meng, Y

    2016-03-01

    Leaf senescence is an important physiological process during the plant life cycle. However, systemic studies on the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) on the expression of senescence-associated genes (SAGs) are lacking. Besides, whether other Argonaute 1 (AGO1)-enriched small RNAs (sRNAs) play regulatory roles in leaf senescence remains unclear. In this study, a total of 5,123 and 1,399 AGO1-enriched sRNAs, excluding miRNAs, were identified in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa), respectively. After retrieving SAGs from the Leaf Senescence Database, all of the AGO1-enriched sRNAs and the miRBase-registered miRNAs of these two plants were included for target identification. Supported by degradome signatures, 200 regulatory pairs involving 120 AGO1-enriched sRNAs and 40 SAGs, and 266 regulatory pairs involving 64 miRNAs and 42 SAGs were discovered in Arabidopsis. Moreover, 13 genes predicted to interact with some of the above-identified target genes at protein level were validated as regulated by 17 AGO1-enriched sRNAs and ten miRNAs in Arabidopsis. In rice, only one SAG was targeted by three AGO1-enriched sRNAs, and one SAG was targeted by miR395. However, five AGO1-enriched sRNAs were conserved between Arabidopsis and rice. Target genes conserved between the two plants were identified for three of the above five sRNAs, pointing to the conserved roles of these regulatory pairs in leaf senescence or other developmental procedures. Novel targets were discovered for three of the five AGO1-enriched sRNAs in rice, indicating species-specific functions of these sRNA-target pairs. These results could advance our understanding of the sRNA-involved molecular processes modulating leaf senescence. © 2015 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

  19. Report of Sectional Committee on Industrialization of Uranium Enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    In order to accelerate the development and utilization of atomic energy which is the core of the substitute energies for petroleum, it is indispensable requirement to establish independent fuel cycle as the base. In particular, the domestic production of enriched uranium is necessary to eliminate the obstacles to secure the energy supply in Japan. The construction and operation of the pilot plant for uranium enrichment by centrifugal separation method have progressed smoothly, and the technical base for the domestic production of enriched uranium is being consolidated. For the time being, the service of uranium enrichment is given by USA and France, but it is expected that the short supply will arise around 1990. The start of operation of the uranium enrichment plant in Japan is scheduled around 1990, and the scale of the plant will be expanded stepwise thereafter. The scale of production is assumed as 3000 t SWU/year in 2000. Prior to this commercial plant, the prototype plant of up to 250 t SWU/year capacity will be operated in 1986, starting the production of centrifugal separators in 1983. The production line for centrifugal separators will have the capacity of up to 125 t SWU/year. The organization for operating these plants, the home production of natural uranium conversion, the uranium enrichment by chemical method and others are described. (Kako, I.)

  20. Turkey's regulatory plans for high enriched to low enriched conversion of TR-2 reactor core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guelol Oezdere, Oya

    2003-01-01

    Turkey is a developing country and has three nuclear facilities two of which are research reactors and one pilot fuel production plant. One of the two research reactors is TR-2 which is located in Cekmece site in Istanbul. TR-2 Reactor's core is composed of both high enriched and low enriched fuel and from high enriched to low enriched core conversion project will take place in year 2005. This paper presents the plans for drafting regulations on the safety analysis report updates for high enriched to low enriched core conversion of TR-2 reactor, the present regulatory structure of Turkey and licensing activities of nuclear facilities. (author)

  1. Biodistribution, toxicity and efficacy of a boronated porphyrin for boron neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miura, Michiko; Micca, P.; Fairchild, R.; Slatkin, D.; Gabel, D.

    1992-01-01

    Boron-containing porphyrins may be useful for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in the treatment of brain tumors. Porphyrins have been shown to accumulate in tumor tissue and to be essentially excluded from normal brain. However, problems of toxicity may prevent some boron-containing porphyrins from being considered for BNCT. The authors have synthesized the boronated porphyrin 2,4-bis-vinyl-o-nidocarboranyl-deuteroporphyrin IX (VCDP). Preliminary studies in tumor-bearing mice showed considerable uptake of boron at a total dose of 150 μg/gbw with low mortality. They now report that a total dose to mice of ∼ 275 μg VCDP/gbw administered in multiple intraperitoneal (ip) injections can provide 40-50μg B per gram of tumor with acceptable toxicity. Toxicity experiments and a preliminary trial of BNCT in mice given such doses are also reported

  2. A New Boron Analysis Method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weitman, J; Daaverhoeg, N; Farvolden, S

    1970-07-01

    In connection with fast neutron (n, {alpha}) cross section measurements a novel boron analysis method has been developed. The boron concentration is inferred from the mass spectrometrically determined number of helium atoms produced in the thermal and epithermal B-10 (n, {alpha}) reaction. The relation between helium amount and boron concentration is given, including corrections for self shielding effects and background levels. Direct and diffusion losses of helium are calculated and losses due to gettering, adsorption and HF-ionization in the release stage are discussed. A series of boron determinations is described and the results are compared with those obtained by other methods, showing excellent agreement. The lower limit of boron concentration which can be measured varies with type of sample. In e.g. steel, concentrations below 10-5 % boron in samples of 0.1-1 gram may be determined.

  3. Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of glycoproteins combined with enrichment methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Yeong Hee; Kim, Jin Young; Yoo, Jong Shin

    2015-01-01

    Mass spectrometry (MS) has been a core technology for high sensitive and high-throughput analysis of the enriched glycoproteome in aspects of quantitative assays as well as qualitative profiling of glycoproteins. Because it has been widely recognized that aberrant glycosylation in a glycoprotein may involve in progression of a certain disease, the development of efficient analysis tool for the aberrant glycoproteins is very important for deep understanding about pathological function of the glycoprotein and new biomarker development. This review first describes the protein glycosylation-targeting enrichment technologies mainly employing solid-phase extraction methods such as hydrizide-capturing, lectin-specific capturing, and affinity separation techniques based on porous graphitized carbon, hydrophilic interaction chromatography, or immobilized boronic acid. Second, MS-based quantitative analysis strategies coupled with the protein glycosylation-targeting enrichment technologies, by using a label-free MS, stable isotope-labeling, or targeted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) MS, are summarized with recent published studies. © 2014 The Authors. Mass Spectrometry Reviews Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Isotopic effects on phonon anharmonicity in layered van der Waals crystals: Isotopically pure hexagonal boron nitride

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cuscó, Ramon; Artús, Luis; Edgar, James H.; Liu, Song; Cassabois, Guillaume; Gil, Bernard

    2018-04-01

    Hexagonal boron nitride (h -BN) is a layered crystal that is attracting a great deal of attention as a promising material for nanophotonic applications. The strong optical anisotropy of this crystal is key to exploit polaritonic modes for manipulating light-matter interactions in 2D materials. h -BN has also great potential for solid-state neutron detection and neutron imaging devices, given the exceptionally high thermal neutron capture cross section of the boron-10 isotope. A good knowledge of phonons in layered crystals is essential for harnessing long-lived phonon-polariton modes for nanophotonic applications and may prove valuable for developing solid-state 10BN neutron detectors with improved device architectures and higher detection efficiencies. Although phonons in graphene and isoelectronic materials with a similar hexagonal layer structure have been studied, the effect of isotopic substitution on the phonons of such lamellar compounds has not been addressed yet. Here we present a Raman scattering study of the in-plane high-energy Raman active mode on isotopically enriched single-crystal h -BN. Phonon frequency and lifetime are measured in the 80-600-K temperature range for 10B-enriched, 11B-enriched, and natural composition high quality crystals. Their temperature dependence is explained in the light of perturbation theory calculations of the phonon self-energy. The effects of crystal anisotropy, isotopic disorder, and anharmonic phonon-decay channels are investigated in detail. The isotopic-induced changes in the phonon density of states are shown to enhance three-phonon anharmonic decay channels in 10B-enriched crystals, opening the possibility of isotope tuning of the anharmonic phonon decay processes.

  5. Two-channel neutron boron meter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Yongqing; Yin Guowei; Chai Songshan; Deng Zhaoping; Zhou Bin

    1993-09-01

    The two-channel neutron boron meter is a continuous on-line measuring device to measure boron concentration of primary cooling liquid of reactors. The neutron-leakage-compensation method is taken in the measuring mechanism. In the primary measuring configuration, the mini-boron-water annulus and two-channel and central calibration loop are adopted. The calibration ring and constant-temperature of boron-water can be remotely controlled by secondary instruments. With the microcomputer data processing system the boron concentration is automatically measured and calibrated in on-line mode. The meter has many advantages such as high accuracy, fast response, multi-applications, high reliability and convenience

  6. Therapeutic efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy mediated by boron-rich liposomes for oral cancer in the hamster cheek pouch model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heber, Elisa M. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Hawthorne, M. Frederick [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). International Inst. of Nano and Molecular Medicine; Kueffer, Peter J. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). International Inst. of Nano and Molecular Medicine; Garabalino, Marcela A. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Thorp, Silvia I. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Pozzi, Emiliano C. C. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Hughes, Andrea Monti [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Maitz, Charles A. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). International Inst. of Nano and Molecular Medicine; Jalisatgi, Satish S. [Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States). International Inst. of Nano and Molecular Medicine; Nigg, David W. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Curotto, Paula [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Trivillin, Verónica A. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina); Schwint, Amanda E. [Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica (CNEA), Buenos Aires (Argentina)

    2014-11-11

    Unilamellar liposomes formulated with an equimolar mixture of cholesterol and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, incorporating K[nido-7-CH3(CH2)15-7,8-C2B9H11] in the lipid bilayer, and encapsulating Na3[1-(2’-B10-H9)-2-NH3B10H8] were prepared by probe sonication and investigated in vivo. Microwave assisted digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy was utilized to determine the biodistribution of boron in various tissues following either a single tail vein injection or two identical injections (separated by 24 hours) of the liposomal suspension in BALB/c mice bearing EMT6 mammary adenocarcinomas in their right flank. Double-injection protocols resulted in a boron content in the tumor exceeding 50 µg of boron per gram of tissue for 48 to 72 hours subsequent to the initial injection while tumor:blood boron ratios were more ideal from 54 hours (1.9:1) to 96 hours (5.7:1) subsequent to the initial injection. Tumor bearing mice were given a double-injection of liposomes containing the 10B-enriched analogs of the aforementioned agents and subjected to a 30 minute irradiation by thermal neutrons with a flux of 8.8 x 108 (±7%) neutrons/cm2 s integrated over the energy range of 0.0 – 0.414 eV. Significant tumor response for a single BNCT treatment was demonstrated by growth curves versus a control group. Vastly diminished tumor growth was witnessed at 14 days (186% increase versus 1551% in controls) in mice that were given a second injection/radiation treatment 7 days after the first. Mice given a one hour neutron irradiation following the double-injection of liposomes had a similar response (169% increase at 14 days) suggesting that neutron fluence is the limiting factor towards BNCT efficacy in this study.

  7. Lattice vibrations in α-boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richter, W.

    1976-01-01

    α-rhombohedral boron is the simplest boron modification, with only 12 atoms per unit cell. The boron atoms are arranged in B 12 icosahedra, which are centered at the lattice points of a primitive rhombohedral lattice. The icosahedra are slightly deformed, as the five-fold symmetry of the ideal icosahedron is incompatible with any crystal structure. The lattice dynamics of α-boron are discussed in terms of the model developed by Weber and Thorpe. (Auth.)

  8. Boron Fullerenes: A First-Principles Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalez Szwacki Nevill

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractA family of unusually stable boron cages was identified and examined using first-principles local-density functional method. The structure of the fullerenes is similar to that of the B12icosahedron and consists of six crossing double-rings. The energetically most stable fullerene is made up of 180 boron atoms. A connection between the fullerene family and its precursors, boron sheets, is made. We show that the most stable boron sheets are not necessarily precursors of very stable boron cages. Our finding is a step forward in the understanding of the structure of the recently produced boron nanotubes.

  9. Boron-containing thioureas for neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ketz, H.

    1993-01-01

    Melanin is produced in large amounts in malignant melanotic melanomas. Because thiourea compounds are covalently incorporated into melanin during its biosynthesis, the preparation of boronated thiourea-derivatives is of particular interest for the BNCT (Boron Neutron Capture Therapy). Accumulation of boron in tumors by means of boronated thiourea-derivatives may therefore provide levels of 10 B which are useful for BNCT. In BNCT the tumor containing the boron compound is irradiated with epithermal neutrons to generate He- and Li-nuclei from the 10 B which can then destroy the tumor cells. Because of the short ranges of these particles (approximately one cell diameter) the damage will be almost exclusively confined to the tumor leaving normal tissue unharmed. High accumulation of 2-mercapto-1-methylimidazole (methimazole) in melanotic melanomas has been described in the literature. Boronated derivatives of methimazole were therefore synthesized. Boron was in the form of a boronic acid, a nido-carbonate and a mercaptoundeca hydro-closo-dodecaborate (BSH). The synthesis of the boron cluster derivatives of methimazole (nido-carborate- and BSH-derivatives) with 9 resp. 12 boron atoms in the molecule were expected to achieve higher concentrations of boron in the tumor than in the case of the boronic acid compound with its single boron atom. (orig.) [de

  10. Development of a computer systems for operational data acquisition of uranium isotopic enrichment pilot plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maia, W.M.C.

    1985-01-01

    A pilot plant for uranium enrichment using the jet nozzle process was transfered from Federal Republic of Germany to Brazil, to train Brazilian technicist in its operation and to improve the process. This pilot plant is monitored by a data acquisition system and the possibility of faulty events would cause serious dificulties, as far as maintenance is concerned (for instance, unvailable special components). It is described the development of a new system, which is proposed in order to minimize difficulties with maintenance that utilizes in the assembling integrated circuits of large scale of integration. It is controlled by a microcomputer. (Author) [pt

  11. Selenium Enrichment of Horticultural Crops.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puccinelli, Martina; Malorgio, Fernando; Pezzarossa, Beatrice

    2017-06-04

    The ability of some crops to accumulate selenium (Se) is crucial for human nutrition and health. Selenium has been identified as a cofactor of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which is a catalyzer in the reduction of peroxides that can damage cells and tissues, and can act as an antioxidant. Plants are the first link in the food chain, which ends with humans. Increasing the Se quantity in plant products, including leafy and fruity vegetables, and fruit crops, without exceeding the toxic threshold, is thus a good way to increase animal and human Se intake, with positive effects on long-term health. In many Se-enriched plants, most Se is in its major organic form. Given that this form is more available to humans and more efficient in increasing the selenium content than inorganic forms, the consumption of Se-enriched plants appears to be beneficial. An antioxidant effect of Se has been detected in Se-enriched vegetables and fruit crops due to an improved antioxidative status and to a reduced biosynthesis of ethylene, which is the hormone with a primary role in plant senescence and fruit ripening. This thus highlights the possible positive effect of Se in preserving a longer shelf-life and longer-lasting quality.

  12. Selenium Enrichment of Horticultural Crops

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Puccinelli

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The ability of some crops to accumulate selenium (Se is crucial for human nutrition and health. Selenium has been identified as a cofactor of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which is a catalyzer in the reduction of peroxides that can damage cells and tissues, and can act as an antioxidant. Plants are the first link in the food chain, which ends with humans. Increasing the Se quantity in plant products, including leafy and fruity vegetables, and fruit crops, without exceeding the toxic threshold, is thus a good way to increase animal and human Se intake, with positive effects on long-term health. In many Se-enriched plants, most Se is in its major organic form. Given that this form is more available to humans and more efficient in increasing the selenium content than inorganic forms, the consumption of Se-enriched plants appears to be beneficial. An antioxidant effect of Se has been detected in Se-enriched vegetables and fruit crops due to an improved antioxidative status and to a reduced biosynthesis of ethylene, which is the hormone with a primary role in plant senescence and fruit ripening. This thus highlights the possible positive effect of Se in preserving a longer shelf-life and longer-lasting quality.

  13. Permit issued for expansion of the Gronau uranium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    Over the next few years, the Gronau Uranium Enrichment Plant (UAG) will be able to raise its capacity in steps from 1 800 tonnes to 4 500 tonnes SWU per annum. This development in steps depends on the extent to which demand on the world market can be turned into contracts for Urenco. After a procedure taking more than six years to complete, Urenco Deutschland GmbH was issued the required permit by the North Rhine-Westphalian State Ministry for Transport, Energy, and Planning on February 14 this year. The permit was preceded by the drafting and examination of two safety reports of several hundred pages each, and of over 1 000 detailed documents. The application documents were examined by a large number of expert consultants and public authorities from all over Germany acting on behalf of the nuclear licensing authority. Urenco Ltd. sells enrichment services worldwide, at present holding a share of approx. 19% of the world market for uranium separative work. Although this world market is not going to grow for a foreseeable period of time, Urenco is expanding its capacities. This is based on the latest centrifuge technology characterized by extremely low power consumption and high availability. It replaces diffusion technology, which currently holds a share of approx. 40% of the world market. (orig.)

  14. Soil-derived microbial consortia enriched with different plant biomass reveal distinct players acting in lignocellulose degradation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Lima Brossi, Maria Julia; Jiménez Avella, Diego; Cortes Tolalpa, Larisa; van Elsas, Jan

    Here, we investigated how different plant biomass, and-for one substrate-pH, drive the composition of degrader microbial consortia. We bred such consortia from forest soil, incubated along nine aerobic sequential - batch enrichments with wheat straw (WS1, pH 7.2; WS2, pH 9.0), switchgrass (SG, pH

  15. Boron supplementation in broiler diets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    EJ Fassani

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available Boron supplementation in broiler feed is not a routine practice. However, some reports suggest a positive effect of boron on performance. This study assessed the effects of boron supplementation on broiler performance. Diets were based on maize and soybean meal, using boric acid P.A. as boron source. Six supplementation levels (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 ppm were evaluated using 1,440 one-day old males housed at a density of 30 chickens in each of 48 experimental plots of 3m². A completely randomized block design was used with 8 replicates. Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were assessed in the periods from 1 to 7 days, 1 to 21 days and 1 to 42 days of age, and viability was evaluated for the total 42-day rearing period. No performance variable was affected by boron supplementation (p>0.05 in the period from 1 to 7 days. The regression analysis indicated an ideal level of 37.4 ppm of boron for weight gain from 1 to 21 days (p0.05, although feed intake was reduced linearly with increased boron levels (p0.05. Ash and calcium percentages in the tibias of broilers and viability in the total rearing period were not affected by boron supplementation (p>0.05.

  16. Uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rae, H.K.; Melvin, J.G.

    1988-06-01

    Canada is the world's largest producer and exporter of uranium, most of which is enriched elsewhere for use as fuel in LWRs. The feasibility of a Canadian uranium-enrichment enterprise is therefore a perennial question. Recent developments in uranium-enrichment technology, and their likely impacts on separative work supply and demand, suggest an opportunity window for Canadian entry into this international market. The Canadian opportunity results from three particular impacts of the new technologies: 1) the bulk of the world's uranium-enrichment capacity is in gaseous diffusion plants which, because of their large requirements for electricity (more than 2000 kW·h per SWU), are vulnerable to competition from the new processes; 2) the decline in enrichment costs increases the economic incentive for the use of slightly-enriched uranium (SEU) fuel in CANDU reactors, thus creating a potential Canadian market; and 3) the new processes allow economic operation on a much smaller scale, which drastically reduces the investment required for market entry and is comparable with the potential Canadian SEU requirement. The opportunity is not open-ended. By the end of the century the enrichment supply industry will have adapted to the new processes and long-term customer/supplier relationships will have been established. In order to seize the opportunity, Canada must become a credible supplier during this century

  17. New Measures to Safeguard Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Whitaker, Jr., James [ORNL; Garner, James R [ORNL; Whitaker, Michael [ORNL; Lockwood, Dunbar [U.S. Department of Energy, NNSA; Gilligan, Kimberly V [ORNL; Younkin, James R [ORNL; Hooper, David A [ORNL; Henkel, James J [ORNL; Krichinsky, Alan M [ORNL

    2011-01-01

    As Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plants (GCEPs) increase in separative work unit (SWU) capacity, the current International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) model safeguards approach needs to be strengthened. New measures to increase the effectiveness of the safeguards approach are being investigated that will be mutually beneficial to the facility operators and the IAEA. One of the key concepts being studied for application at future GCEPs is embracing joint use equipment for process monitoring of load cells at feed and withdrawal (F/W) stations. A mock F/W system was built at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to generate and collect F/W data from an analogous system. The ORNL system has been used to collect data representing several realistic normal process and off-normal (including diversion) scenarios. Emphasis is placed on the novelty of the analysis of data from the sensors as well as the ability to build information out of raw data, which facilitates a more effective and efficient verification process. This paper will provide a progress report on recent accomplishments and next steps.

  18. Present state of development of uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1979-01-01

    The pilot plant for uranium enrichment started the operation on September 12, 1979. The pilot plant has been constructed by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. in Ningyo Pass, Okayama Prefecture. 7000 centrifugal separators will be installed by mid 1981, and yearly production of 70 t SWU is expected. The Uranium Enrichment Committee of Japan Atomic Industrial Forum has made the proposal on the method of forwarding the development of uranium enrichment in Japan to Atomic Energy Commission and related government offices in December, 1978. This survey summarized the trends of uranium enrichment in Japan and foreign countries and the problems about nuclear non-proliferation, and provides with the reference materials. The demand and supply of uranium enrichment in the world, the present states and plans in USA, Europe, USSR and others, the demand and supply of uranium enrichment and the measures for securing it in Japan, the present state and future plan of uranium enrichment project in Japan, the international regulation of uranium enrichment, the recent policy of USA and INFCE, and the trend of the regulation of utilizing enriched uranium are described. Moreover, the concept of separation works in uranium enrichment and the various technologies of separation are explained. (Kako, I.)

  19. Xylem-to-phloem transfer of boron in broccoli and lupin during early reproductive growth

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shelp, B J; Kitheka, A M; Cauwenberghe, O.R. Van [Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Horticultural Science, Guelph, ON (Canada); Vanderpool, R A [Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Agricultural Research service, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Spiers, G A [Univ. of Guelph, Dept. of Land Resource Science, Guelph, ON (Canada)

    1998-12-01

    The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that newly-acquired boron (B) undergoes rapid xylem-to-phloem transfer in plants with restricted mobility. Analysis of the element accumulation and water usage by shoots of intact broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck cv. Commander) and lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Ultra) plants provided with a non-deficient supply of B, revealed that the concentration of various mineral elements (K, P, Mg, Ca, B, Fe, Zn, Mo, Cu, Mn) in xylem sap of intact plants ranged from 0.3 {mu}M to 3.5 mM, with B being present at 2.9-3.5 {mu}M. For each element assayed, the concentration was higher in phloem exudate (1.6 {mu}M to 91 mM) than in xylem sap; B was present at about 0.4 mM. Intact broccoli and lupin plants or detached transpiring broccoli shoots were supplied simultaneously with enriched {sup 10}B, strontium (a xylem marker) and rubidium (a xylem/phloem marker) during early reproductive growth. The contents of these three compounds were determined in foliage and florets or fruits as a function of time (i.e. up to 12 h and 4 days for broccoli and lupin plants, respectively), and the content in florets or fruits was expressed as a percent of the total recovered. In general, the percent recovery of both {sup 10}B and rubidium in florets or fruits was similar and markedly greater than that for strontium, even at the earliest harvest times (within 2 h for broccoli and 1 day for lupin). The data indicate that in plants with restricted B mobility, B is supplied to sink tissues in the phloem, and the extent of B xylem-to-phloem transfer is closely determined by current uptake. (au) 35 refs.

  20. Xylem-to-phloem transfer of boron in broccoli and lupin during early reproductive growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shelp, B.J.; Kitheka, A.M.; Cauwenberghe, O.R. Van; Vanderpool, R.A.; Spiers, G.A.

    1998-01-01

    The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that newly-acquired boron (B) undergoes rapid xylem-to-phloem transfer in plants with restricted mobility. Analysis of the element accumulation and water usage by shoots of intact broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica Plenck cv. Commander) and lupin (Lupinus albus L. cv. Ultra) plants provided with a non-deficient supply of B, revealed that the concentration of various mineral elements (K, P, Mg, Ca, B, Fe, Zn, Mo, Cu, Mn) in xylem sap of intact plants ranged from 0.3 μM to 3.5 mM, with B being present at 2.9-3.5 μM. For each element assayed, the concentration was higher in phloem exudate (1.6 μM to 91 mM) than in xylem sap; B was present at about 0.4 mM. Intact broccoli and lupin plants or detached transpiring broccoli shoots were supplied simultaneously with enriched 10 B, strontium (a xylem marker) and rubidium (a xylem/phloem marker) during early reproductive growth. The contents of these three compounds were determined in foliage and florets or fruits as a function of time (i.e. up to 12 h and 4 days for broccoli and lupin plants, respectively), and the content in florets or fruits was expressed as a percent of the total recovered. In general, the percent recovery of both 10 B and rubidium in florets or fruits was similar and markedly greater than that for strontium, even at the earliest harvest times (within 2 h for broccoli and 1 day for lupin). The data indicate that in plants with restricted B mobility, B is supplied to sink tissues in the phloem, and the extent of B xylem-to-phloem transfer is closely determined by current uptake. (au)

  1. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of boron compounds containing two-, three- and four-coordinate boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wrackmeyer, B.

    1988-01-01

    The influence of boron chemistry on various areas of research in inorganic, organic and theoretical chemistry is well documented. In fact, many models presently employed to describe chemical bonding in general can be traced to attempts to understand bonding in boranes. The confirmation of many theoretical predictions in boron chemistry relies on direct and indirect structural information provided by various physical methods that - fortunately - became available almost at the same rate as that with which the interest in boron compounds was growing. Clearly, there has always been a strong link between the interest in synthesis and the application of physical methods. As in many other areas of chemistry, developments in boron chemistry have been greatly accelerated by NMR. 11 B NMR has been at the center of interest from the beginning, accompanied by routine 1 H NMR measurements, and occasional 14 N, 19 F and 31 P NMR work. In the last 12 years, we have seen an increasing number of 13 C NMR studies of boron compounds. The availability of multinuclear facilities for PFT NMR spectrometers stimulates the measurement of the NMR spectra of other nuclei, like 29 Si, 119 Sn or other metals, in order to obtain additional information. This paper is intended to serve several purposes: to update previous reviews on 11 B NMR of boron compounds, to demonstrate some applications of multinuclear NMR to boron chemistry; to attempt to incorporate new NMR parameters into the known data set; and to summarize the experimental facts required for obtaining the maximum information from NMR studies on boron compounds

  2. Approach to IAEA material-balance verification at the Portsmouth Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordon, D.M.; Sanborn, J.B.; Younkin, J.M.; DeVito, V.J.

    1983-01-01

    This paper describes a potential approach by which the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) might verify the nuclear-material balance at the Portsmouth Gas Centrifuge Enrichment Plant (GCEP). The strategy makes use of the attributes and variables measurement verification approach, whereby the IAEA would perform independent measurements on a randomly selected subset of the items comprising the U-235 flows and inventories at the plant. In addition, the MUF-D statistic is used as the test statistic for the detection of diversion. The paper includes descriptions of the potential verification activities, as well as calculations of: (1) attributes and variables sample sizes for the various strata, (2) standard deviations of the relevant test statistics, and (3) the detection sensitivity which the IAEA might achieve by this verification strategy at GCEP

  3. Study of boron detection limit using the in-air PIGE set-up at LAMFI-USP

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moro, M. V.; Silva, T. F.; Trindade, G. F.; Added, N.; Tabacniks, M. H.

    2014-01-01

    The quantification of small amounts of boron in materials is of extreme importance in different areas of materials science. Boron is an important contaminant and also a silicon dopant in the semiconductor industry. Boron is also extensively used in nuclear power plants, either for neutron shielding or for safety control and boron is an essential nutrient for life, either vegetable or animal. The production of silicon solar cells, by refining metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si) requires the control and reduction of several silicon contaminants to very low concentration levels. Boron is one of the contaminants of solar-grade silicon (SG-Si) that must be controlled and quantified at sub-ppm levels. In the metallurgical purification, boron quantification is usually made by Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, (ICP-MS) but the results need to be verified by an independent analytical method. In this work we present the results of the analysis of silicon samples by Particle Induced Gamma-Ray Emission (PIGE) aiming the quantification of low concentrations of boron. PIGE analysis was carried out using the in-air external beam line of the Laboratory for Materials Analysis with Ion Beams (LAMFI-USP) by the 10 B(p,αγ( 7 Be nuclear reaction, and measuring the 429 keV γ-ray. The in-air PIGE measurements at LAMFI have a quantification limit of the order of 10 16 at/cm 2

  4. Study of boron detection limit using the in-air PIGE set-up at LAMFI-USP

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moro, M. V.; Silva, T. F.; Trindade, G. F.; Added, N.; Tabacniks, M. H.

    2014-11-01

    The quantification of small amounts of boron in materials is of extreme importance in different areas of materials science. Boron is an important contaminant and also a silicon dopant in the semiconductor industry. Boron is also extensively used in nuclear power plants, either for neutron shielding or for safety control and boron is an essential nutrient for life, either vegetable or animal. The production of silicon solar cells, by refining metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si) requires the control and reduction of several silicon contaminants to very low concentration levels. Boron is one of the contaminants of solar-grade silicon (SG-Si) that must be controlled and quantified at sub-ppm levels. In the metallurgical purification, boron quantification is usually made by Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, (ICP-MS) but the results need to be verified by an independent analytical method. In this work we present the results of the analysis of silicon samples by Particle Induced Gamma-Ray Emission (PIGE) aiming the quantification of low concentrations of boron. PIGE analysis was carried out using the in-air external beam line of the Laboratory for Materials Analysis with Ion Beans (LAMFI-USP) by the 10B ( p ,αγ(7Be nuclear reaction, and measuring the 429 keV γ-ray. The in-air PIGE measurements at LAMFI have a quantification limit of the order of 1016 at/cm2.

  5. Industrial aspects in uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mezin, M.

    1982-05-01

    Characteristics of isotope separation processes in operation and under development are discussed. These include the number of stages in series, the number of components, the component unit capacity and enery requirements. The implementation of an enrichment process and the question of an enrichment plant in Australia are also considered

  6. Use of 15N enriched plant material for labelling of soil nitrogen in legume dinitrogen fixation experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jensen, E.S.

    1989-06-01

    The soil nitrogen in a field plot was labelled with nitrogen-15 (15N) by incorporating labelled plant material derived from previous experiments. The plot was used the following 3 years for determination of the amount of N2 fixed by different leguminous plants. The atom % 15N excess in grains of cereals grown as reference crops was 0.20, 0.05 and 0.03 in the 3 years, respectively. In the first year the level of enrichment was adequate for estimating symbiotic nitrogen fixation. In the second and third year lack of precision in determination of the 15N/14N ratios of legume N, may have caused an error in estimates of nitrogen fixation. About 23% of the labelled N was taken up by plants during the 3 years of cropping; after 4 years about 44% of the labelled N was found still to be present in the top soil. The labelling of the soil nitrogen with organic bound 15N, compared to adding mineral 15N at sowing, is advantageous because the labelled N is released by mineralization so that the enrichment of the plant available soil N pool become more uniform during the growth season; and high levels of mineral N, which may depress the fixation process, is avoided. (author) 7 tabs., 1 ill., 30 refs

  7. Cell cycle dependence of boron uptake in various boron compounds used for neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, F.; Matsumura, A.; Shibata, Y.; Yamamoto, T.; Nose, T.; Okumura, M.

    2000-01-01

    In neutron capture therapy, it is important that the tumor take boron in selectively. Furthermore, it is ideal when the uptake is equal in each tumor cell. Some indirect proof of differences in boron uptake among neoplastic cell cycles has been documented. However, no investigation has yet measured boron uptake directly. Using flow cytometry, in the present study cells were sorted by G0/G1 phase and G2/M phase, and the boron concentration of each fraction was measured with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The results were that BSH (sodiumborocaptate) and BPA (p-boronophenylalanine) had higher rates of boron uptake in the G2/M group than in the G0/G1 group. However, in BPA the difference was more prominent, which revealed a 2.2-3.3 times higher uptake of boron in the G2/M group than in the G0/G1 group. (author)

  8. Results from uranium deposition studies for development of a Limited Frequency-Unannounced Access (LFUA) inspection strategy for gas centrifuge enrichment plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cooley, J.N.; Fields, L.W.; Swindle, D.W.

    1985-06-01

    Uranium deposition studies were performed on a test loop system designed to simulate process gas flow through the header piping of a gas centrifuge enrichment plant. The objectives of these studies were to investigate the effectiveness of an in-line gaseous cleaning agent in removing uranium in pipe deposits and to analyze long-term deposition growth and isotopic exchange under simulated centrifuge plant operating conditions. The test loop studies are described, the results are reported, and the implications for analyzing actual plant data are discussed. Results indicate that: 93% of the uranium deposit is removed within 15 min when a pipe is pressurized with gaseous ClF 3 ; the isotopic abundance of a highly enriched uranium deposit remains unchanged when UF 6 of a lower assay is introduced into the pipe; and air inleakage will be the cause of the largest deposits in centrifuge plant process header pipes. 3 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs

  9. Mobilidade do boro em plantas de abacaxi Boron mobility in pineapple

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susana Cristine Siebeneichler

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available Para confirmar a mobilidade do boro em abacaxizeiro, cultivaram-se doze mudas da cultivar 'Pérola' em solução nutritiva completa, contendo 1 µmol L-1 de B, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Após 45 dias, coletaram-se quatro plantas (T0 e, nas oito plantas restantes, aplicou-se, por 3 dias consecutivos, uma solução de H3BO3 a 10 mmol L-1, pincelando-se ambas as faces da folha basal número sete (7. A partir do início da aplicação foliar, foi suspenso o fornecimento de B na solução nutritiva. Um dia após a terceira aplicação foliar, coletaram-se quatro plantas (T1 e, 60 dias após esta, coletaram-se as últimas quatro plantas (T2. As plantas foram fracionadas em diferentes partes nas quais o teor de B total foi determinado pelo método da azometina-H. Em T0, o maior teor de B observado foi na raiz; no T1, na folha pincelada e na raiz e, no T2, na folha pincelada. O conteúdo de B acompanhou a variação da massa seca das porções da planta, sendo que, no T2, o maior conteúdo de B e massa seca foram observados nas folhas novas formadas entre o T1 e o T2. O boro contido nessas folhas (29,8% do boro total da planta proveio das folhas mais velhas (FMed, FTrat e FBas, cujo conteúdo diminuiu significativamente, confirmando a mobilidade do boro em plantas de abacaxi 'Pérola'.To confirm the mobility of boron in pineapple, twelve 'Pérola' pineapple seedlings were cultivated in a complete nutrient solution containing 1 mmol L-1 B in a completely randomized design. After 45 days, B was removed from the nutrient solution, and four plants were harvested (T0, and in the eight remaining plants 10 mmol L-1 H3BO3 solution were painted, for 3 consecutive days, on both faces of the basal leaf number seven (7. One day after the third foliar application, four plants were harvested (T1 and, sixty days later, the last four plants were harvested (T2. The plants were partitioned into different parts in which total B concentration was determined

  10. Spectrographic determination of impurities in enriched uranium solutions; Determinacion espectrografica de impurezas en soluciones de uranio enriquecido

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Capdevila, C; Roca, M

    1980-07-01

    A spectrographic procedure for the determination of trace amounts of Al, B, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, L i , Hg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Ru, Sb, Sn, Sr, Ti, V, Zn, and Zr in enriched uranyl nitrate solutions from the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels is described. After removal of uranium by either TBP or TNOA solvent extraction, the aqueous phase Is analysed by the graphite spark technique. TBP is adequate for all impurities, excepting boron and phosphorus; both of these elements can sat is factory be determined by using TNOA after the addition of mannitol to avoid boron losses. (Author) 4 refs.

  11. Georges Besse 2. A new era for enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    Since 1978, AREVA group subsidiary EURODIF's Georges Besse plant has been using gaseous diffusion to enrich uranium and meet the requirements of electricity utilities. Georges Besse II plant, which will use far less electricity, will replace George Besse not so long. The Georges Besse II plant is located on the Tricastin nuclear site in southern France. AREVA ensure delivery of uranium enrichment services in accordance with customer expectations. AREVA obtained the right to use URENCO's centrifugation technology on July 3, 2006. This is the process to be used at Georges Besse II. The new uranium enrichment plant will comprise two enrichment units, with a total production capacity of 7.5 million separative work units, which can be extended to 11 million if needed. Each enrichment unit will include: a Centrifuge Assembly Building (CAB), a Centrifuge Utility Building (CUB) with offices and control room, annexes for purification, supply and extraction of uranium hexafluoride (UF 6 ), modules containing the halls that house the centrifuge cascades. The modular design of the Georges Besse II plant will allow production in the first cascade where as the others cascades are build. The first cascade should be operational in the first half of 2009. At an overall cost of 3 billion euros, this project is one of the largest investments of the decade in France On November 24, 2003, AREVA and URENCO signed an agreement under which AREVA would buy 50% of the shares in the Enrichment Technology Company (ETC), which designs and manufactures centrifuges

  12. Boron-Loaded Silicone Rubber Scintillators

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bell, Z.W.; Maya, L.; Brown, G.M.; Sloop, F.V.Jr

    2003-05-12

    Silicone rubber received attention as an alternative to polyvinyltoluene in applications in which the scintillator is exposed to high doses because of the increased resistance of the rubber to the formation of blue-absorbing color centers. Work by Bowen, et al., and Harmon, et al., demonstrated their properties under gamma/x-ray irradiation, and Bell, et al. have shown their response to thermal neutrons. This last work, however, provided an example of a silicone in which both the boron and the scintillator were contained in the rubber as solutes, a formulation which led to the precipitation of solids and sublimation of the boron component. In the present work we describe a scintillator in which the boron is chemically bonded to the siloxane and so avoids the problem of precipitation and loss of boron to sublimation. Material containing up to 18% boron, by weight, was prepared, mounted on photomultipliers, and exposed to both neutron and gamma fluxes. Pulse height spectra showing the neutron and photon response were obtained, and although the light output was found to be much poorer than from samples in which boron was dissolved, the higher boron concentrations enabled essentially 100% neutron absorption in only a few millimeters' thickness of rubber.

  13. Uranium enrichment by centrifuge in Japan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, T.; Murase, T.

    1977-01-01

    The demand for enriched uranium is on the increase with nuclear power capacity in which the LWR predominates and is estimated to exceed the supply from the present facilities in the world in less than ten years. Therefore, the basic strategy for enriched uranium is investigated on the following three-point long-range program in Japan: 1. To continue negotiations to extend the current allocation by the long-term contract; 2. To seek active participation in international enrichment projects; and 3. To make efforts to develop uranium enrichment technology and to construct inland facilities. On this basis, a vigorous development program of gas centrigue process for industrialization was launched out in 1972 as a national project. Ever since substantial progress in this field has been made and development works have been increased year after year. At present, a concrete plan of a pilot plant is taking shape. Up to now, several types of centrifuges were developed, of which some were completed as prototype models, and subjected to life tests and also to extensive earthquake-resistivity tests for the characteristics of Japanese geological condition. An enrichment plant is composed of so many centrifuges that the installation and piping system of centrifuges is an important factor which has an effect on plant economy and reliability. Two types of the experimental cascade were constructed in Japan. One has been in operation since 1973, and the other since 1975. Valuable empirical data have been accumulated on cascade characteristics, maintenance scheme and so on. It will be important for the coming plants to have a flexibility to escalation of labor and energy cost, or to variation of the separative work requirement and further. An economic prospect of centrifuge enrichment process is presented

  14. Boron geochemistry from some typical Tibetan hydrothermal systems: Origin and isotopic fractionation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Wenjie; Tan, Hongbing; Zhang, Yanfei; Wei, Haizhen; Dong, Tao

    2015-01-01

    The Tibetan plateau is characterized by intense hydrothermal activity and abnormal enrichment of trace elements in geothermal waters. Hydrochemistry and B isotope samples from geothermal waters in Tibet were systematically measured to describe the fractionation mechanisms and provide constraints on potential B reservoirs. B concentrations range from 0.35 to 171.90 mg/L, and isotopic values vary between −16.57 ‰ and +0.52 ‰. Geothermal fields along the Indus-Yarlung Zangbo suture zone and N–S rifts are observed with high B concentrations and temperatures. The similar hydrochemical compositions of high-B geothermal waters with magmatic fluid and consistent modeling of B isotopic compositions with present δ"1"1B values imply that the B in high-B geothermal waters is mainly contributed by magmatic sources, probably through magma degassing. In contrast, geothermal fields in other regions of the Lhasa block have relatively low B concentrations and temperatures. After considering the small fractionation factor and representative indicators of Na/Ca, Cl/HCO_3, Na + K and Si, the conformity between modeling results and the isotopic compositions of host rocks suggests that the B in low-temperature geothermal fields is mainly sourced from host rocks. According to simulated results, the B in some shallow geothermal waters not only originated from mixing of cold groundwater with deep thermal waters, but it was also contributed by equilibration with marine sedimentary rocks with an estimated proportion of 10%. It was anticipated that this study would provide useful insight into the sources and fractionation of B as well as further understanding of the relationships between B-rich salt lakes and geothermal activities in the Tibetan plateau. - Highlights: • Chemical and boron isotopic data of geothermal waters in Tibetan plateau were introduced. • Unusual enrichment of boron in Tibetan geothermal waters is related to magmatic and host rocks. • Boron

  15. CEA contribution to power plant operation with high burnup level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-03-01

    High level burnup in PWR leads to investigate again the choices carried out in the field of fuel management. French CEA has studied the economic importance of reshuffling technique, cycle length, discharge burnup, and non-operation period between two cycles. Power plants operators wish to work with increased length cycles of 18 months instead of 12. That leads to control problems because the core reactivity cannot be controlled with the only soluble boron: moderator temperature coefficient must be negative. With such cycles, it is necessary to use burnable poisons and for economic reasons with a low penalty in end of cycle. CEA has studied the use of Gd 2 O 3 mixed with fuel or with inert element like Al 2 O 3 . Parametric studies of specific weights, efficacities relatively to the fuel burnup and the fuel enrichment have been carried out. Particular studies of 1 month cycles with Gd 2 O 3 have shown the possibility to control power distribution with a very low reactivity penalty in EOC. In the same time, in the 100 MW PWR-CAP, control reactivity has been made with large use of gadolinia in parallel with soluble boron for the two first cycles

  16. A system to deposit boron films (boronization) in the DIII-D tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hodapp, T.R.; Jackson, G.L.; Phillips, J.; Holtrop, K.L.; Peterson, P.L.; Winters, J.

    1992-01-01

    A system has been added to the DIII-D tokamak to coat its plasma facing surfaces with a film of boron using diborane gas. The system includes special health and safety equipment for handling the diborane gas which is toxic and inflammable. The purpose f the boron film is to reduce the levels of impurity atoms in the DIII-D plasmas. Experiments following the application of the boron film in DIII-D have led to significant reductions in plasma impurity levels and the observation of a new, very high confinement regime

  17. Investigation of boron extraction process with aid magnesium hydroxide from mother liquor of boron production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balapanova, B.S.; Zhajmina, R.E.; Serazetdinov, D.Z.

    1988-01-01

    Conditions of boron - magnesium concentrate preparation from mother liquor by coprecipitation of borate - ions by magnesium hydroxide are investigated. It is shown that boron - magnesium concentrate and products of its heat treatment at 100 - 500 deg C in water are dissolved partially, and in ammonium citrate - practically completely. Suppositions are made on the composition of the product prepared, on the the structure of its crystal lattice and the processes taking place in it during heat treatment. The conclusion is made on the perspectiveness of processing of mother liquor of boron industry for boron - magnesium concentrate

  18. Germanium Does Not Substitute for Boron in Cross-Linking of Rhamnogalacturonan II in Pumpkin Cell Walls1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Tadashi; Matsunaga, Toshiro; Iwai, Hiroaki; Satoh, Shinobu; Taoshita, Junji

    2002-01-01

    Boron (B)-deficient pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duchesne) plants exhibit reduced growth, and their tissues are brittle. The leaf cell walls of these plants contain less than one-half the amount of borate cross-linked rhamnogalacturonan II (RG-II) dimer than normal plants. Supplying germanium (Ge), which has been reported to substitute for B, to B-deficient plants does not restore growth or reduce tissue brittleness. Nevertheless, the leaf cell walls of the Ge-treated plants accumulated considerable amounts of Ge. Dimeric RG-II (dRG-II) accounted for between 20% and 35% of the total RG-II in the cell walls of the second to fourth leaves from Ge-treated plants, but only 2% to 7% of the RG-II was cross-linked by germanate (dRG-II-Ge). The ability of RG-II to form a dimer is not reduced by Ge treatment because approximately 95% of the monomeric RG-II generated from the walls of Ge-treated plants is converted to dRG-II-Ge in vitro in the presence of germanium oxide and lead acetate. However, dRG-II-Ge is unstable and is converted to monomeric RG-II when the Ge is removed. Therefore, the content of dRG-II-Ge and dRG-II-B described above may not reflect the actual ratio of these in muro. 10B-Enriched boric acid and Ge are incorporated into the cell wall within 10 min after their foliar application to B-deficient plants. Foliar application of 10B but not Ge results in an increase in the proportion of dRG-II in the leaf cell wall. Taken together, our results suggest that Ge does not restore the growth of B-deficient plants. PMID:12481079

  19. Development of a process to recover boron carbide from nuclear reactor absorber rods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roth, C.; Lehnert, T.

    1991-01-01

    Boron carbide enriched with 10 B is used as a control rod in reactor engineering. At present spent rods are disposed of, although major amounts of 10 B are still 'unused'. The objective was to recover 10 B from the control rods by an energy and cost saving method in order to use it for making new control rods, thus saving raw materials and minimizing the radioactive waste volume. For this purpose, the well-known pyrohydrolysis process was taken and analysed for possible improvements. By mixing boron carbide with CO 2 as an oxidation-supporting agent, a lowering of the reaction temperature by 300deg C, and an increase in the oxidation speed by 350% were achieved. Since C0 2 is not consumed and can be circulated, the method for reprocessing spent control rods presented in this paper is both an economy-priced an energy-saving one. (orig.) With 98 refs., 9 tabs., 14 figs [de

  20. An empirical model for parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron-containing wastewaters by electrocoagulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilmaz, A Erdem; Boncukcuoğlu, Recep; Kocakerim, M Muhtar

    2007-06-01

    In this study, it was investigated parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron containing wastewaters prepared synthetically, via electrocoagulation method. The solution pH, initial boron concentration, dose of supporting electrolyte, current density and temperature of solution were selected as experimental parameters affecting energy consumption. The obtained experimental results showed that boron removal efficiency reached up to 99% under optimum conditions, in which solution pH was 8.0, current density 6.0 mA/cm(2), initial boron concentration 100mg/L and solution temperature 293 K. The current density was an important parameter affecting energy consumption too. High current density applied to electrocoagulation cell increased energy consumption. Increasing solution temperature caused to decrease energy consumption that high temperature decreased potential applied under constant current density. That increasing initial boron concentration and dose of supporting electrolyte caused to increase specific conductivity of solution decreased energy consumption. As a result, it was seen that energy consumption for boron removal via electrocoagulation method could be minimized at optimum conditions. An empirical model was predicted by statistically. Experimentally obtained values were fitted with values predicted from empirical model being as following; [formula in text]. Unfortunately, the conditions obtained for optimum boron removal were not the conditions obtained for minimum energy consumption. It was determined that support electrolyte must be used for increase boron removal and decrease electrical energy consumption.

  1. The effect of a combination of plant sterol-enriched foods in mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madsen, Martin B; Jensen, Anne-Mette; Schmidt, Erik B

    2007-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of low-fat products enriched with plant sterols in addition to a National Cholesterol Education Program step 1 diet on serum lipids and lipoproteins. This study was a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over design with a run-in period and 2 intervention periods, each lasting 4 weeks. A total of 46 mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects (age 50.6+/-9.8) completed the trial. The study products consisted of 20 g low-fat margarine (35% fat) and 250 ml low-fat milk (0.7% fat), in total delivering 2.3g plant sterols/d. Serum total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly reduced by 5.5% (pUnilever Denmark A/S.

  2. Pulverization of boron element and proportions of boron carbide in boron; Broyage de bore element et dosage de carbure de bore dans le bore

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lang, F M; Finck, C [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1956-07-01

    It is possible to reduce boron element into fine powder by means of a mortar and pestle made of sintered boron carbide, the ratio of boron carbide introduced being less than one per cent. Boron element at our disposal is made of sharp edged, dark brown, little grains of average size greater than 5 {mu}. Grain sizes smaller than 1{mu} are required for applying thin layers of such boron. (author) [French] Il est possible de pulveriser finement du bore element au moyen de mortier et pilon en carbure de bore fritte, le taux de carbure de bore introduit etant inferieur a 1 pour cent. Le bore element dont nous disposons est constitue de petits grains brun fonce, a aretes vives, de dimension moyenne superieure a 5 {mu}. L'application de ce bore en couches minces demande des grains de dimensions inferieures a 1 {mu}. (aute0008.

  3. Boron uptake measurements in a rat model for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of lung tumours

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bortolussi, S., E-mail: silva.bortolussi@pv.infn.i [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Section of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Bakeine, J.G. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Ballarini, F. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Section of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Bruschi, P. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Gadan, M.A. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, Buenos Aires (Argentina); Protti, N.; Stella, S. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Section of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); Clerici, A.; Ferrari, C.; Cansolino, L.; Zonta, C.; Zonta, A. [Department of Surgery, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 27100 Pavia (Italy); Nano, R. [Department of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, via Ferrata 27100 Pavia (Italy); Altieri, S. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN), Section of Pavia, via Bassi 6, 27100 Pavia (Italy)

    2011-02-15

    Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the Western countries. Despite the introduction over the last few years of new therapeutic agents, survival from lung cancer has shown no discernible improvement in the last 20 years. For these reasons any efforts to find and validate new effective therapeutic procedures for lung cancer are very timely. The selective boron uptake in the tumour with respect to healthy tissues makes Boron Neutron Capture Therapy a potentially advantageous option in the treatment of tumours that affect whole vital organs, and that are surgically inoperable. To study the possibility of applying BNCT to the treatment of diffuse pulmonary tumours, an animal model for boron uptake measurements in lung metastases was developed. Both healthy and tumour-bearing rats were infused with Boronophenylalanine (BPA) and sacrificed at different time intervals after drug administration. The lungs were extracted, and prepared for boron analysis by neutron autoradiography and {alpha}-spectroscopy. The boron concentrations in tumour and normal lung were plotted as a function of the time elapsed after BPA administration. The concentration in tumour is almost constant within the error bars for all the time intervals of the experiment (1-8 h), while the curve in normal lung decreases after 4 h from BPA infusion. At 4 h, the ratio of boron concentration in tumour to boron concentration in healthy lung is higher than 3, and it stays above this level up to 8 h. Also the images of boron distribution in the samples, obtained by neutron autoradiography, show a selective absorption in the metastases.

  4. The contrasting effects of nutrient enrichment on growth, biomass allocation and decomposition of plant tissue in coastal wetlands

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hayes, Matthew A.; Jesse, Amber; Tabet, Basam; Reef, Ruth; Keuskamp, Joost A.; Lovelock, Catherine E.

    2017-01-01

    Eutrophication of coastal waters can have consequences for the growth, function and soil processes of coastal wetlands. Our aims were to assess how nutrient enrichment affects growth, biomass allocation and decomposition of plant tissues of a common and widespread mangrove, Avicennia marina, and how

  5. Dynamic behavior and control of product enrichment in a centrifuge cascade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Tsuyoshi; Suzuki, Atsuyuki; Nishimura, Hideo.

    1989-05-01

    It was agreed as a conclusion of the HEXAPARTITE project that a limited frequency unannounced access (LFUA) inspection should be carried out in a centrifuge type enrichment plant as a basic safeguards approach. It might be adopted at a large scale, future commercial enrichment plant, too. Application of the LFUA approach to such a plant, however, should be fully investigated because the plant will have not only a larger capability of enriching uranium 235 but also a more sensitive information to be protected from the commercial and non-proliferation viewpoint. As a part of a design study on the safeguards approach for a model commercial plant, a study of process simulation of the plant has been carried out. This report describes a result of the study. When a commercial uranium enrichment plant is constructed, a nuisance problem arises; What kind of products should be produced from the plant in order to match a wide range of nuclear fuel enrichment requirements for light-water power reactors. In this report, a reasonable solution to such a problem is investigated. At first, a transient analysis of start-up for a model centrifuge cascade is made by using the dynamic equations, which were so developed as to be able to accurately compute interstage flow rates and enrichment in a transient state. Then it is investigated how wide in its acceptable range the product enrichment can be controlled by regulating cascade characteristic parameters such as cascade cut, recycle flow rate and cascade feed flow rate, and as a result an information about the optimal regulating mode is brought out. As a result of this study, it has become clear that the specific requirements of a customer are almost fulfilled with only one type of unit cascade system if 10 % loss of cascade efficiency is allowed in the plant operation. (author)

  6. Dynamic behavior and control of product enrichment in a centrifuge cascade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okamoto, Tsuyoshi; Suzuki, Atsuyuki; Nishimura, Hideo.

    1988-02-01

    It was agreed as a conclusion of the HEXAPARTITE project that a limited frequency unannounced access (LFUA) inspection should be carried out in a centrifuge type enrichment plant as a basic safeguards approach. It might be adopted at a large scale, future commercial enrichment plant, too. Application of the LFUA approach to such a plant, however, should be fully investigated because the plant will have not only a larger capability of enriching uranium 235 but also a more sensitive information to be protected from the commercial and nonproliferation viewpoint. As a part of a design study on the safeguards approach for a model commercial plant, a study of process simulation of the plant has been carried out. This report describes a result of the study. When a commercial uranium enrichment plant is constructed, a nuisance problem arises; What kind of products should be produced from the plant in order to match a wide range of nuclear fuel enrichment requirements for light-water power reactors. In this report, a reasonable solution to such a problem is investigated. At first, a transient analysis of start-up for a model centrifuge cascade is made by using the dynamic equations, which were so developed as to be able to accurately compute interstage flow rates and enrichment in a transient state. Then it is investigated how wide in its acceptable range the product enrichment can be controlled by regulating cascade characteristic parameters such as cascade cut, recycle flow rate and cascade feed flow rate, and as a result an information about the optimal regulating mode is brought out. As a result of this study, it has become clear that the specific requirements of a customer are almost fulfilled with only one type of unit cascade system if 10 % loss of cascade efficiency is allowed in the plant operation. (author)

  7. A system to deposit boron films (boronization) in the DIII-D tokamak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hodapp, T.R.; Jackson, G.L.; Phillips, J.; Holtrop, K.L.; Petersen, P.I.; Winter, J.

    1991-09-01

    A system has been added to the D3-D tokamak to coat its plasma facing surfaces with a film of boron using diborane gas. The system includes special health and safety equipment for handling the diborane gas which is toxic and inflammable. The purpose of the boron film is to reduce the levels of impurity atoms in the D3-D plasmas. Experiments following the application of the boron film in D3-D have led to significant reductions in plasma impurity levels and the observation of a new, very high confinement regime. 9 refs., 1 fig

  8. Boron neutron capture therapy. Synthesis of boronated amines- and DNA intercalating agents for potential use in cancer therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ghaneolhosseini, H.

    1998-01-01

    Boron Neutron Capture Therapy is a binary cancer treatment modality, involving the delivery of a suitable boron compound to tumour cells followed by irradiation of the tumour by thermal neutrons. Boronated agents can selectively be delivered to tumour cells either directly with tumour-specific boron compounds, or by use of targeting strategies. However, the efficacy of this method would increase if the boron agents are localised in the cell nucleus rather than in the cell cytoplasm when neutron irradiation takes place. With these considerations in mind, some boronated DNA intercalating/interacting agents such as phenanthridine- acridine- spermidine- and naphthalimide derivatives were synthesised. Aminoalkyl-o-carboranes were synthesised in order to be used both for coupling to macromolecules and also for halogenation of their corresponding nido-derivatives. The amino groups were introduced using the Gabriel reagent N, N-dibenzyl iminodicarboxylate to provide 1-(aminomethyl)- and 1-(2-aminoethyl)-o-carboranes. The first attempt to achieve the possibility to accumulate a higher concentration of boron atoms in the cell nucleus was to synthesize carboranyl phenanthridinium analogues by reacting a p- or o-carboranyl moiety with phenanthridine, a chromophore with a planar aromatic ring system as DNA intercalator. Boronated acridine-spermidine, boronated diacridine, and boronated dispermidine were obtained in order to increase water solubility to avoid the interaction of these agents with non-DNA sides of the cell, especially membranes; and to enhance the feasibility of a higher DNA-binding constant and also decrease the DNA-drug dissociation rate. Finally, the synthesis of a boronated naphthalimide derivative was carried out by nucleophilic reaction of a primary aminoalkyl-p-carborane with naphthalic anhydride. Biological evaluations on DNA-binding, toxicity, and cellular binding with carboranyl phenanthridinium analogues, boronated acridine- and spermidine are described

  9. Study of boron detection limit using the in-air PIGE set-up at LAMFI-USP

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moro, M. V.; Silva, T. F.; Trindade, G. F.; Added, N.; Tabacniks, M. H. [Institute of Physics, University of São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2014-11-11

    The quantification of small amounts of boron in materials is of extreme importance in different areas of materials science. Boron is an important contaminant and also a silicon dopant in the semiconductor industry. Boron is also extensively used in nuclear power plants, either for neutron shielding or for safety control and boron is an essential nutrient for life, either vegetable or animal. The production of silicon solar cells, by refining metallurgical-grade silicon (MG-Si) requires the control and reduction of several silicon contaminants to very low concentration levels. Boron is one of the contaminants of solar-grade silicon (SG-Si) that must be controlled and quantified at sub-ppm levels. In the metallurgical purification, boron quantification is usually made by Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, (ICP-MS) but the results need to be verified by an independent analytical method. In this work we present the results of the analysis of silicon samples by Particle Induced Gamma-Ray Emission (PIGE) aiming the quantification of low concentrations of boron. PIGE analysis was carried out using the in-air external beam line of the Laboratory for Materials Analysis with Ion Beams (LAMFI-USP) by the {sup 10}B(p,αγ({sup 7}Be nuclear reaction, and measuring the 429 keV γ-ray. The in-air PIGE measurements at LAMFI have a quantification limit of the order of 10{sup 16} at/cm{sup 2}.

  10. Hot flow behavior of boron microalloyed steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lopez-Chipres, E.; Mejia, I.; Maldonado, C.; Bedolla-Jacuinde, A.; El-Wahabi, M.; Cabrera, J.M.

    2008-01-01

    This research work studies the effect of boron contents on the hot flow behavior of boron microalloyed steels. For this purpose, uniaxial hot-compression tests were carried out in a low carbon steel microalloyed with four different amounts of boron over a wide range of temperatures (950, 1000, 1050 and 1100 deg. C) and constant true strain rates (10 -3 , 10 -2 and 10 -1 s -1 ). Experimental results revealed that both peak stress and peak strain tend to decrease as boron content increases, which indicates that boron additions have a solid solution softening effect. Likewise, the flow curves show a delaying effect on the kinetics of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) when increasing boron content. Deformed microstructures show a finer austenitic grain size in the steel with higher boron content (grain refinement effect). Results are discussed in terms of boron segregation towards austenitic grain boundaries during plastic deformation, which increases the movement of dislocations, enhances the grain boundary cohesion and modificates the grain boundary structure

  11. Boron-based nanostructures: Synthesis, functionalization, and characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedasso, Eyrusalam Kifyalew

    Boron-based nanostructures have not been explored in detail; however, these structures have the potential to revolutionize many fields including electronics and biomedicine. The research discussed in this dissertation focuses on synthesis, functionalization, and characterization of boron-based zero-dimensional nanostructures (core/shell and nanoparticles) and one-dimensional nanostructures (nanorods). The first project investigates the synthesis and functionalization of boron-based core/shell nanoparticles. Two boron-containing core/shell nanoparticles, namely boron/iron oxide and boron/silica, were synthesized. Initially, boron nanoparticles with a diameter between 10-100 nm were prepared by decomposition of nido-decaborane (B10H14) followed by formation of a core/shell structure. The core/shell structures were prepared using the appropriate precursor, iron source and silica source, for the shell in the presence of boron nanoparticles. The formation of core/shell nanostructures was confirmed using high resolution TEM. Then, the core/shell nanoparticles underwent a surface modification. Boron/iron oxide core/shell nanoparticles were functionalized with oleic acid, citric acid, amine-terminated polyethylene glycol, folic acid, and dopamine, and boron/silica core/shell nanoparticles were modified with 3-(amino propyl) triethoxy silane, 3-(2-aminoethyleamino)propyltrimethoxysilane), citric acid, folic acid, amine-terminated polyethylene glycol, and O-(2-Carboxyethyl)polyethylene glycol. A UV-Vis and ATR-FTIR analysis established the success of surface modification. The cytotoxicity of water-soluble core/shell nanoparticles was studied in triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and the result showed the compounds are not toxic. The second project highlights optimization of reaction conditions for the synthesis of boron nanorods. This synthesis, done via reduction of boron oxide with molten lithium, was studied to produce boron nanorods without any

  12. Alloy Design of Martensitic 9Cr-Boron Steel for A-USC Boiler at 650 °C — Beyond Grades 91, 92 and 122

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Fujio; Tabuchi, M.; Tsukamoto, S.

    Boundary hardening is shown to be the most important strengthening mechanism in creep of tempered martensitic 9% Cr steel base metal and welded joints at 650 °C. The enrichment of soluble boron near prior austenite grain boundaries (PAGBs) by the GB segregation is essential for the reduction of coarsening rate of M23C6 carbides near PAGBs, enhancing the boundary and sub-boundary hardening near PAGBs, and also for the change in α/γ transformation behavior in heat-affected-zone (HAZ) of welded joints during heating of welding, producing the same microstructure in HAZ as in the base metal. Excess addition of nitrogen to the 9Cr-boron steel promotes the formation of boron nitrides during normalizing heat treatment, which consumes most of soluble boron and degrades the creep strength. A NIMS 9Cr steel (MARBN; Martensitic 9Cr steel strengthened by boron and MX nitrides) with 120-150 ppm boron and 60-90 ppm nitrogen, where no boron nitride forms during normalizing heat treatment, exhibits not only much higher creep strength of base metal than Grades 91, 92 and 122 but also substantially no degradation in creep strength due to Type IV fracture in HAZ of welded joints at 650°C. The protective Cr2O3-rich scale forms on the surface of 9Cr steel by pre-oxidation treatment in Ar gas, which significantly improves the oxidation resistance in steam at 650°C.

  13. Meeting the challenge of homogenous boron targeting of heterogeneous tumors for effective boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heber, Elisa M.; Trivillin, Veronica A.; Itoiz, Maria E.; Rebagliati, J. Raul; Batistoni, Daniel; Kreimann, Erica L.; Schwint, Amanda E.; Nigg, David W.; Gonzalez, Beatriz N.

    2006-01-01

    BNCT is a tumor cell targeted radiation therapy. Inadequately boron targeted tumor populations jeopardize tumor control. Meeting the to date unresolved challenge of homogeneous targeting of heterogeneous tumors with effective boron carriers would contribute to therapeutic efficacy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the degree of variation in boron content delivered by boronophenylalanine (BPA), GB-10 (Na 2 10 B 10 H 10 ) and the combined administration of (BPA+GB-10) in different portions of tumor, precancerous tissue around tumor and normal pouch tissue in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model. Boron content was evaluated by ICP-AES. The degree of homogeneity in boron targeting was assessed in terms of the coefficient of variation ([S.D./Mean]x100) of boron values. Statistical analysis of the results was performed by one-way ANOVA and the least significant difference test. GB-10 and GB-10 plus BPA achieved respectively a statistically significant 1.8-fold and 3.3-fold increase in targeting homogeneity over BPA. The combined boron compound administration protocol contributes to homogeneous targeting of heterogeneous tumors and would increase therapeutic efficacy of BNCT by exposing all tumor populations to neutron capture reactions in boron. (author)

  14. URENCO. Uranium enrichment with advanced technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    URENCO Deutschland is a subsidiary of URENCO Enrichment Company Limited, an international enterprise founded in 1970 in the State Treaty of Almelo, which offers uranium enrichment for nuclear power plants all over the world with the use of advanced technology. URENCO facilities at present are operated in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, USA, and in Germany. The German URENCO location is Gronau, Westphalia, where cascades have been in operation since 1985 using centrifuge technology to enrich nuclear fuel to up to 5% uranium-235. The URENCO Group supplies nuclear power plants in Europe and overseas countries with a world market share, at present, of more than 25% with a rising tendency. The first uranium separation plant in Gronau (UTA-1) attained its full separation performance of 1,800 t USW/a in late 2005. In February 2005, construction and operation of another plant had been licensed, which can raise the aggregate capacity on site to 4,500 t USW per annum. Construction of the new plant (UTA-2) was begun in summer 2005. UTA-2 will use the latest, most powerful URENCO centrifuge. URENCO has more than 3,500 visitors a year at its German location alone, thus demonstrating its pro-active information policy and offering to the public a maximum of opportunities to acquire information by attending presentations and tours of the plant. (orig.)

  15. Electrochemical reactivity at graphitic micro-domains on polycrystalline boron doped diamond thin-films electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahe, E.; Devilliers, D.; Comninellis, Ch.

    2005-01-01

    This paper deals with the electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. A comparative study has been carried out to show the influence of the presence of graphitic micro-domains upon the surface of these films. Those graphitic domains are sometimes present on as-grown boron doped diamond electrodes. The effect of doping a pure Csp 3 diamond electrode is established by highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) abrasion onto the diamond surface. In order to establish the effect of doping on a pure Csp 3 diamond electrode, the amount of graphitic domains was increased by means of HOPG crystals grafted onto the BDD surface. Indeed that method allows the enrichment of the Csp 2 contribution of the electrode. The presence of graphitic domains can be correlatively associated with the presence of kinetically active redox sites. The electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond electrodes shows a distribution of kinetic constants on the whole surface of the electrode corresponding to different active sites. In this paper, we have studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy the kinetics parameters of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple in KCl electrolyte. A method is proposed to diagnose the presence of graphitic domains on diamond electrodes, and an electrochemical 'pulse cleaning' procedure is proposed to remove them

  16. Determination of boron in graphite, boron carbide and glass by ICP-MS, ICP-OES and conventional wet chemical methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatesh, K.; Kamble, Granthali S.; Venkatesh, Manisha; Kumar, Sanjukta A.; Reddy, A.V.R.

    2014-01-01

    Boron is an important element of interest in nuclear reactor materials due to its high neutron absorption cross section (σ 0 =3837 barns for 10 B). In the present paper, R and D work and routinely used methods have been described for the analysis of case samples (1) Graphite where boron is present at trace levels, (2) Boron Carbide having boron concentration of about 80% and (3) Glass containing 4-6 % boron. (author)

  17. Boron removal from geothermal waters by electrocoagulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering., 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)], E-mail: aerdemy@atauni.edu.tr; Boncukcuoglu, Recep [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering., 25240 Erzurum (Turkey); Kocakerim, M. Muhtar [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey); Yilmaz, M. Tolga; Paluluoglu, Cihan [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering., 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)

    2008-05-01

    Most of the geothermal waters in Turkey contain extremely high concentration of boron when they are used for irrigation. The use of geothermal waters for irrigation can results in excess amount deposition of boron in soil. On the other hand, a minimal boron concentration is required for irrigational waters. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) was selected as a treatment process for the removal of boron from thermal waters obtained from Ilica-Erzurum in Turkey. Current density (CD), pH of solution and temperature of solution were selected as operational parameters. The results showed that boron removal efficiency increased from pH 4.0 to 8.0 and decreased at pH 10.0. Although boron removal efficiency was highest at pH 8.0, energy consumption was very high at this pH value compared to other pH intervals. Boron removal efficiency reached to 95% with increasing current density from 1.5 to 6.0 mA/cm{sup 2}, but energy consumption was also increased in this interval. At higher temperatures of solution, such as 313 and 333 K, boron removal efficiency increased. At optimum conditions, boron removal efficiency in geothermal water reached up to 95%.

  18. Boron removal from geothermal waters by electrocoagulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem; Boncukcuoglu, Recep; Kocakerim, M. Muhtar; Yilmaz, M. Tolga; Paluluoglu, Cihan

    2008-01-01

    Most of the geothermal waters in Turkey contain extremely high concentration of boron when they are used for irrigation. The use of geothermal waters for irrigation can results in excess amount deposition of boron in soil. On the other hand, a minimal boron concentration is required for irrigational waters. In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) was selected as a treatment process for the removal of boron from thermal waters obtained from Ilica-Erzurum in Turkey. Current density (CD), pH of solution and temperature of solution were selected as operational parameters. The results showed that boron removal efficiency increased from pH 4.0 to 8.0 and decreased at pH 10.0. Although boron removal efficiency was highest at pH 8.0, energy consumption was very high at this pH value compared to other pH intervals. Boron removal efficiency reached to 95% with increasing current density from 1.5 to 6.0 mA/cm 2 , but energy consumption was also increased in this interval. At higher temperatures of solution, such as 313 and 333 K, boron removal efficiency increased. At optimum conditions, boron removal efficiency in geothermal water reached up to 95%

  19. Removal of boron (B) from waste liquors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, J Q; Xu, Y; Simon, J; Quill, K; Shettle, K

    2006-01-01

    This paper explores the use of electrocoagulation to remove boron from waste effluent in comparison with alum coagulation. In treating model test wastes, greater boron removals were achieved with electrocoagulation at low doses than conventional alum coagulation when reaction was undertaken for the same conditions (pH 8.5, and initial boron concentration was 500 mg/L). Al electrocoagulation can achieve good boron removal performance (68.3%) at a dose of 2.1 (as molar ratio of Al:B, and for current density of 62.1 A/m2), while alum coagulation can only achieve the maximum boron removal of 56% at a dose of 2.4. Also, Al electrocoagulation can remove 15-20% more boron than alum coagulation for the same dose compared in the treatment of both model test wastes and industry effluent. The estimation of running costs shows that to achieve 75% boron removal from industry waste effluent, i.e. removing 150 g of boron from 1 m3 of effluent, electrocoagulation was 6.2 times cheaper than alum coagulation. The economic advantage of electrocoagulation in the treatment of boron-containing waste effluent is thus significant.

  20. Continued biological investigations of boron-rich oligomeric phosphate diesters (OPDs). Tumor-selective boron agents for BNCT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Mark W.; Shelly, Kenneth; Kane, Robert R.; Hawthorne, M. Frederick

    2006-01-01

    Clinical success of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy will rely on the selective intracellular delivery of high concentrations of boron-10 to tumor tissue. In order for a boron agent to facilitate clinical success, the simultaneous needs of obtaining a high tumor dose, high tumor selectivity, and low systemic toxicity must be realized. Boron-rich oligomeric phosphate diesters (OPDs) are a class of highly water-soluble compounds containing up to 40% boron by weight. Previous work in our groups demonstrated that once placed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells, OPDs quickly accumulate within the cell nucleus. The objective of the current study was to determine the biodistribution of seven different free OPDs in BALB/c mice bearing EMT6 tumors. Fructose solutions containing between 1.4 and 6.4 micrograms of boron per gram of tissue were interveinously injected in mice seven to ten days after tumor implantation. At intervals during the study, animals were euthanized and samples of tumor, blood, liver, kidney, brain and skin were collected and analyzed for boron content using ICP-AES. Tumor boron concentrations of between 5 and 29 ppm were achieved and maintained over the 72-hour time course of each experiment. Several OPDs demonstrated high tumor selectivity with one oligomer exhibiting a tumor to blood ratio of 35:1. The apparent toxicity of each oligomer was assessed through animal behavior during the experiment and necropsy of each animal upon sacrifice. (author)

  1. Determination of boron content and isotopic composition in gypsum by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and positive thermal ionization mass spectrometry using phase transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yun-Qi; Peng, Zhang-Kuang; Yang, Jian; Xiao, Ying-Kai; Zhang, Yan-Ling

    2017-12-01

    As a stable isotope, boron plays an important role in hydrogeology, environmental geochemistry, ore deposit geochemistry and marine paleoclimatology. However, there is no report of boron isotopic composition in gypsum. This is mainly confined to complete dissolution of Gypsum by water or acid. In this study, gypsum was converted to calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) with ammonium bicarbonate(NH 4 HCO 3 ) by two steps at 50°C. In every step, the mass ratio of NH 4 HCO 3 /CaSO 4 ·2H 2 O was twice, and conversion rate reached more than 98%. Converted CaCO 3 was totally dissolved with hydrochloric acid (the dissolution rate was over 99%). In order to overcome the difficulties of the matrix interference and the detection limit of Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES), we use Amberlite IRA 743 resin to purify and enrichment the boron at first, then eluting boron from the resin with 10mL 0.1mol/L hydrochloric acid at 75°C. The boron isotopic composition of natural gypsum samples was determined using positive thermal ionization mass spectrometry (P-TIMS). The boron isotopic composition of gypsum may be an excellent indicator for the formation environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. The Arabidopsis-related halophyte Thellungiella halophila: boron tolerance via boron complexation with metabolites?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamdan, Netta Li; Attia, Ziv; Moran, Nava; Moshelion, Menachem

    2012-04-01

    Tolerance to boron (B) is still not completely understood. We tested here the hypothesis that Thellungiella halophila, an Arabidopsis thaliana-related 'extremophile' plant, with abundance of B in its natural environment, is tolerant to B, and examined the potential mechanisms of this tolerance. With 1-10 mm B applied ([B](ext)) to Thellungiella and Arabidopsis grown in hydroponics, the steady-state accumulated B concentration ([B](int)) in the root was below [B](ext), and was similar in both, suggesting both extrude B actively. Whether grown in soil or hydroponically, the shoot [B](int) was higher in Arabidopsis than in Thellungiella, suggesting more effective net B exclusion by Thellungiella root. Arabidopsis exhibited toxicity symptoms including reduced shoot fresh weight (FW), but Thellungiella was not affected, even at similar levels of shoot-accumulated [B](int) (about 10 to 40 mm B in 'shoot water'), suggesting additional B tolerance mechanism in Thellungiella shoot. At [B](ext) = 5 mm, the summed shoot concentration of the potentially B-binding polyhydroxyl metabolites (malic acid, fructose, glucose, sucrose and citric acid) in Arabidopsis was below [B](int) , but in Thellungiella it was over twofold higher than [B](int) , and therefore likely to allow appreciable 1:2 boron-metabolite complexation in the shoot. This, we suggest, is an important component of Thellungiella B tolerance mechanism. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Methods for separating boron from borated paraffin wax and its determination by ion chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeyakumar, S.

    2015-01-01

    Boron compounds are found to be useful in shielding against high-energy neutrons. In radiotherapy treatments, in order to protect occupational workers and patients from the undesirable neutron and gamma doses, paraffin wax containing B 4 C/boric acid is used. Low-level borate wastes generated from the nuclear power plants have been immobilized with paraffin wax using a concentrate waste drying system (CWDS). Borated paraffin waxes are prepared by mixing calculated amounts of either boric acid or boron carbide with the molten wax. This necessitates the determination of boron at different locations in order to check the homogeneous distribution of B over the borated wax. The determination of boron in nuclear materials is inevitable due to its high neutron absorption cross section. For the determination of boron in borated waxes, not many methods have been reported. A method based on the pyrohydrolysis extraction of boron and its quantification with ion chromatography was proposed for paraffin waxes borated with H 3 BO 3 and B 4 C. The B 4 C optimum pyrohydrolysis conditions were identified. Wax samples were mixed with U 3 O 8 , which prevents the sample from flare up, and also accelerates the extraction of boron. Pyrohydrolysis was carried out with moist O 2 at 950℃ for 60 and 90 min for wax with H 3 BO 3 and wax with B 4 C, respectively. Two simple methods of separation based on alkali extraction and melting wax in alkali were also developed exclusively for wax with H 3 BO 3 . In all the separations, the recovery of B was above 98%. During IC separation, B was separated as boron-mannitol anion complex. Linear calibration was obtained between 0.1 and 50 ppm of B, and LOD was calculated as 5 ppb (S/N=3). The reproducibility was better than 5% (RSD)

  4. Boron analyses in the reactor coolant system of French PWR by acid-base titration ([B]) and ICP-MS (10B atomic %): key to NPP safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jouvet, Fabien; Roux, Sylvie; Carabasse, Stephanie; Felgines, Didier

    2012-09-01

    Boron is widely used by Nuclear Power Plants and especially by EDF Pressurized Water Reactors to ensure the control of the neutron rate in the reactor coolant system and, by this way, the fission reaction. The Boron analysis is thus a major factor of safety which enables operators to guarantee the permanent control of the reactor. Two kinds of analyses carried out by EDF on the Boron species, recently upgraded regarding new method validation standards and developed to enhance the measurement quality by reducing uncertainties, will be discussed in this topic: Acid-Base titration of Boron and Boron isotopic composition by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer - ICP MS. (authors)

  5. An empirical model for parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron-containing wastewaters by electrocoagulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)]. E-mail: aerdemy@atauni.edu.tr; Boncukcuoglu, Recep [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey); Kocakerim, M. Muhtar [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)

    2007-06-01

    In this study, it was investigated parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron containing wastewaters prepared synthetically, via electrocoagulation method. The solution pH, initial boron concentration, dose of supporting electrolyte, current density and temperature of solution were selected as experimental parameters affecting energy consumption. The obtained experimental results showed that boron removal efficiency reached up to 99% under optimum conditions, in which solution pH was 8.0, current density 6.0mA/cm{sup 2}, initial boron concentration 100mg/L and solution temperature 293K. The current density was an important parameter affecting energy consumption too. High current density applied to electrocoagulation cell increased energy consumption. Increasing solution temperature caused to decrease energy consumption that high temperature decreased potential applied under constant current density. That increasing initial boron concentration and dose of supporting electrolyte caused to increase specific conductivity of solution decreased energy consumption. As a result, it was seen that energy consumption for boron removal via electrocoagulation method could be minimized at optimum conditions. An empirical model was predicted by statistically. Experimentally obtained values were fitted with values predicted from empirical model being as following;[ECB]=7.6x10{sup 6}x[OH]{sup 0.11}x[CD]{sup 0.62}x[IBC]{sup -0.57}x[DSE]{sup -0.}= {sup 04}x[T]{sup -2.98}x[t] Unfortunately, the conditions obtained for optimum boron removal were not the conditions obtained for minimum energy consumption. It was determined that support electrolyte must be used for increase boron removal and decrease electrical energy consumption.

  6. An empirical model for parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron-containing wastewaters by electrocoagulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem; Boncukcuoglu, Recep; Kocakerim, M. Muhtar

    2007-01-01

    In this study, it was investigated parameters affecting energy consumption in boron removal from boron containing wastewaters prepared synthetically, via electrocoagulation method. The solution pH, initial boron concentration, dose of supporting electrolyte, current density and temperature of solution were selected as experimental parameters affecting energy consumption. The obtained experimental results showed that boron removal efficiency reached up to 99% under optimum conditions, in which solution pH was 8.0, current density 6.0mA/cm 2 , initial boron concentration 100mg/L and solution temperature 293K. The current density was an important parameter affecting energy consumption too. High current density applied to electrocoagulation cell increased energy consumption. Increasing solution temperature caused to decrease energy consumption that high temperature decreased potential applied under constant current density. That increasing initial boron concentration and dose of supporting electrolyte caused to increase specific conductivity of solution decreased energy consumption. As a result, it was seen that energy consumption for boron removal via electrocoagulation method could be minimized at optimum conditions. An empirical model was predicted by statistically. Experimentally obtained values were fitted with values predicted from empirical model being as following;[ECB]=7.6x10 6 x[OH] 0.11 x[CD] 0.62 x[IBC] -0.57 x[DSE] -0.04 x[T] -2.98 x[t] Unfortunately, the conditions obtained for optimum boron removal were not the conditions obtained for minimum energy consumption. It was determined that support electrolyte must be used for increase boron removal and decrease electrical energy consumption.

  7. Helium diffusion in irradiated boron carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hollenberg, G.W.

    1981-03-01

    Boron carbide has been internationally adopted as the neutron absorber material in the control and safety rods of large fast breeder reactors. Its relatively large neutron capture cross section at high neutron energies provides sufficient reactivity worth with a minimum of core space. In addition, the commercial availability of boron carbide makes it attractive from a fabrication standpoint. Instrumented irradiation experiments in EBR-II have provided continuous helium release data on boron carbide at a variety of operating temperatures. Although some microstructural and compositional variations were examined in these experiments most of the boron carbide was prototypic of that used in the Fast Flux Test Facility. The density of the boron carbide pellets was approximately 92% of theoretical. The boron carbide pellets were approximately 1.0 cm in diameter and possessed average grain sizes that varied from 8 to 30 μm. Pellet centerline temperatures were continually measured during the irradiation experiments

  8. Preparation, Characterization and Adsorption Study of Granular Activated Carbon/Iron oxide composite for the Removal of Boron and Organics from Wastewater

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Affam Augustine Chioma

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Boron and organics maybe in high concentration during production of oil and gas, fertilizers, glass, and detergents. In addition, boron added to these industrial processes may require to be removed by the wastewater treatment plant. The preparation, characterization and application of iron oxide-activated carbon composite for removal of boron and COD was studied. The one variable at a time (OVAT method was implemented to obtain desirable operating conditions (adsorbent dosage 5 g/L, reaction time 2 h, agitation speed 100 rpm, pH 5 for COD removal and pH 9 for boron removal. It was found that boron and organics present in a sample wastewater may require to be treated separately to remove the contaminants. The study achieved 97 and 70% for boron and COD removal, respectively. Adsorption as an alternative cheap source of treatment and its practicability for small communities is recommended as effective in removal of contaminants from river water.

  9. Preparation, Characterization and Adsorption Study of Granular Activated Carbon/Iron oxide composite for the Removal of Boron and Organics from Wastewater

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chioma Affam, Augustine; Chung Wong, Chee; Seyam, Mohammed A. B.; Matt, Chelsea Ann Anak Frederick; Lantan Anak Sumbai, Josephine; Evuti, Abdullahi Mohammed

    2018-03-01

    Boron and organics maybe in high concentration during production of oil and gas, fertilizers, glass, and detergents. In addition, boron added to these industrial processes may require to be removed by the wastewater treatment plant. The preparation, characterization and application of iron oxide-activated carbon composite for removal of boron and COD was studied. The one variable at a time (OVAT) method was implemented to obtain desirable operating conditions (adsorbent dosage 5 g/L, reaction time 2 h, agitation speed 100 rpm, pH 5 for COD removal and pH 9 for boron removal). It was found that boron and organics present in a sample wastewater may require to be treated separately to remove the contaminants. The study achieved 97 and 70% for boron and COD removal, respectively. Adsorption as an alternative cheap source of treatment and its practicability for small communities is recommended as effective in removal of contaminants from river water.

  10. Uranium enrichment: heading for the abyss

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norman, C.

    1983-01-01

    This article discusses the federal government's $2.3 billion a year business enriching uranium for nuclear power plants which is heading toward a major crisis. Due to miscalculations by the Department of Energy, it is caught with billions of dollars of construction in progress just as projected demand for enriched uranium is decreasing. At the center of the controversy is the Gas Centrifuge Plant at Portsmouth, Ohio - estimated to cost $10 billion dollars. A review of how DOE got into this situation and how they plan to solve it is presented

  11. A quantitative comparison between electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation for boron removal from boron-containing solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem; Boncukcuoglu, Recep; Kocakerim, M. Muhtar

    2007-01-01

    This paper provides a quantitative comparison of electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation approaches based on boron removal. Electrocoagulation process delivers the coagulant in situ as the sacrificial anode corrodes, due to a fixed current density, while the simultaneous evolution of hydrogen at the cathode allows for pollutant removal by flotation. By comparison, conventional chemical coagulation typically adds a salt of the coagulant, with settling providing the primary pollutant removal path. Chemical coagulation was carried out via jar tests using aluminum chloride. Comparison was done with the same amount of coagulant between electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation processes. Boron removal obtained was higher with electrocoagulation process. In addition, it was seen that chemical coagulation has any effect for boron removal from boron-containing solution. At optimum conditions (e.g. pH 8.0 and aluminum dose of 7.45 g/L), boron removal efficiencies for electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation were 94.0% and 24.0%, respectively

  12. A quantitative comparison between electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation for boron removal from boron-containing solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yilmaz, A. Erdem [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)], E-mail: aerdemy@atauni.edu.tr; Boncukcuoglu, Recep [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey); Kocakerim, M. Muhtar [Atatuerk University, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, 25240 Erzurum (Turkey)

    2007-10-22

    This paper provides a quantitative comparison of electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation approaches based on boron removal. Electrocoagulation process delivers the coagulant in situ as the sacrificial anode corrodes, due to a fixed current density, while the simultaneous evolution of hydrogen at the cathode allows for pollutant removal by flotation. By comparison, conventional chemical coagulation typically adds a salt of the coagulant, with settling providing the primary pollutant removal path. Chemical coagulation was carried out via jar tests using aluminum chloride. Comparison was done with the same amount of coagulant between electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation processes. Boron removal obtained was higher with electrocoagulation process. In addition, it was seen that chemical coagulation has any effect for boron removal from boron-containing solution. At optimum conditions (e.g. pH 8.0 and aluminum dose of 7.45 g/L), boron removal efficiencies for electrocoagulation and chemical coagulation were 94.0% and 24.0%, respectively.

  13. Influence of sediment organic enrichment and water alkalinity on growth of aquatic isoetid and elodeid plants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raun, Ane-Marie Løvendahl; Borum, Jens; Jensen, Kaj Sand

    2010-01-01

    1. Lake eutrophication has increased phytoplankton blooms and sediment organic matter. Among higher plants, small, oligotrophic rosette species (isoetids) have disappeared, while a few tall, eutrophic species (elodeids) may have persisted. Despite recent reduction of nutrient loading in restored...... lakes, the vegetation has rarely regained its former composition and coverage. Patterns of recovery may depend on local alkalinity because HCO3- stimulates photosynthesis of elodeids and not of isoetids. In laboratory growth experiments with two isoetids (Lobelia dortmanna and Littorella uniflora......) and two elodeids (Potamogeton crispus and P. perfoliatus), we test whether organic enrichment of lake sediments has a long-lasting influence by: (i) reducing plant growth because of oxygen stress on plant roots and (ii) inhibiting growth more for isoetids than elodeids. We also test whether (iii...

  14. Feasibility study on the utilization of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in a rat model of diffuse lung metastases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bakeine, G.J. [Department of Clinical Medicine and Neurology, Cattinara Hospital, University of Trieste (Italy)], E-mail: jamesbakeine1@yahoo.com; Di Salvo, M. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy); Bortolussi, S.; Stella, S. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) Section of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy); Bruschi, P. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy); Bertolotti, A.; Nano, R. [Department of Animal Biology University of Pavia, Piazza Botta, Pavia (Italy); Clerici, A.; Ferrari, C.; Zonta, C. [Department of Surgery University of Pavia, Piazza Botta, Pavia (Italy); Marchetti, A. [Scientific Research Office, Fondazione San Matteo University Policlinic, Pavia (Italy); Altieri, S. [Department of Nuclear and Theoretical Physics, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy); National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) Section of Pavia, Via Bassi 6, Pavia (Italy)

    2009-07-15

    In order for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to be eligible for application in lung tumour disease, three fundamental criteria must be fulfilled: there must be selective uptake of boron in the tumour cells with respect to surrounding healthy tissue, biological effectiveness of the radiation therapy and minimal damage or collateral effects of the irradiation on the surrounding tissues. In this study, we evaluated the biological effectiveness of BNCT by in vitro irradiation of rat colon-carcinoma cells previously incubated in boron-enriched medium. One part of these cells was re-cultured in vitro while the other was inoculated via the inferior vena cava to induce pulmonary metastases in a rat model. We observed a post-irradiation in vitro cell viability of 0.05% after 8 days of cell culture. At 4 months follow-up, all animal subjects in the treatment group that received irradiated boron-containing cells were alive. No animal survived beyond 1 month in the control group that received non-treated cells (p<0.001 Kaplan-Meier). These preliminary findings strongly suggest that BNCT has a significant lethal effect on tumour cells and post irradiation surviving cells lose their malignant capabilities in vivo. This radio-therapeutic potential warrants the investigation of in vivo BNCT for lung tumour metastases.

  15. Feasibility study on the utilization of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) in a rat model of diffuse lung metastases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakeine, G.J.; Di Salvo, M.; Bortolussi, S.; Stella, S.; Bruschi, P.; Bertolotti, A.; Nano, R.; Clerici, A.; Ferrari, C.; Zonta, C.; Marchetti, A.; Altieri, S.

    2009-01-01

    In order for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to be eligible for application in lung tumour disease, three fundamental criteria must be fulfilled: there must be selective uptake of boron in the tumour cells with respect to surrounding healthy tissue, biological effectiveness of the radiation therapy and minimal damage or collateral effects of the irradiation on the surrounding tissues. In this study, we evaluated the biological effectiveness of BNCT by in vitro irradiation of rat colon-carcinoma cells previously incubated in boron-enriched medium. One part of these cells was re-cultured in vitro while the other was inoculated via the inferior vena cava to induce pulmonary metastases in a rat model. We observed a post-irradiation in vitro cell viability of 0.05% after 8 days of cell culture. At 4 months follow-up, all animal subjects in the treatment group that received irradiated boron-containing cells were alive. No animal survived beyond 1 month in the control group that received non-treated cells (p<0.001 Kaplan-Meier). These preliminary findings strongly suggest that BNCT has a significant lethal effect on tumour cells and post irradiation surviving cells lose their malignant capabilities in vivo. This radio-therapeutic potential warrants the investigation of in vivo BNCT for lung tumour metastases.

  16. Nothing Boring About Boron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pizzorno, Lara

    2015-01-01

    The trace mineral boron is a micronutrient with diverse and vitally important roles in metabolism that render it necessary for plant, animal, and human health, and as recent research suggests, possibly for the evolution of life on Earth. As the current article shows, boron has been proven to be an important trace mineral because it (1) is essential for the growth and maintenance of bone; (2) greatly improves wound healing; (3) beneficially impacts the body’s use of estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D; (4) boosts magnesium absorption; (5) reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α); (6) raises levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; (7) protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stress and heavy-metal toxicity; (8) improves the brains electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory for elders; (9) influences the formation and activity of key biomolecules, such as S-adenosyl methionine (SAM-e) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+); (10) has demonstrated preventive and therapeutic effects in a number of cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and lung cancers, and multiple and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; and (11) may help ameliorate the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutic agents. In none of the numerous studies conducted to date, however, do boron’s beneficial effects appear at intakes > 3 mg/d. No estimated average requirements (EARs) or dietary reference intakes (DRIs) have been set for boron—only an upper intake level (UL) of 20 mg/d for individuals aged ≥ 18 y. The absence of studies showing harm in conjunction with the substantial number of articles showing benefits support the consideration of boron supplementation of 3 mg/d for any individual who is consuming a diet lacking in fruits and vegetables or who is at risk for or has osteopenia; osteoporosis

  17. Multiple sources of boron in urban surface waters and groundwaters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hasenmueller, Elizabeth A., E-mail: eahasenm@wustl.edu; Criss, Robert E.

    2013-03-01

    Previous studies attribute abnormal boron (B) levels in streams and groundwaters to wastewater and fertilizer inputs. This study shows that municipal drinking water used for lawn irrigation contributes substantial non-point loads of B and other chemicals (S-species, Li, and Cu) to surface waters and shallow groundwaters in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. Background levels and potential B sources were characterized by analysis of lawn and street runoff, streams, rivers, springs, local rainfall, wastewater influent and effluent, and fertilizers. Urban surface waters and groundwaters are highly enriched in B (to 250 μg/L) compared to background levels found in rain and pristine, carbonate-hosted streams and springs (< 25 μg/L), but have similar concentrations (150 to 259 μg/L) compared to municipal drinking waters derived from the Missouri River. Other data including B/SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}−S and B/Li ratios confirm major contributions from this source. Moreover, sequential samples of runoff collected during storms show that B concentrations decrease with increased discharge, proving that elevated B levels are not primarily derived from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) during flooding. Instead, non-point source B exhibits complex behavior depending on land use. In urban settings B is rapidly mobilized from lawns during “first flush” events, likely representing surficial salt residues from drinking water used to irrigate lawns, and is also associated with the baseflow fraction, likely derived from the shallow groundwater reservoir that over time accumulates B from drinking water that percolates into the subsurface. The opposite occurs in small rural watersheds, where B is leached from soils by recent rainfall and covaries with the event water fraction. Highlights: ► Boron sources and loads differ between urban and rural watersheds. ► Wastewaters are not the major boron source in small St. Louis, MO watersheds. ► Municipal drinking water used for lawn

  18. Comparison of Six DNA Extraction Procedures and the Application of Plastid DNA Enrichment Methods in Selected Non-photosynthetic Plants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shin-Yi Shyu

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Genomic DNA was isolated using three DNA extraction commercial kits and three CTAB-based methods for two non-photosynthetic plants, Balanophora japonica and Mitrastemon kanehirai. The quality of the isolated DNA was evaluated and subjected to following restriction enzyme digestions. All six procedures yielded DNA of sufficient quality for PCR, and the method described by Barnwell et al. (1998 performed well in isolating DNA from both species for restriction enzyme digestion. In addition, we succeeded to enrich plastid DNA content by using the methods depending on a high salt buffer to deplete nuclear material. The ‘high salt’ methods based on protocol presented by Milligan (1989 were able to increase plastid DNA effectively and significantly reduce nuclear DNA from M. kanehirai. The plastid DNA enrichment protocols are inexpensive and not time-consuming, and may be applicable to other non-photosynthetic plants.

  19. Linking hydrogen-mediated boron toxicity tolerance with improvement of root elongation, water status and reactive oxygen species balance: a case study for rice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yu; Duan, Xingliang; Xu, Sheng; Wang, Ren; Ouyang, Zhaozeng; Shen, Wenbiao

    2016-12-01

    Boron is essential for plant growth but hazardous when present in excess. As the antioxidant properties of hydrogen gas (H 2 ) were recently described in plants, oxidative stress induced by excess boron was investigated along with other biological responses during rice (Oryza sativa) seed germination to study the beneficial role of H 2 METHODS: Rice seeds were pretreated with exogenous H 2 Using physiological, pharmacological and molecular approaches, the production of endogenous H 2 , growth status, reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance and relative gene expression in rice were measured under boron stress to investigate mechanisms of H 2 -mediated boron toxicity tolerance. In our test, boron-inhibited seed germination and seedling growth, and endogenous H 2 production, were obviously blocked by exogenously applying H 2 The re-establishment of ROS balance was confirmed by reduced lipid peroxidation and ROS accumulation. Meanwhile, activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) were increased. Suppression of pectin methylesterase (PME) activity and downregulation of PME transcripts by H 2 were consistent with the alleviation of root growth inhibition caused by boron. Water status was improved as well. This result was confirmed by the upregulation of genes encoding specific aquaporins (AQPs), the maintenance of low osmotic potential and high content of soluble sugar. Increased transcription of representative AQP genes (PIP2;7 in particular) and BOR2 along with decreased BOR1 mRNA may contribute to lowering boron accumulation. Hydrogen provides boron toxicity tolerance mainly by improving root elongation, water status and ROS balance. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. U.S. forms uranium enrichment corporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seltzer, R.

    1993-01-01

    After almost 40 years of operation, the federal government is withdrawing from the uranium enrichment business. On July 1, the Department of Energy turned over to a new government-owned entity--the US Enrichment Corp. (USEC)--both the DOE enrichment plants at Paducah, Ky., and Portsmouth, Ohio, and domestic and international marketing of enriched uranium from them. Pushed by the inability of DOE's enrichment operations to meet foreign competition, Congress established USEC under the National Energy Policy Act of 1992, envisioning the new corporation as the first step to full privatization. With gross revenues of $1.5 billion in fiscal 1992, USEC would rank 275th on the Fortune 500 list of top US companies. USEC will lease from DOE the Paducah and Portsmouth facilities, built in the early 1950s, which use the gaseous diffusion process for uranium enrichment. USEC's stock is held by the US Treasury, to which it will pay annual dividends. Martin Marietta Energy Systems, which has operated Paducah since 1984 and Portsmouth since 1986 for DOE, will continue to operate both plants for USEC. Closing one of the two facilities will be studied, especially in light of a 40% world surplus of capacity over demand. USEC also will consider other nuclear-fuel-related ventures. USEC will produce only low-enriched uranium, not weapons-grade material. Indeed, USEC will implement a contract now being completed under which the US will purchase weapons-grade uranium from dismantled Russian nuclear weapons and convert it into low-enriched uranium for power reactor fuel

  1. Raman spectroscopy of boron-doped single-layer graphene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Yoong Ahm; Fujisawa, Kazunori; Muramatsu, Hiroyuki; Hayashi, Takuya; Endo, Morinobu; Fujimori, Toshihiko; Kaneko, Katsumi; Terrones, Mauricio; Behrends, Jan; Eckmann, Axel; Casiraghi, Cinzia; Novoselov, Kostya S; Saito, Riichiro; Dresselhaus, Mildred S

    2012-07-24

    The introduction of foreign atoms, such as nitrogen, into the hexagonal network of an sp(2)-hybridized carbon atom monolayer has been demonstrated and constitutes an effective tool for tailoring the intrinsic properties of graphene. Here, we report that boron atoms can be efficiently substituted for carbon in graphene. Single-layer graphene substitutionally doped with boron was prepared by the mechanical exfoliation of boron-doped graphite. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrated that the amount of substitutional boron in graphite was ~0.22 atom %. Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that the boron atoms were spaced 4.76 nm apart in single-layer graphene. The 7-fold higher intensity of the D-band when compared to the G-band was explained by the elastically scattered photoexcited electrons by boron atoms before emitting a phonon. The frequency of the G-band in single-layer substitutionally boron-doped graphene was unchanged, which could be explained by the p-type boron doping (stiffening) counteracting the tensile strain effect of the larger carbon-boron bond length (softening). Boron-doped graphene appears to be a useful tool for engineering the physical and chemical properties of graphene.

  2. Finding of no significant impact: Interim storage of enriched uranium above the maximum historical level at the Y-12 Plant Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    The US Department of Energy (DOE) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Proposed Interim Storage of Enriched Uranium Above the Maximum Historical Storage Level at the Y-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (DOE/EA-0929, September, 1994). The EA evaluates the environmental effects of transportation, prestorage processing, and interim storage of bounding quantities of enriched uranium at the Y-12 Plant over a ten-year period. The State of Tennessee and the public participated in public meetings and workshops which were held after a predecisional draft EA was released in February 1994, and after the revised pre-approval EA was issued in September 1994. Comments provided by the State and public have been carefully considered by the Department. As a result of this public process, the Department has determined that the Y-12 Plant-would store no more than 500 metric tons of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and no more than 6 metric tons of low enriched uranium (LEU). The bounding storage quantities analyzed in the pre-approval EA are 500 metric tons of HEU and 7,105.9 metric tons of LEU. Based on-the analyses in the EA, as revised by the attachment to the Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), DOE has determined that interim storage of 500 metric tons of HEU and 6 metric tons of LEU at the Y-12 Plant does not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. Therefore, an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is not required and the Department is issuing this FONSI

  3. Shock Response of Boron Carbide

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dandekar, D. P. (Dattatraya Purushottam)

    2001-01-01

    .... The present work was undertaken to determine tensile/spall strength of boron carbide under plane shock wave loading and to analyze all available shock compression data on boron carbide materials...

  4. In silico characterization of boron transporter (BOR1 protein sequences in Poaceae species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ertuğrul Filiz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Boron (B is essential for the plant growth and development, and its primary function is connected with formation of the cell wall. Moreover, boron toxicity is a shared problem in semiarid and arid regions. In this study, boron transporter protein (BOR1 sequences from some Poaceae species (Hordeum vulgare subsp. vulgare, Zea mays, Brachypodium distachyon, Oryza sativa subsp. japonica, Oryza sativa subsp. indica, Sorghum bicolor, Triticum aestivum were evaluated by bioinformatics tools. Physicochemical analyses revealed that most of BOR1 proteins were basic character and had generally aliphatic amino acids. Analysis of the domains showed that transmembrane domains were identified constantly and three motifs were detected with 50 amino acids length. Also, the motif SPNPWEPGSYDHWTVAKDMFNVPPAYIFGAFIPATMVAGLYYFDHSVASQ was found most frequently with 25 repeats. The phylogenetic tree showed divergence into two main clusters. B. distachyon species were clustered separately. Finally, this study contributes to the new BOR1 protein characterization in grasses and create scientific base for in silico analysis in future.

  5. Boronization on NSTX using Deuterated Trimethylboron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanchard, W.R.; Gernhardt, R.C.; Kugel, H.W.; LaMarche, P.H.

    2002-01-01

    Boronization on the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) has proved to be quite beneficial with increases in confinement and density, and decreases in impurities observed in the plasma. The boron has been applied to the interior surfaces of NSTX, about every 2 to 3 weeks of plasma operation, by producing a glow discharge in the vacuum vessel using deuterated trimethylboron (TMB) in a 10% mixture with helium. Special NSTX requirements restricted the selection of the candidate boronization method to the use of deuterated boron compounds. Deuterated TMB met these requirements, but is a hazardous gas and special care in the execution of the boronization process is required. This paper describes the existing GDC, Gas Injection, and Torus Vacuum Pumping System hardware used for this process, the glow discharge process, and the automated control system that allows for remote operation to maximize both the safety and efficacy of applying the boron coating. The administrative requirements and the detailed procedure for the setup, operation and shutdown of the process are also described

  6. Deuterated-decaborane using boronization on JT-60U

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yagyu, Jun-ichi; Arai, Takashi; Kaminaga, Atsushi; Miyata, Katsuyuki [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Naka, Ibaraki (Japan). Naka Fusion Research Establishment; Arai, Masaru [Kaihatsu Denki Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

    2001-03-01

    In JT-60U, boronization using hydride-decaborane (B{sub 10}H{sub 14}) vaporization has been conducted for the first wall conditioning. Compared to other discharge cleaning (DC), boronization is claimed to be efficient in reduction of oxygen impurities and hydrogen recycling in plasma. However, there are some problems in reduction of hydrogen included in boron film and stabilization of DC glow discharge during the boronization. To solve these problems, a new boronization method using deuterated-decaborane (B{sub 10}D{sub 14}) was adopted instead of the conventional hydride-decaborane. As a result, hydrogen content in the boron film decreased clearly and discharge conditioning shots, for decreasing hydrogen content in plasmas, after the boronization were reduced to 1/10 in comparison to the conventional process. Furthermore, DC glow discharge became stable, with only helium carrier gas, and it was possible to save 30 hours in maximum of the time necessary to boronization. It is shown that the boronization using deuterated-decaborane is very efficient and effective method for the first wall conditioning. (author)

  7. Resposta de brócolis, couve-flor e repolho à adubação com boro em solo arenoso Response of boron fertilization on broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage planted in sandy soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luiz Carlos Pizetta

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available Foram avaliados em condições de campo, em solo arenoso, com baixo teor de boro, os efeitos da adubação com cinco doses de boro (0; 2; 4; 6 e 8 kg ha-1 de B na forma de bórax na produção de brócolis, couve-flor e repolho. O experimento obedeceu a um esquema fatorial com delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso com três repetições. As adubações orgânica e química, inclusive o bórax, foram feitas no sulco antes do transplantio das mudas e a colheita foi feita entre 63 e 93 dias após o transplantio. A produtividade de brócolis variou de 16,9 a 20,5 t ha-1; a de couve-flor de 21,6 a 29,6 t ha-1 e a de repolho de 40,5 a 46,4 t ha-1. O aumento observado na produtividade de brócolis e de repolho foi linear e o efeito das doses de boro na produtividade de couve-flor foi quadrático, sendo necessários 5,1 kg ha-1 de B para atingir a produtividade máxima de 30 t ha-1. Brócolis e repolho mostraram-se menos sensíveis do que a couve-flor tanto à deficiência quanto ao excesso de boro. No caso da couve-flor, com a aplicação de 2 kg ha-1 ou de 6 kg ha-1 de B houve significativa perda de qualidade do produto.The effects of boron fertilization on yield of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage were evaluated through a field experiment carried out on a sandy soil low in available boron. Five boron levels (0; 2; 4; 6; and 8 kg ha-1 B as borax were applied in broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage using a factorial scheme and a randomized block design with three replicates. Organic manure and chemical fertilizers, including borax, were applied in the planting furrow before seedlings transplant and plants were harvested 63 to 93 days after planting date. The yield intervals obtained with broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage varied according to the following intervals: 16.9 to 20.5 t ha-1, 21.6 to 29.6 t ha-1 and 40.5 to 46.3 t ha-1, respectively. The increase in production observed in broccoli and cabbage yield was linear with boron levels and the

  8. Uranium enrichment activities: the SILVA program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guyot, J.; Cazalet, J.; Camarcat, N.; Figuet, J.

    1994-01-01

    Through its commitment to a nuclear electricity generation policy, France holds today a specific position in the uranium enrichment market thanks to the modern multinational EURODIF gaseous diffusion plant. France has, altogether, a long-term goal in developing SILVA, a laser uranium enrichment process, based on the selective photo-ionization of U-235. After reviewing the fundamentals of SILVA (the laser system with copper vapor lasers and dye lasers and the separator system), a description of the general organization of the R and D program is provided going through basic research, subsystems assessment, production demonstrations and simulations (with the LACAN code), plant design and economics. The general schedule of SILVA is outlined, leading to the possible construction of a commercial plant. 7 figs., 11 refs

  9. Technology of boron-containing polyphosphate fertilizer 'Phosphobor'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aldabergenov, M.K.; Balakaeva, T.G.

    1995-01-01

    A technology is developed for producing 'Phosphobor' fertilizer based on the rock phosphate weal (17-18% P 2 O 5 ) with additions of boron-magnesium compound. Boron is part of polyphosphate fertilizer in the form of polymeric compounds of phosphorus and boron. Phosphorus and boron copolymers -boratophosphates - are easily formed in the process of polyphosphate fertilizers production, since borates undergo a mutual polycondensation reaction with phosphates. 8 refs., 1 fig

  10. 10 CFR Appendix H to Part 110 - Illustrative List of Electromagnetic Enrichment Plant Equipment and Components Under NRC Export...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Equipment and Components Under NRC Export Licensing Authority H Appendix H to Part 110 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED) EXPORT AND IMPORT OF NUCLEAR EQUIPMENT AND MATERIAL Pt. 110, App. H Appendix H to Part 110—Illustrative List of Electromagnetic Enrichment Plant Equipment and Components Under...

  11. ISOBORDAT: An Online Data Base on Boron Isotopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pennisi, M.; Adorni-Braccesi, A.; Andreani, D.; Gori, L.; Gonfiantini, R. [Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse, CNR, Pisa (Italy); Sciuto, P. F. [Servizio Geologico, Sismico e dei Suoli, D.G. Ambiente e Difesa del Suolo e della Costa, Regione Emilia Romagna, Bologna (Italy)

    2013-07-15

    From 1986, boron isotope data in natural substances increased sharply in scientific publications. Analytical difficulties derived from complex geochemical matrices have been faced and interlaboratory calibrations reported in the boron literature. Boron isotopes are nowdays applied to investigate boron origin and migration in natural waters, sources of boron contamination, water-rock interactions and also contribute to water resource management. This is especially important in those areas where boron content exceeds the local regulations for drinking water supply and boron sources need to be identified. ISOBORDAT, an interactive database on boron isotope composition and content in natural waters is presented to the wider community of boron isotope users. The database's structure, scope and applications are reported, along with a discussion on {delta}{sup 11}B values obtained in Italian waters. In the database boron data are structured in the following categories: rainwater, rivers, lakes, groundwater and potential contaminants. New categories (medium and high enthalpy fluids from volcanic and geothermal areas) are anticipated. ISOBORDAT aims to be as interactive as possible and will be developed taking into account information and suggestions received. The database is continually undergoing revision to keep pace with continuous data publication. Indications of data that are missing at present are greatly appreciated. (author)

  12. Multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in plant reference materials by ICP-AES/ICP-MS and evaluation of their enrichment factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hokura, Akiko; Matsuura, Hirotaka; Katsuki, Fumie; Haraguchi, Hiroki

    2000-01-01

    The multielement determination of major-to-ultratrace elements in plant reference materials (SRM Pine Needles, SRM Tomato Leaves, and NIES Tea Leaves) was carried out by ICP-AES (inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). The plant sample was decomposed with nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid in a Teflon beaker on a hot plate. The digest was dissolved in 1 M HNO 3 solution, and then subjected to elemental analyses. As a consequence, the analytical data for about 40 elements including rare earth elements (REEs) were obtained over a wide concentration range, for example, from 49600 μg g -1 of Ca to 6.2 ng g -1 of Lu in Tomato Leaves. The enrichment factors, which were estimated by normalizing the observed concentrations of analyte elements in plant reference materials to their soil abundances, were evaluated in order to discuss the relative abundances of various elements between plants and soil. It was found that most of the elements, except for REEs in Pine Needles and Tea Leaves, were significantly accumulated in the plant reference materials. In particular, the essential elements (K, Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, Zn, B and P) for plant growth provided large enrichment factors. (author)

  13. Status of IGA in Japanese plants and results of S/G pulled tube examinations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takamatsu, H.

    1986-01-01

    Currently there are 14 operating PWRs in Japan. Five of the plants have been affected by the intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC). The experience of the 14 plants with regard to tube plugging is summarized. The five affected plants are: Mihama 2, Takahama 1, Takahama 2, Ohi 1 and Genkai 1. The first two plants experienced IGSCC in the tube sheet crevice region (55 and 124 tubes plugged) and a slight problem with IGSCC in tube support plate crevices (13 and 8 tubes plugged). The other three plants have experienced extensive IGSCC in their tube support plate crevices (1330, 773 and 667 tubes plugged, respectively). The Japanese consider that their IGSCC (IGA) problem is caused by a combination material and environmental factors. All three factors must be present for attack to take place. If the two environmental factors can be controlled, then the attack will stop. The preventive measures being employed by the Japanese are given. These include: prevention of free caustic (i.e., sludge lancing, crevice cleaning, boron injection and improvement in water treatment) and maintenance of deoxidation environment (i.e., hydrazine soaking before operation and enriching the concentration of hydrazine in the secondary water)

  14. Fine-tuning the nucleophilic reactivities of boron ate complexes derived from aryl and heteroaryl boronic esters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berionni, Guillaume; Leonov, Artem I; Mayer, Peter; Ofial, Armin R; Mayr, Herbert

    2015-02-23

    Boron ate complexes derived from thienyl and furyl boronic esters and aryllithium compounds have been isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Products and mechanisms of their reactions with carbenium and iminium ions have been analyzed. Kinetics of these reactions were monitored by UV/Vis spectroscopy, and the influence of the aryl substituents, the diol ligands (pinacol, ethylene glycol, neopentyl glycol, catechol), and the counterions on the nucleophilic reactivity of the boron ate complexes were examined. A Hammett correlation confirmed the polar nature of their reactions with benzhydrylium ions, and the correlation lg k(20 °C)=sN (E+N) was employed to determine the nucleophilicities of the boron ate complexes and to compare them with those of other borates and boronates. The neopentyl and ethylene glycol derivatives were found to be 10(4) times more reactive than the pinacol and catechol derivatives. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Procedures for the retention of gaseous tritium released from a tritium enrichment plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutowski, H.; Bracha, M.

    1987-01-01

    General aim of the study is the comparison of two alternative processes for the retention of gaseous tritium which is released during normal operation and emergency operation in a tritium-enrichment-plant. Two processes for the retention of tritium were compared: 1. Oxidation-process. The hydrogen-gas containing HT will be burnt on an oxidation catalyst to H 2 O and HTO. In a subsequent step the water will be removed from the process by condensation, freezing and adsorption. 2. TROC-process (Tritium Removal by Organic Compounds). The tritium is added to an organic compound (acid) via catalyst. This reaction is irreversible and leads to solid products. (orig./RB) [de

  16. Proceedings of workshop on 'boron science and boron neutron capture therapy'

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kitaoka, Y. [ed.

    1998-12-01

    This volume contains the abstracts and programs of the 8th (1996), 9th (1997) and 10th (1998) of the workshop on 'the Boron Science and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy' and the recent progress reports especially subscribed. The 11 of the presented papers are indexed individually. (J.P.N.)

  17. Electrochemical reactivity at graphitic micro-domains on polycrystalline boron doped diamond thin-films electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mahe, E. [LI2C CNRS/UMR 7612, Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Universite Pierre-et-Marie Curie - case courrier 51, 4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Devilliers, D. [LI2C CNRS/UMR 7612, Laboratoire d' Electrochimie, Universite Pierre-et-Marie Curie - case courrier 51, 4, Place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05 (France); Comninellis, Ch. [Unite de Genie Electrochimique, Institut de sciences des procedes chimiques et biologiques, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne (Switzerland)

    2005-04-01

    This paper deals with the electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond (BDD) electrodes. A comparative study has been carried out to show the influence of the presence of graphitic micro-domains upon the surface of these films. Those graphitic domains are sometimes present on as-grown boron doped diamond electrodes. The effect of doping a pure Csp{sup 3} diamond electrode is established by highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) abrasion onto the diamond surface. In order to establish the effect of doping on a pure Csp{sup 3} diamond electrode, the amount of graphitic domains was increased by means of HOPG crystals grafted onto the BDD surface. Indeed that method allows the enrichment of the Csp{sup 2} contribution of the electrode. The presence of graphitic domains can be correlatively associated with the presence of kinetically active redox sites. The electrochemical reactivity of boron doped diamond electrodes shows a distribution of kinetic constants on the whole surface of the electrode corresponding to different active sites. In this paper, we have studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy the kinetics parameters of the ferri/ferrocyanide redox couple in KCl electrolyte. A method is proposed to diagnose the presence of graphitic domains on diamond electrodes, and an electrochemical 'pulse cleaning' procedure is proposed to remove them.

  18. Synthesis of borophenes: Anisotropic, two-dimensional boron polymorphs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mannix, A. J.; Zhou, X. -F.; Kiraly, B.; Wood, J. D.; Alducin, D.; Myers, B. D.; Liu, X.; Fisher, B. L.; Santiago, U.; Guest, J. R.; Yacaman, M. J.; Ponce, A.; Oganov, A. R.; Hersam, M. C.; Guisinger, N. P.

    2015-12-17

    At the atomic-cluster scale, pure boron is markedly similar to carbon, forming simple planar molecules and cage-like fullerenes. Theoretical studies predict that two-dimensional (2D) boron sheets will adopt an atomic configuration similar to that of boron atomic clusters. We synthesized atomically thin, crystalline 2D boron sheets (i.e., borophene) on silver surfaces under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions. Atomic-scale characterization, supported by theoretical calculations, revealed structures reminiscent of fused boron clusters with multiple scales of anisotropic, out-of-plane buckling. Unlike bulk boron allotropes, borophene shows metallic characteristics that are consistent with predictions of a highly anisotropic, 2D metal.

  19. Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandirma, Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duydu, Yalçın; Başaran, Nurşen; Üstündağ, Aylin; Aydin, Sevtap; Ündeğer, Ülkü; Ataman, Osman Yavuz; Aydos, Kaan; Düker, Yalçın; Ickstadt, Katja; Waltrup, Britta Schulze; Golka, Klaus; Bolt, Hermann M

    2011-06-01

    Boric acid and sodium borates have been considered as being "toxic to reproduction and development", following results of animal studies with high doses. Experimentally, a NOAEL (no observed adverse effect level) of 17.5 mg B/kg-bw/day has been identified for the (male) reproductive effects of boron in a multigeneration study of rats, and a NOAEL for the developmental effects in rats was identified at 9.6 mg B/kg-bw/day. These values are being taken as the basis of current EU safety assessments. The present study was conducted to investigate the reproductive effects of boron exposure in workers employed in boric acid production plant in Bandirma, Turkey. In order to characterize the external and internal boron exposures, boron was determined in biological samples (blood, urine, semen), in workplace air, in food, and in water sources. Unfavorable effects of boron exposure on the reproductive toxicity indicators (concentration, motility, morphology of the sperm cells and blood levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and total testosterone) were not observed. The mean calculated daily boron exposure (DBE) of the highly exposed group was 14.45 ± 6.57 (3.32-35.62) mg/day. These human exposures represent worst-case exposure conditions to boric acid/borates in Turkey. These exposure levels are considerably lower than exposures, which have previously led to reproductive effects in experimental animals. In conclusion, this means that dose levels of boron associated with developmental and reproductive toxic effects in animals are by far not reachable for humans under conditions of normal handling and use.

  20. Enrichment of {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb in ash samples from oil shale-fired power plants in Estonia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozden, B. [University of Tartu, Institute of Physics/Ege University, Institute of Nuclear Sciences (Estonia); Vaasma, T.; Kiisk, M.; Suursoo, S.; Tkaczyk, A.H. [University of Tartu,Institute of Physics (Estonia)

    2014-07-01

    Energy production in Estonia is largely dependent on the oil shale industry. Oil shale is a fossil fuel typically characterized by relatively high mineral composition, modest organic fraction (varying between 10 and 65%), high ash content (usually 45% to 50%), and average lower heating value of 8.4 MJ/kg{sup -1}. Oil shale-fired power plants account for 85% of Estonian electricity production and produce up to 6 million tons of oil shale ash annually. This ash contains elevated amounts of natural radionuclides (from the {sup 238}U and {sup 232}Th series and {sup 40}K), which were bound to oil shale during its formation. These radionuclides become enriched in ash fractions during the combustion process and are partially emitted to the atmosphere via fly ash and flue gases. Oil shale-fired electricity production is foreseen to remain a dominant trend in Estonia, suggesting that the radionuclide emissions to the atmosphere will continue in the future. The natural radionuclides {sup 210}Po and {sup 210}Pb, with half-lives of 138 days and 22.3 years respectively, originate from the radioactive decay of radionuclides of {sup 238}U series present in the earth's crust. These radionuclides are also built up artificially in the environment due to waste discharge from phosphate, oil, and gas industries, combustion of fossil fuels and other energy production as technically enhanced natural radionuclides. There are few studies on oil shale power plants influence on the levels of natural radioactivity in the surrounding areas. Realo, et al. reported that the annual doses from fly ash depositions over a 30 year period are in the range 90 - 200 μSv a{sup -1}. A study previously initiated by the University of Tartu, Institute of Physics (IPh) evaluated enrichment in the activity concentrations of {sup 238}U, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 210}Pb, {sup 232}Th, {sup 228}Ra and {sup 40}K in ash samples collected from Eesti Power Plant's circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler. According

  1. Innovative boron nitride-doped propellants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thelma Manning

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The U.S. military has a need for more powerful propellants with balanced/stoichiometric amounts of fuel and oxidants. However, balanced and more powerful propellants lead to accelerated gun barrel erosion and markedly shortened useful barrel life. Boron nitride (BN is an interesting potential additive for propellants that could reduce gun wear effects in advanced propellants (US patent pending 2015-026P. Hexagonal boron nitride is a good lubricant that can provide wear resistance and lower flame temperatures for gun barrels. Further, boron can dope steel, which drastically improves its strength and wear resistance, and can block the formation of softer carbides. A scalable synthesis method for producing boron nitride nano-particles that can be readily dispersed into propellants has been developed. Even dispersion of the nano-particles in a double-base propellant has been demonstrated using a solvent-based processing approach. Stability of a composite propellant with the BN additive was verified. In this paper, results from propellant testing of boron nitride nano-composite propellants are presented, including closed bomb and wear and erosion testing. Detailed characterization of the erosion tester substrates before and after firing was obtained by electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This promising boron nitride additive shows the ability to improve gun wear and erosion resistance without any destabilizing effects to the propellant. Potential applications could include less erosive propellants in propellant ammunition for large, medium and small diameter fire arms.

  2. THE EFFECT OF BORON DOSES ON PARICA (Schizolobium amazonicum Herb.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastião Ferreira de Lima

    2003-07-01

    Full Text Available An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse in order to evaluate the effects of boron on parica growth and on concentration and contents of macro and micronutrients indry matter of shoots and roots. Six treatments constituted by boron doses of 0.0; 0.1; 0.3; 0.9;1.5 and 2.1 mg/dm3 in four replications were used. It was evaluated the characteristics:visual diagnostic, plants height and diameter, dry matter production of shoots and roots,concentration and contents of nutrients in dry matter of shoots and roots. The symptoms ofdeficiency can be observed in new leaves and roots and the toxicity in older leaves. Bothboron deficiency and excess inhibits plants growth, but toxicity is more damaging. The Comportamento do paricá (Schizolobium amazonicum Herb. submetido ...193approximate dose of 0 Estimate of average equilibrium moisture content of wood for 26Brazilian states, by Hailwood and Harrobin one hydrate sorption theory equation.15mg/dm3 was the best for plants growth in MSPA and MSRA. The concentration of boronincreased in MSPA and MSRA with application of increasing concentration of B, with a smallreduction in concentration of MSRA from the concentration 1.9 mg/dm3. The toxicity of boronbegins when concentration reaches 36.06 mg/dm3 in shoots and 32.38 in roots. The contentsof all nutrients, except Mn and Fe in MSPA and Cu, Fe and B in MSRA, followed its own drymatter production curves.

  3. Enriched uranium recovery flowsheet improvements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holt, D.L.

    1986-01-01

    Savannah River uses 7.5% TBP to recover and purify enriched uranium. Adequate decontamination from fission products is necessary to reduce personnel exposure and to ensure that the enriched uranium product meets specifications. Initial decontamination of the enriched uranium from the fission products is carried out in the 1A bank, 16 stages of mixer-settlers. Separation of the enriched uranium from the fission product, 95 Zr, has been adequate, but excessive solvent degradation caused by the long phase contact times in the mixer-settlers has limited the 95 Zr decontamination factor (DF). An experimental program is investigating the replacement of the current 1A bank with either centrifugal contactors or a combination of centrifugal contactors and mixer-settlers. Experimental work completed has compared laboratory-scale centrifugal contactors and mixer-settlers for 95 Zr removal efficiencies. Feed solutions spiked with actual plant solutions were used. The 95 Zr DF was significantly better in the mixer-settlers than in the centrifugal contactors. As a result of this experimental study, a hybrid equipment flowsheet has been proposed for plant use. The hybrid equipment flowsheet combines the advantages of both types of solvent extraction equipment. Centrifugal contactors would be utilized in the extraction and initial scrub sections, followed by additional scrub stages of mixer-settlers

  4. ICP-MS determination of boron: method optimization during preparation of graphite reference material for boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Granthali, S.K.; Shailaja, P.P.; Mainsha, V.; Venkatesh, K.; Kallola, K.S.; Sanjukta, A.K.

    2017-01-01

    Graphite finds widespread use in nuclear reactors as moderator, reflector, and fuel fabricating components because of its thermal stability and integrity. The manufacturing process consists of various mixing, moulding and baking operations followed by heat-treatment between 2500 °C and 3000 °C. The high temperature treatment is required to drive the amorphous carbon-to-graphite phase transformation. Since synthetic graphite is processed at high temperature, impurity concentrations in the precursor carbon get significantly reduced due to volatilization. However boron may might partly gets converted into boron carbide at high temperatures in the carbon environment of graphite and remains stable (B_4C: boiling point 3500 °C) in the matrix. Literature survey reveals the use of various methods for determination of boron. Previously we have developed a method for determination of boron in graphite electrodes using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method involves removal of graphite matrix by ignition of the sample at 800°C in presence of saturated barium hydroxide solution to prevent the loss of boron. Here we are reporting a modification in the method by using calcium carbonate in place of barium hydroxide and using beryllium (Be) as an internal standard, which resulted in a better precession. The method was validated by spike recovery experiments as well as using another technique viz. Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES). The modified method was applied in evaluation of boron concentration in the graphite reference material prepared

  5. Chemistry and technology of boron and its compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhigach, A.F.; Parfenov, B.P.; Svitsyn, R.A.

    1995-01-01

    The results of research dealing with development of technologies of boron trichloride, boron hydride, aminoderivative boron hydrides, metal borohydrides, carboranes, carborane-containing polymers, carried out at the institute of organoelemental compounds, are presented. Physicochemical properties of the compounds have been studied and analytical methods have been developed. Data on toxicity and fire hazard of boron compounds are provided

  6. Plant growth on 'fly ash'

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Holliday, R; Hodgson, D R; Townsend, W N; Wood, J W

    1958-04-12

    Plants were grown in plot and pot experiments to assess the toxicity of the fly ash. It was found that plants grouped into three classes: tolerant, moderately tolerant, and sensitive. Boron was found to be a major compoent of the toxic principle of fly ash.

  7. New Prototype Safeguards Technology Offers Improved Confidence and Automation for Uranium Enrichment Facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Brim, Cornelia P.

    2013-04-01

    An important requirement for the international safeguards community is the ability to determine the enrichment level of uranium in gas centrifuge enrichment plants and nuclear fuel fabrication facilities. This is essential to ensure that countries with nuclear nonproliferation commitments, such as States Party to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, are adhering to their obligations. However, current technologies to verify the uranium enrichment level in gas centrifuge enrichment plants or nuclear fuel fabrication facilities are technically challenging and resource-intensive. NNSA’s Office of Nonproliferation and International Security (NIS) supports the development, testing, and evaluation of future systems that will strengthen and sustain U.S. safeguards and security capabilities—in this case, by automating the monitoring of uranium enrichment in the entire inventory of a fuel fabrication facility. One such system is HEVA—hybrid enrichment verification array. This prototype was developed to provide an automated, nondestructive assay verification technology for uranium hexafluoride (UF6) cylinders at enrichment plants.

  8. Plasma Synthesized Doped Boron Nanopowder for MgB2 Superconductors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marzik, James V.

    2012-01-01

    Under this program, a process to synthesize nano-sized doped boron powder by a plasma synthesis process was developed and scaled up from 20 gram batches at program start to over 200 grams by program end. Over 75 batches of boron nanopowder were made by RF plasma synthesis. Particle sizes were typically in the 20-200 nm range. The powder was synthesized by the reductive pyrolysis of BCl 3 in hydrogen in an RF plasma. A wide range of process parameters were investigated including plasma power, torch geometry, gas flow rates, and process pressure. The powder-in-tube technique was used to make monofilament and multifilament superconducting wires. MgB 2 wire made with Specialty Materials plasma synthesized boron nanopowder exhibited superconducting properties that significantly exceeded the program goals. Superconducting critical currents, J c , in excess of 10 5 A cm -2 at magnetic fields of 8 tesla were reproducibly achieved. The upper critical magnetic field in wires fabricated with program boron powder were H c2 (0) = 37 tesla, demonstrating the potential of these materials for high field magnet applications. T c in carbon-doped MgB 2 powder showed a systematic decrease with increasing carbon precursor gas flows, indicating the plasma synthesis process can give precise control over dopant concentrations. Synthesis rates increased by a factor of 400% over the course of the program, demonstrating the scalability of the powder synthesis process. The plasma synthesis equipment at Specialty Materials has successfully and reproducibly made high quality boron nanopowder for MgB 2 superconductors. Research and development from this program enabled Specialty Materials to successfully scale up the powder synthesis process by a factor of ten and to double the size of its powder pilot plant. Thus far the program has been a technical success. It is anticipated that continued systematic development of plasma processing parameters, dopant chemistry and concentration, wire

  9. New Icosahedral Boron Carbide Semiconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Echeverria Mora, Elena Maria

    Novel semiconductor boron carbide films and boron carbide films doped with aromatic compounds have been investigated and characterized. Most of these semiconductors were formed by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The aromatic compound additives used, in this thesis, were pyridine (Py), aniline, and diaminobenzene (DAB). As one of the key parameters for semiconducting device functionality is the metal contact and, therefore, the chemical interactions or band bending that may occur at the metal/semiconductor interface, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy has been used to investigate the interaction of gold (Au) with these novel boron carbide-based semiconductors. Both n- and p-type films have been tested and pure boron carbide devices are compared to those containing aromatic compounds. The results show that boron carbide seems to behave differently from other semiconductors, opening a way for new analysis and approaches in device's functionality. By studying the electrical and optical properties of these films, it has been found that samples containing the aromatic compound exhibit an improvement in the electron-hole separation and charge extraction, as well as a decrease in the band gap. The hole carrier lifetimes for each sample were extracted from the capacitance-voltage, C(V), and current-voltage, I(V), curves. Additionally, devices, with boron carbide with the addition of pyridine, exhibited better collection of neutron capture generated pulses at ZERO applied bias, compared to the pure boron carbide samples. This is consistent with the longer carrier lifetimes estimated for these films. The I-V curves, as a function of external magnetic field, of the pure boron carbide films and films containing DAB demonstrate that significant room temperature negative magneto-resistance (> 100% for pure samples, and > 50% for samples containing DAB) is possible in the resulting dielectric thin films. Inclusion of DAB is not essential for significant negative magneto

  10. Uranium enrichment: an evolving market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Longenecker, J.; Witzel, R.

    1997-01-01

    With over half of the world uranium enrichment market uncommitted to any supplier early in the next century, competition is certain to be fierce. In the meantime the outlood remains unclear, with the market dominated by a number of developments -privatisation of the United States Enrichment Corp (USEC), increasing availability of Russian and US military inventories, the deployment of advanced technology and the closure of nuclear power plants due to deregulation. (author)

  11. Economical benefits for the use of slightly enriched fuel elements at the Atucha-I nuclear power plant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sidelnik, J.I.; Sosa, M.A.

    1987-01-01

    The fuel represents a very important factor in the operative cost of the Atucha I nuclear power plant. This cost is drastically reduced with the use of fuel elements of slightly enriched uranium. The annual saving is analyzed with actual values for fuel elements with an enrichment of 0.85% by weight of U-235. With the reactor core in equilibrium state the annual saving achieved is approximately 7.5-10 u$s. According to the present irradiation plan, the benefit for the transition period is studied. An analysis of the sensitivity to differential increments in factors determining the cost of fuel elements or to changes in manufacturing losses is also performed, calculating its effect on the waste, the storage of irradiated elements and the amount of UO 2 required. (Author)

  12. Huanglongbing impairs the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane enrichment process of the citrus root-associated microbiome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yunzeng; Xu, Jin; Riera, Nadia; Jin, Tao; Li, Jinyun; Wang, Nian

    2017-08-10

    Roots are the primary site for plant-microbe interactions. Among the three root-associated layers (i.e., rhizosphere, rhizoplane, and endorhiza), the rhizoplane is a key component serving a critical gating role that controls microbial entry into plant roots. The microbial communities colonizing the three layers are believed to be gradually enriched from the bulk soil inoculum. However, it is unknown how this enrichment process, particularly the rhizosphere to rhizoplane step, is affected by biotic stresses, such as disease. In this study, we address this question using the citrus root-associated microbiome as a model. We identified the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane-enriched taxonomic and functional properties of the citrus root-associated microbiome and determined how they were affected by Huanglongbing (HLB), a severe systemic disease caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, using metagenomic and metatranscriptomic approaches. Multiple rhizoplane-enriched genera were identified, with Bradyrhizobium and Burkholderia being the most dominant. Plant-derived carbon sources are an important driving force for the enrichment process. The enrichment of functional attributes, such as motility, chemotaxis, secretion systems, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, demonstrated more active microbe-plant interactions on the rhizoplane than the rhizosphere. We observed that HLB impaired the rhizosphere-to-rhizoplane enrichment process of the citrus root-associated microbiome in three ways: (1) by decreasing the relative abundance of most rhizoplane-enriched genera; (2) by reducing the relative abundance and/or expression activity of the functional attributes involved in microbe-plant interactions; and (3) by recruiting more functional features involved in autotrophic life cycle adaptation, such as carbon fixation and nitrogen nitrification in the HLB rhizoplane microbiome. Finally, our data showed that inoculation of Burkholderia strains isolated from the healthy citrus root

  13. Analysis of boron nitride by flame spectrometry methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Telegin, G.F.; Chapysheva, G.Ya.; Shilkina, N.N.

    1989-01-01

    A rapid method has been developed for determination of free and total boron contents as well as trace impurities in boron nitride by using autoclave sample decomposition followed by atomic emission and atomic absorption determination. The relative standard deviation is not greater than 0.03 in the determination of free boron 0.012 in the determination of total boron content

  14. Structure prediction of boron-doped graphene by machine learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    M. Dieb, Thaer; Hou, Zhufeng; Tsuda, Koji

    2018-06-01

    Heteroatom doping has endowed graphene with manifold aspects of material properties and boosted its applications. The atomic structure determination of doped graphene is vital to understand its material properties. Motivated by the recently synthesized boron-doped graphene with relatively high concentration, here we employ machine learning methods to search the most stable structures of doped boron atoms in graphene, in conjunction with the atomistic simulations. From the determined stable structures, we find that in the free-standing pristine graphene, the doped boron atoms energetically prefer to substitute for the carbon atoms at different sublattice sites and that the para configuration of boron-boron pair is dominant in the cases of high boron concentrations. The boron doping can increase the work function of graphene by 0.7 eV for a boron content higher than 3.1%.

  15. Discharge cleaning on TFTR after boronization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, D.; Dylla, H.F.; LaMarche, P.H.; Bell, M.G.; Blanchard, W.; Bush, C.E.; Gentile, C.; Hawryluk, R.J.; HIll, K.W.; Janos, A.C.; Jobes, F.C; Owens, D.K.; Pearson, G.; Schivell, J.; Ulrickson, M.A.; Vannoy, C.; Wong, K.L.

    1991-05-01

    At the beginning of the 1990 TFTR experimental run, after replacement of POCO-AXF-5Q graphite tiles on the midplane of the bumper limiter by carbon fiber composite (CFC) tiles and prior to any Pulse Discharge Cleaning (PDC), boronization was performed. Boronization is the deposition of a layer of boron and carbon on the vacuum vessel inner surface by a glow discharge in a diborane, methane and helium mixture. The amount of discharge cleaning required after boronization was substantially reduced compared to that which was needed after previous openings when boronization was not done. Previously, after a major shutdown, about 10 5 low current (∼20 kA) Taylor Discharge Cleaning (TDC) pulses were required before high current (∼400 kA) aggressive Pulse Discharge Cleaning (PDC) pulses could be performed successfully. Aggressive PDC is used to heat the limiters from the vessel bakeout temperature of 150 degrees C to 250 degrees C for a period of several hours. Heating the limiters is important to increase the rate at which water is removed from the carbon limiter tiles. After boronization, the number of required TDC pulses was reduced to <5000. The number of aggressive PDC pulses required was approximately unchanged. 14 refs., 1 tab

  16. Superplastic boronizing of duplex stainless steel under dual compression method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jauhari, I.; Yusof, H.A.M.; Saidan, R.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Superplastic boronizing. → Dual compression method has been developed. → Hard boride layer. → Bulk deformation was significantly thicker the boronized layer. → New data on boronizing could be expanded the application of DSS in industries. - Abstract: In this work, SPB of duplex stainless steel (DSS) under compression method is studied with the objective to produce ultra hard and thick boronized layer using minimal amount of boron powder and at a much faster boronizing time as compared to the conventional process. SPB is conducted under dual compression methods. In the first method DSS is boronized using a minimal amount of boron powder under a fix pre-strained compression condition throughout the process. The compression strain is controlled in such a way that plastic deformation is restricted at the surface asperities of the substrate in contact with the boron powder. In the second method, the boronized specimen taken from the first mode is compressed superplastically up to a certain compressive strain under a certain strain rate condition. The process in the second method is conducted without the present of boron powder. As compared with the conventional boronizing process, through this SPB under dual compression methods, a much harder and thicker boronized layer thickness is able to be produced using a minimal amount of boron powder.

  17. Superplastic boronizing of duplex stainless steel under dual compression method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jauhari, I., E-mail: iswadi@um.edu.my [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Yusof, H.A.M.; Saidan, R. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2011-10-25

    Highlights: {yields} Superplastic boronizing. {yields} Dual compression method has been developed. {yields} Hard boride layer. {yields} Bulk deformation was significantly thicker the boronized layer. {yields} New data on boronizing could be expanded the application of DSS in industries. - Abstract: In this work, SPB of duplex stainless steel (DSS) under compression method is studied with the objective to produce ultra hard and thick boronized layer using minimal amount of boron powder and at a much faster boronizing time as compared to the conventional process. SPB is conducted under dual compression methods. In the first method DSS is boronized using a minimal amount of boron powder under a fix pre-strained compression condition throughout the process. The compression strain is controlled in such a way that plastic deformation is restricted at the surface asperities of the substrate in contact with the boron powder. In the second method, the boronized specimen taken from the first mode is compressed superplastically up to a certain compressive strain under a certain strain rate condition. The process in the second method is conducted without the present of boron powder. As compared with the conventional boronizing process, through this SPB under dual compression methods, a much harder and thicker boronized layer thickness is able to be produced using a minimal amount of boron powder.

  18. Enrichment technology. Dependable vendor of gas centrifuges

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2011-01-01

    Enrichment Technology is an innovative, high-tech company that develops, manufactures and installs gas centrifuges for enriching uranium. In addition, Enrichment Technology designs enrichment plants that use gas centrifuge technology. This technology offers the most efficient and cost-effective method for enriching uranium yet: high-performance, safe technology that dominates the market with a global share of 45 percent. A determining factor in Enrichment Technology's success is its mission: supplying its customers with safe, reliable technology. Production of the centrifuges requires versatile know-how and collaboration between different departments as well as interdisciplinary teams at the various sites. More than 2000 operators at 8 sites in 5 countries contribute their individual knowledge and personal skills in order to produce this exceptional technology. The head office is in Beaconsfield near London and the operational headquarters are in Almelo in the Netherlands. There are other sites in Germany (Juelich und Gronau), Great Britain (Capenhurst) as well as project sites in the USA and France. Capenhurst is where experienced engineers design new enrichment plants and organise their construction. Centrifuge components are manufactured in Almelo and Juelich, while the pipework needed to connect up the centrifuges is produced at the site in Gronau. In Juelich, highly qualified scientists in interdisciplinary teams are continuously researching ways of improving the current centrifuges. Communication between specialists in the fields of chemistry, physics and engineering forms the basis for the company's success and the key to extending this leading position in the global enrichment market. (orig.)

  19. Safety concerning the alteration in fuel material usage (new installation of the uranium enrichment pilot plant) at Ningyo Pass Mine of Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1978-01-01

    A report of the Committee on Examination of Nuclear Fuel Safety was presented to the Atomic Energy Commission of Japan, which is concerned with the safety in the alteration of fuel material usage (new installation of the uranium enrichment pilot plant) at the Ningyo Pass Mine. Its safety was confirmed. The alteration, i.e. installation of the uranium enrichment pilot plant, is as follows. Intended for the overall test of centrifugal uranium enrichment technology, the pilot plant includes a two-storied main building of about 9,000 m 2 floor space, containing centrifuges, UF 6 equipment, etc., a uranium storage of about 1,000 m 2 floor space, and a waste water treatment facility, two-storied with about 300 m 2 floor space. The contents of the examination are safety of the facilities, criticality control, radiation control, waste treatment, and effects of accidents on the surrounding environment. (Mori, K

  20. Investigation of Hard Boron Rich Solids: Osmium Diboride and β-Rhombohedral Boron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hebbache, M.; Živković, D.

    Recently, we succeeded in synthesizing three osmium borides, i.e., OsB1.1, Os2B3 and OsB2. Up to date, almost nothing is known about the physical properties of these materials. Microhardness measurements show that OsB2 is extremely hard. Ab initio calculations show that it is due to formation of covalent bonds between boron atoms. OsB2 is also a low compressibility material. It can be used for hard coatings. The β-rhombohedral polymorph of boron is the second hardest elemental crystal (H ≈ 33 GPa). It is also very light and a p-type semiconductor. In early 1970s, it has been shown that the doping of boron with 3d transition elements enhances its hardness by about 25%. We predict that, in general, heavily doped samples MBx, with x ≤ 31 or equivalently a dopant concentration larger than 3.2 at.%, should be ultrahard, i.e., H > 43 GPa. The relevant dopants M are Al, Cu, Sc, Mn, Mg and Li. In addition to these properties, boron-rich materials have a very low volatility, a high chemical inertness and high melting point. They are suitable for applications under extreme conditions and thermoelectric equipment.

  1. Centar's gas centrifuge enrichment project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abajian, V.V.; Fishman, A.M.

    1976-01-01

    Plans for the building and operating of Centar Associates gas centrifuge uranium enrichment plant are described. Operating costs and machine manufacture are considered. Commitments with the utilities are summarised. (U.K.)

  2. Separation process for boron isotopes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rockwood, S D

    1975-06-12

    The method according to the invention is characterized by the steps of preparing a gaseous mixture of BCl/sub 3/ containing the isotopes of boron and oxygen as the extractor, irradiating that mixture in the tube of the separator device by means of P- or R-lines of a CO/sub 2/ laser for exciting the molecules containing a given isotope of boron, simultaneously irradiating the mixture with UV for photodissociating the excited BCl/sub 3/ molecules and separating BCl/sub 3/ from the reaction products of photodissociation and from oxygen. Such method is suitable for preparing boron used in nuclear reactors.

  3. A PHWR with slightly enriched uranium about the first core

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Notari, C.

    1997-01-01

    Many different studies have been performed in Argentina regarding the use of slightly enriched uranium in the PHWR nuclear plants. These referred mainly to operating plants so that a transition had to be considered from the present natural uranium fuel cycle to the slightly enriched one. In this analysis, technical and economical arguments are presented which favor the use of a natural uranium initial core. The levelized fuel costs are shown to be practically insensitive to the first core and a fast transition is more influential than an initially enriched core. (author)

  4. Establishment of the operating procedure to prevent boron precipitation during Post-LOCA long term cooling for Korean Westinghouse 3-loop NPPs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Han Rim; Kwon, Tae Soon; Ban, Chang Hwan; Jeong, Jae Hoon; Lee, Young Jin.

    1996-11-01

    During post-LOCA LTC the increase of the excess reactivity for the extended fuel cycle should require increasing the RWST boron concentration in order to ensure core subcritical state. To quantify the concentration increment, the calculation methods was developed for the post-LOCA RCS/Sump mixed mean boron concentration, which applied for Kori 3 and 4 and Ulchin 1 and 2 of the Westinghouse 3-loop nuclear power plants in Korean. From the calculation results, the minimum boric acid concentrations increased of the RWST and accumulator were determined consideration of the convenient operation for operator on reloading. Boric acid concentrations of the RWST and the accumulators for Westinghouse 3-loop type plants were increased to meet the post-LOCA shutdown requirement for the long life cycles from 12 months to 18 months. To maintain LTC capability following a LOCA, the switchover time is examined using boron code of prevent the boron precipitation in the reactor core with the increased boron concentrations. The analysis results showed that hot leg recirculation switchover times were shortened to 7.5 hours from 24 hours after the initiation of LOCA for Kori 3 and 4 and 8 hours from 18 hours for Ulchin 1 and 2, respectively. The flow path in the mode J for Kori 3 and 4 was recommended to realign to the simultaneous recirculation of both hot and cold legs from the cold leg recirculation, as done by Ulchin 1 and 2. (author). 2 tabs., 12 figs., 13 refs

  5. Boron isotopic compositions in growing corals from the South China Sea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Jun; Xiao, Yingkai; Jin, Zhangdong; Liu, Congqiang; He, Maoyong

    2013-01-01

    In order to determine incorporation of boron species, boron isotopic fractionation, and influence of trace elements on isotopic compositions of boron in corals (δ11Bcoral), concentrations of Mg, Sr, Na, B and δ11Bcoral in growing corals from the South China Sea were measured. Relative to seawater, Sr enriched while Mg depleted in corals in the South China Sea. Although the δ11Bcoral values were different from various species and were not closely correlated with the element concentrations in corals in the South China Sea, Mg(OH)2 existed in corals can result in high δ11Bcoral. Thus, it is necessary to examine the existence of Mg(OH)2 and to choose the same species when δ11Bcoral is used in the δ11B-pH proxy. Based on the measured δ11B values of corals and coexisting seawater as well as the seawater pH in the South China Sea, a new isotopic fractionation factor a4-3 between B(OH)4- and B(OH)3 was determined to be 0.979. Besides B(OH)4- into corals, our results showed that B(OH)3 may also be incorporated into corals with variable proportions. The incorporation of B(OH)3 into corals may challenge the hypothesis of δ11Bcoral = δ11B4, resulting in increasing uncertainty to the calculated seawater pH values to the δ11B-pH proxy. We suggested that a best-fit empirical equation between δ11B of bio-carbonates and seawater pH needs to be established by the precipitation experiments of inorganic carbonates or culture experiments of corals or foraminifera.

  6. Boron dose determination for BNCT using Fricke and EPR dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wielopolski, L.; Ciesielski, B.

    1995-01-01

    In Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) the dominant dose delivered to the tumor is due to α and 7 Li charged particles resulting from a neutron capture by 10 B and is referred to herein as the boron dose. Boron dose is directly attributable to the following two independent factors, one boron concentration and the neutron capture energy dependent cross section of boron, and two the energy spectrum of the neutrons that interact with boron. The neutron energy distribution at a given point is dictated by the incident neutron energy distribution, the depth in tissue, geometrical factors such as beam size and patient's dimensions. To account for these factors can be accommodated by using Monte Carlo theoretical simulations. However, in conventional experimental BNCT dosimetry, e.g., using TLDs or ionization chambers, it is only possible to estimate the boron dose. To overcome some of the limitations in the conventional dosimetry, modifications in ferrous sulfate dosimetry (Fricke) and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) dosimetry in alanine, enable to measure specifically boron dose in a mixed gamma neutron radiation fields. The boron dose, in either of the dosimeters, is obtained as a difference between measurements with boronated and unboronated dosimeters. Since boron participates directly in the measurements, the boron dosimetry reflects the true contribution, integral of the neutron energy spectrum with boron cross section, of the boron dose to the total dose. Both methods are well established and used extensively in dosimetry, they are presented briefly here

  7. Folate Functionalized Boron Nitride Nanotubes and their Selective Uptake by Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells: Implications for their Use as Boron Carriers in Clinical Boron Neutron Capture Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciofani, Gianni; Raffa, Vittoria; Menciassi, Arianna; Cuschieri, Alfred

    2008-11-25

    Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is increasingly being used in the treatment of several aggressive cancers, including cerebral glioblastoma multiforme. The main requirement for this therapy is selective targeting of tumor cells by sufficient quantities of (10)B atoms required for their capture/irradiation with low-energy thermal neutrons. The low content of boron targeting species in glioblastoma multiforme accounts for the difficulty in selective targeting of this very malignant cerebral tumor by this radiation modality. In the present study, we have used for the first time boron nitride nanotubes as carriers of boron atoms to overcome this problem and enhance the selective targeting and ablative efficacy of BNCT for these tumors. Following their dispersion in aqueous solution by noncovalent coating with biocompatible poly-l-lysine solutions, boron nitride nanotubes were functionalized with a fluorescent probe (quantum dots) to enable their tracking and with folic acid as selective tumor targeting ligand. Initial in vitro studies have confirmed substantive and selective uptake of these nanovectors by glioblastoma multiforme cells, an observation which confirms their potential clinical application for BNCT therapy for these malignant cerebral tumors.

  8. Folate Functionalized Boron Nitride Nanotubes and their Selective Uptake by Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells: Implications for their Use as Boron Carriers in Clinical Boron Neutron Capture Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ciofani Gianni

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT is increasingly being used in the treatment of several aggressive cancers, including cerebral glioblastoma multiforme. The main requirement for this therapy is selective targeting of tumor cells by sufficient quantities of10B atoms required for their capture/irradiation with low-energy thermal neutrons. The low content of boron targeting species in glioblastoma multiforme accounts for the difficulty in selective targeting of this very malignant cerebral tumor by this radiation modality. In the present study, we have used for the first time boron nitride nanotubes as carriers of boron atoms to overcome this problem and enhance the selective targeting and ablative efficacy of BNCT for these tumors. Following their dispersion in aqueous solution by noncovalent coating with biocompatible poly-l-lysine solutions, boron nitride nanotubes were functionalized with a fluorescent probe (quantum dots to enable their tracking and with folic acid as selective tumor targeting ligand. Initial in vitro studies have confirmed substantive and selective uptake of these nanovectors by glioblastoma multiforme cells, an observation which confirms their potential clinical application for BNCT therapy for these malignant cerebral tumors.

  9. Development of magnetic resonance technology for noninvasive boron quantification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bradshaw, K.M.

    1990-11-01

    Boron magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) were developed in support of the noninvasive boron quantification task of the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) Power Burst Facility/Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (PBF/BNCT) program. The hardware and software described in this report are modifications specific to a GE Signa trademark MRI system, release 3.X and are necessary for boron magnetic resonance operation. The technology developed in this task has been applied to obtaining animal pharmacokinetic data of boron compounds (drug time response) and the in-vivo localization of boron in animal tissue noninvasively. 9 refs., 21 figs

  10. Detection of boron in simulated corrosion products by using a laser induced breakdown spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song, K.; Yeon, J-W.; Jung, S-H.; Hwang, J.; Jung, E-C.

    2010-01-01

    In nuclear power plants, many methods for detection of coolant leakage have been developed and employed for the safe operation. However, these methods have many limitations for analyzing and dealing with the corrosion products due to the high radioactivity. LIBS (Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy) offer a remote and on-site elemental analysis including the boron in the corrosion products with no sample preparation. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of detecting boron and analyzing an elemental composition of boron-containing iron oxides with the LIBS, in order to develop a coolant leakage detection system. First, we prepared five different boron-containing iron oxides and the element ratios were determined by using ICP-AES (inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer). After this, the laser induced emission spectra of these iron oxides were obtained by using a 266 nm Nd:YAG laser. The B/Fe ratios of the oxides were determined by comparing the intensities of the B emission peak at 249.844 nm with those of the Fe peak at 250.217 nm as an internal reference. It was confirmed that the B contents in the oxides could be analyzed over 0.1 wt% by the laser induced breakdown spectroscopic technique. (author)

  11. Department of Energy's safety and health program for enrichment plant workers is not adequately implemented

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staats, E.B.

    1980-01-01

    The Department of Energy's (DOE's) program to protect the safety and health of employees at its contractor-operated uranium enrichment plants has not been fully implemented by DOE's Oak Ridge Operations Office. Appraisals and inspections of plant conditions are not as frequent and/or as thorough as required. Instead of independently investigating employee complaints, DOE has delegated this responsibility to the contractor. It is recommended that the Secretary of Energy make sure that Oak Ridge properly conducts inspections and appraisals and investigates and follows up on all employee complaints. He should also take steps to provide increased independence and objectivity in the Oak Ridge Operations Office's safety and health program. Furthermore, the Congress should authorize the Secretary of Energy to institute a program of non-reimbursable penalties and fines for violations of safety and health standards and procedures

  12. Combined Effects of Boron and NaCl on Wheat Seedlings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ZHEN Mei-nan

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available To investigate the combined effects of boron(Band NaCl on the growth of wheat, a pot experiment was conducted using wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.seedlings. Boron concentrations of culture medium were set as 0, 50 mg·kg-1 and 100 mg·kg-1, and NaCl concentrations were 0, 1 g·kg-1 and 2 g·kg-1. The results showed that both boron and NaCl could significantly inhibit wheat growth. At 50 mg B·kg-1, NaCl aggravated growth inhibition caused by boron. At 100 mg B·kg-1, however, NaCl alleviated the inhibition caused by boron. The combined stress of boron and NaCl significantly increased the root to shoot ratio of wheat. NaCl inhibited the uptake of boron by wheat. It suggests that under severe boron stress, NaCl is able to alleviate boron toxicity in wheat by increasing root to shoot ratio and reducing boron uptake.

  13. Study of ceramic mixed boron element as a neutron shielding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ismail Mustapha; Mohd Reusmaazran Yusof; Md Fakarudin Ab Rahman; Nor Paiza Mohamad Hasan; Samihah Mustaffha; Yusof Abdullah; Mohamad Rabaie Shari; Airwan Affandi Mahmood; Nurliyana Abdullah; Hearie Hassan

    2012-01-01

    Shielding upon radiation should not be underestimated as it can causes hazard to health. Precautions on the released of radioactive materials should be well concerned and considered. Therefore, the combination of ceramic and boron make them very useful for shielding purpose in areas of low and intermediate neutron. A six grades of ceramic tile have been produced namely IMN05 - 5 % boron, IMN06 - 6 % boron, IMN07 - 7 % boron, IMN08 - 8 % boron, IMN09 - 9 % boron, IMN10 - 10 % boron from mixing, press and sintered process. Boron is a material that capable of absorbing and capturing neutron, so that neutron and gamma test were conducted to analyze the effectiveness of boron material in combination with ceramic as shielding. From the finding, percent reduction number of count per minute shows the ceramic tiles are capable to capture neutron. Apart from all the percentage of boron used, 10 % is the most effective shields since the percent reduction indicating greater neutron captured increased. (author)

  14. Enrichment ratios of elements in selected plant species from black coal mine dumps in Lower Silesia (Poland)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samecka-Cymerman, A.; Kempers, A.J. [University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw (Poland)

    2003-07-01

    Concentration of the metals Al, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sr, Zn and V as well as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and S were measured in soils and in two tree species (leaves of Betula pendula and Salix caprea) and two herbs (whole above-ground parts of Solidago canadensis and Tanacetum vulgare) sampled from dumps in the Walbrzych coal mine area (Lower Silesia, SW Poland). These plants, as used to evaluate the distribution of elements in the examined dumps, contained elevated levels of Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Especially the highest levels of Mn in Betula pendula seriously exceed background values. Betula pendula characterized also the highest enrichment ratio for Mn, Salix caprea for Ni and Sr and Tanacetum vulgare for Cu. Test-t indicated that from both herbs Tanace-tum vulgare accumulated much more K, N, S and Zn than Solidago canadensis and of both trees Salix caprea accumulated significantly more Cd, Cu, K and Ca than Betula pendula, while this last species accumulated significantly more Fe and Mn than Salix caprea. A post hoc LSD test indicated that all examined plants had similar enrichment ratios for Al, Pb and V.

  15. Boron: out of the sky and onto the ground

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuehl, D.K.

    1975-01-01

    Now an accepted, engineered material for aerospace applications, boron is taking its place on the ground. Both current production applications, prototype (development) applications, and speculative applications abound. In the leisure product market, boron epoxy or boron aluminum has been used or tried in golf clubs (in combination with graphite epoxy or to reinforce aluminum or steel), in tennis racquets, in bicycles, racing shells, skis and skipoles, bows and arrows, and others. In the industrial area, boron has been used to reduce fatigue, increase stiffness, or for its abrasive properties. Textile machinery, honing tools, and cut off wheels or saws are among the applications. In the medical field, prosthetics and orthotic braces, wheel chairs, canes, and crutches are all good applications for boron. Applications for boron in transportation, construction, and heavy industry are also possible. The volume of boron used in these applications could have a major impact on prices, making boron composite parts cost competitive with conventional materials. (U.S.)

  16. Feasibility study of SMART core with soluble boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Kang Seog; Lee, Chung Chan; Zee, Sung Quun

    2000-11-01

    The excess reactivity of SMART core without soluble boron is effectively controlled by 49 CEDM. We suggest another method to control the core excess reactivity using both the checkerboard type of 25 CEDM and soluble boron and perform a feasibility calculation. The soluble boron operation is categorized into the on-line and the off-line mechanisms. The former is to successively control the boron concentration according to the excess reactivity during operation and the latter is to add and change some soluble boron during refueling and repairing. Since the on-line soluble boron control system of SMART is conceptually identical to that of the commercial pressurized water reactor, we did not perform the analysis. Since the soluble boron in the complete off-line system increases the moderator temperature coefficient, the reactivity defect between hot and cold moderator temperature is decreased. However, the decrease of the reactivity is not big to satisfy the core reactivity limits. When using 25 CEDM, the possible mechanism is to control the excess reactivity by both control rod and on-line boron control mechanism between cold and hot zero power and by only control rod at hot full power. We selected the loading pattern satisfying the requirement in the view of nuclear design

  17. Graphite and boron carbide composites made by hot-pressing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, K.; Hagio, T.; Kobayashi, K.

    1981-01-01

    Composites consisting of graphite and boron carbide were made by hot-pressing mixed powders of coke carbon and boron carbide. The change of relative density, mechanical strength and electrical resistivity of the composites and the X-ray parameters of coke carbon were investigated with increase of boron carbide content and hot-pressing temperature. From these experiments, it was found that boron carbide powder has a remarkable effect on sintering and graphitization of coke carbon powder above the hot-pressing temperature of 2000 0 C. At 2200 0 C, electrical resistivity of the composite and d(002) spacing of coke carbon once showed minimum values at about 5 to 10 wt% boron carbide and then increased. The strength of the composite increased with increase of boron carbide content. It was considered that some boron from boron carbide began to diffuse substitutionally into the graphite structure above 2000 0 C and densification and graphitization were promoted with the diffusion of boron. Improvements could be made to the mechanical strength, density, oxidation resistance and manufacturing methods by comparing with the properties and processes of conventional graphites. (author)

  18. Enrichment: Dealing with overcapacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peterson, C.H.

    1989-01-01

    Today's surplus of enrichment capacity will continue until at least the end of this century. This will challenge the ingenuity of the separative work unit (SWU) suppliers as they attempt to keep market share and remain profitable in a very competitive marketplace. The utilities will be faced with attractive choices, but making the best choice will require careful analysis and increased attention to market factors. Current demand projections will probably prove too high to the extent that more reactors are canceled or delayed. The DOE has the vast majority of the unused capacity, so it will feel the most immediate impact of this large surplus in productive capacity. The DOE has responded to these market challenges by planning another reorganization of its enriching operations. Without a major agreement among the governments affected by the current surplus in enrichment capacity, the future will see lower prices, more competitive terms, and the gradual substitution of centrifuge or laser enrichment for the gaseous diffusion plants. The competition that is forcing the gaseous diffusion prices down to marginal cost will provide the long-term price basis for the enrichment industry

  19. Redistribution of boron in leaves reduces boron toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Robert J; Fitzpatrick, Kate L

    2009-11-01

    High soil boron (B) concentrations lead to the accumulation of B in leaves, causing the development of necrotic regions in leaf tips and margins, gradually extending back along the leaf. Plants vary considerably in their tolerance to B toxicity, and it was recently discovered that one of the tolerance mechanisms involved extrusion of B from the root. Expression of a gene encoding a root B efflux transporter was shown to be much higher in tolerant cultivars. In our current research we have shown that the same gene is also upregulated in leaves. However, unlike in the root, the increased activity of the B efflux transporter in the leaves cannot reduce the tissue B concentration. Instead, we have shown that in tolerant cultivars, these transporters redistribute B from the intracellular phase where it is toxic, into the apoplast which is much less sensitive to B. These results provide an explanation of why different cultivars with the same leaf B concentrations can show markedly different toxicity symptoms. We have also shown that rain can remove a large proportion of leaf B, leading to significant improvements of growth of both leaves and roots.

  20. Development of simulator for the uranium enrichment plant using a real-time expert system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodama, Shinichi; Kondo, Kazuhiro.

    1996-01-01

    The uranium enrichment plant simulator of the new material centrifuge cascade for intelligent process monitoring and alarm generation has been developed by applying an artificial intelligence technology. The real time expert shell, G2 has been used for the system development. The UF6 supply system and cascade equipment was modeled using G2. For a detailed calculation of the cascade, the cascade static characteristic FORTRAN program has been used. These calculation results have been used for the diagnosis of a suspicious behavior in measurement data. Especially, when the deviation of the product uranium concentration was detected, the cause of the deviation was inferred from the knowledge base. (author)

  1. Civilian inventories of plutonium and highly enriched uranium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albright, D.

    1987-01-01

    In the future, commercial laser isotope enrichment technologies, currently under development, could make it easier for national to produce highly enriched uranium secretly. The head of a US firm that is developing a laser enrichment process predicts that in twenty years, major utilities and small countries will have relatively small, on-site, laser-based uranium enrichment facilities. Although these plants will be designed for the production of low enriched uranium, they could be modified to produce highly enriched uranium, an option that raises the possibility of countries producing highly enriched uranium in small, easily hidden facilities. Against this background, most of this report describes the current and future quantities of plutonium and highly enriched uranium in the world, their forms, the facilities in which they are produced, stored, and used, and the extent to which they are transported. 5 figures, 10 tables

  2. Principles and techniques of uranium enrichment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frejacques, Claude; Mezin, Michel

    1975-01-01

    The main separation processes already used industrially or likely to be used before the end of century (gas diffusion, ultracentrifugation, laser, the nozzle process, a process developed in South Africa) are presented. Some data on the costs of the enrichment are clarified. The main characteristics of the enrichment market in which the Eurodif plant is called upon, on the expiration of five years, to take a foremost place are reported [fr

  3. The case for enrichment of uranium in Australia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    George, D.W.

    1981-01-01

    Information is presented on the number of nuclear power plants in operation and under construction and on the extent of the use of uranium. The case for enrichment of uranium in Australia is then considered in detail and the status of feasbility studies being carried out is discussed. Arguments to support an enrichment industry include: the need for additional enrichment capacity; added value; potential profitability; increased employment and industrial opportunities; and retention of depleted uranium

  4. Boron-Based Hydrogen Storage: Ternary Borides and Beyond

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vajo, John J. [HRL Laboratories, LLC, Malibu, CA (United States)

    2016-04-28

    DOE continues to seek reversible solid-state hydrogen materials with hydrogen densities of ≥11 wt% and ≥80 g/L that can deliver hydrogen and be recharged at moderate temperatures (≤100 °C) and pressures (≤100 bar) enabling incorporation into hydrogen storage systems suitable for transportation applications. Boron-based hydrogen storage materials have the potential to meet the density requirements given boron’s low atomic weight, high chemical valance, and versatile chemistry. However, the rates of hydrogen exchange in boron-based compounds are thus far much too slow for practical applications. Although contributing to the high hydrogen densities, the high valance of boron also leads to slow rates of hydrogen exchange due to extensive boron-boron atom rearrangements during hydrogen cycling. This rearrangement often leads to multiple solid phases occurring over hydrogen release and recharge cycles. These phases must nucleate and react with each other across solid-solid phase boundaries leading to energy barriers that slow the rates of hydrogen exchange. This project sought to overcome the slow rates of hydrogen exchange in boron-based hydrogen storage materials by minimizing the number of solid phases and the boron atom rearrangement over a hydrogen release and recharge cycle. Two novel approaches were explored: 1) developing matched pairs of ternary borides and mixed-metal borohydrides that could exchange hydrogen with only one hydrogenated phase (the mixed-metal borohydride) and only one dehydrogenated phase (the ternary boride); and 2) developing boranes that could release hydrogen by being lithiated using lithium hydride with no boron-boron atom rearrangement.

  5. Structure and single-phase regime of boron carbides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emin, D.

    1988-01-01

    The boron carbides are composed of twelve-atom icosahedral clusters which are linked by direct covalent bonds and through three-atom intericosahedral chains. The boron carbides are known to exist as a single phase with carbon concentrations from about 8 to about 20 at. %. This range of carbon concentrations is made possible by the substitution of boron and carbon atoms for one another within both the icosahedra and intericosahedral chains. The most widely accepted structural model for B 4 C (the boron carbide with nominally 20% carbon) has B/sub 11/C icosahedra with C-B-C intericosahedral chains. Here, the free energy of the boron carbides is studied as a function of carbon concentration by considering the effects of replacing carbon atoms within B 4 C with boron atoms. It is concluded that entropic and energetic considerations both favor the replacement of carbon atoms with boron atoms within the intericosahedral chains, C-B-C→C-B-B. Once the carbon concentration is so low that the vast majority of the chains are C-B-B chains, near B/sub 13/C 2 , subsequent substitutions of carbon atoms with boron atoms occur within the icosahedra, B/sub 11/C→B/sub 12/. Maxima of the free energy occur at the most ordered compositions: B 4 C,B/sub 13/C 2 ,B/sub 14/C. This structural model, determined by studying the free energy, agrees with that previously suggested by analysis of electronic and thermal transport data. These considerations also provide an explanation for the wide single-phase regime found for boron carbides

  6. Boron excess affects photosynthesis and antioxidant apparatus of greenhouse Cucurbita pepo and Cucumis sativus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landi, Marco; Remorini, Damiano; Pardossi, Alberto; Guidi, Lucia

    2013-11-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the behavior of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under boron (B) excess. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions in a sandy soil-peat mixture using a nutrient solution containing 0.2 (control), 10 and 20 mg L(-1) B. Visible symptoms were quantified and leaf B accumulation, gas exchanges, chlorophyll (Chl) a fluorescence, malondialdehyde by-products and antioxidants were investigated 20 days after the beginning of the treatments. Boron toxicity induced oxidative load and leaf necrotic burns coupled with the reduction of leaf growth and biomass accumulation in both species. Boron excess resulted in a decrease of Chl a/b ratio, potential (Fv/Fm) and actual (ΦPSII) PSII quantum efficiency, photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration (E) as well. A general stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes ascorbate peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase was observed, and a significant increase in the oxidized form of ascorbate and glutathione was evidenced for treated plants of both species. A difference between the two species was observed: C. pepo appeared to be more sensitive to B stress being damaged at all B concentration. C. sativus grown at 10 mg L(-1) B in nutrient solution showed some down-regulated mechanisms, i.e. increase in Chl b content and a good photochemical PSII efficiency as well as a higher amount of constitutive antioxidant molecules, that, however, are not sufficient to contrast the negative effects of B.

  7. Migration and Enrichment of Arsenic in the Rock-Soil-Crop Plant System in Areas Covered with Black Shale, Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji-Min Yi

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The Okchon black shale, which is part of the Guryongsan Formation or the Changri Formation of Cambro-Ordovician age in Korea provides a typical example of natural geological materials enriched with potentially toxic elements such as U, V, Mo, As, Se, Cd, and Zn. In this study, the Dukpyung and the Chubu areas were selected to investigate the migration and enrichment of As and other toxic elements in soils and crop plants in areas covered with black shale. Rock and soil samples digested in 4-acid solution (HCl+HNO3+HF+HClO4 were analyzed for As and other heavy metals by ICP-AES and ICP-MS, and plant samples by INAA. Mean concentration of As in Okchon black shale is higher than those of both world average values of shale and black shale. Especially high concentration of 23.2 mg As kg-1 is found in black shale from the Dukpyung area. Mean concentration of As is highly elevated in agricultural soils from the Dukpyung (28.2 mg kg-1 and the Chubu areas (32.6 mg kg-1. As is highly elevated in rice leaves from the Dukpyung (1.14 mg kg-1 and the Chubu areas (1.35 mg kg-1. The biological absorption coefficient (BAC of As in plant species decreases in the order of rice leaves > corn leaves > red pepper = soybean leaves = sesame leaves > corn stalks > corn grains. This indicates that leafy plants tend to accumulate As from soil to a greater degree than cereal products such as grains.

  8. Investigations of an advanced reactor with Pu fuel controlled without soluble boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bergeron, J.; Lenain, R.

    1988-09-01

    This paper presents the neutronic investigations of a pressurized water reactor with spectral shift. The fuel is plutonium. The moderation ratio can vary from 1.45 to 1.15. The reactor is controlled and monitored by means of gadoliniated spectral shift rod clusters and by B4C control rod clusters enriched with boron 10. A sufficient Gd 2 O 3 content (6%) has been determined. The fissile material balance of the cycle is compiled by identifying the gains of the spectral shift: 14% of cycle time. The presence of an absorber in the spectral shift clusters is necessary to guarantee the subcriticality of the core in warm conditions (180 0 C)

  9. Understanding Boron through Size-Selected Clusters: Structure, Chemical Bonding, and Fluxionality

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sergeeva, Alina P.; Popov, Ivan A.; Piazza, Zachary A.; Li, Wei-Li; Romanescu, Constantin; Wang, Lai S.; Boldyrev, Alexander I.

    2014-04-15

    Conspectus Boron is an interesting element with unusual polymorphism. While three-dimensional (3D) structural motifs are prevalent in bulk boron, atomic boron clusters are found to have planar or quasi-planar structures, stabilized by localized two-center–two-electron (2c–2e) σ bonds on the periphery and delocalized multicenter–two-electron (nc–2e) bonds in both σ and π frameworks. Electron delocalization is a result of boron’s electron deficiency and leads to fluxional behavior, which has been observed in B13+ and B19–. A unique capability of the in-plane rotation of the inner atoms against the periphery of the cluster in a chosen direction by employing circularly polarized infrared radiation has been suggested. Such fluxional behaviors in boron clusters are interesting and have been proposed as molecular Wankel motors. The concepts of aromaticity and antiaromaticity have been extended beyond organic chemistry to planar boron clusters. The validity of these concepts in understanding the electronic structures of boron clusters is evident in the striking similarities of the π-systems of planar boron clusters to those of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, naphthalene, coronene, anthracene, or phenanthrene. Chemical bonding models developed for boron clusters not only allowed the rationalization of the stability of boron clusters but also lead to the design of novel metal-centered boron wheels with a record-setting planar coordination number of 10. The unprecedented highly coordinated borometallic molecular wheels provide insights into the interactions between transition metals and boron and expand the frontier of boron chemistry. Another interesting feature discovered through cluster studies is boron transmutation. Even though it is well-known that B–, formed by adding one electron to boron, is isoelectronic to carbon, cluster studies have considerably expanded the possibilities of new structures and new materials using the B

  10. Modeling of interstitial diffusion of ion-implanted boron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Velichko, O.I.; Knyazheva, N.V.

    2009-01-01

    A model of the interstitial diffusion of ion-implanted boron during rapid thermal annealing of silicon layers previously amorphized by implantation of germanium has been proposed. It is supposed that the boron interstitials are created continuously during annealing due to generation, dissolution, or rearrangement of the clusters of impurity atoms which are formed in the ion-implanted layers with impurity concentration above the solubility limit. The local elastic stresses arising due to the difference of boron atomic radius and atomic radius of silicon also contribute to the generation of boron interstitials. A simulation of boron redistribution during thermal annealing for 60 s at a temperature of 850 C has been carried out. The calculated profile agrees well with the experimental data. A number of the parameters of interstitial diffusion have been derived. In particular, the average migration length of nonequilibrium boron interstitials is equal to 12 nm. It was also obtained that approximately 1.94% of boron atoms were converted to the interstitial sites, participated in the fast interstitial migration, and then became immobile again transferring into a substitutional position or forming the electrically inactive complexes with crystal lattice defects. (authors)

  11. Boron exposure through drinking water during pregnancy and birth size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Igra, Annachiara Malin; Harari, Florencia; Lu, Ying; Casimiro, Esperanza; Vahter, Marie

    2016-10-01

    Boron is a metalloid found at highly varying concentrations in soil and water. Experimental data indicate that boron is a developmental toxicant, but the few human toxicity data available concern mostly male reproduction. To evaluate potential effects of boron exposure through drinking water on pregnancy outcomes. In a mother-child cohort in northern Argentina (n=194), 1-3 samples of serum, whole blood and urine were collected per woman during pregnancy and analyzed for boron and other elements to which exposure occurred, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Infant weight, length and head circumference were measured at birth. Drinking water boron ranged 377-10,929μg/L. The serum boron concentrations during pregnancy ranged 0.73-605μg/L (median 133μg/L) and correlated strongly with whole-blood and urinary boron, and, to a lesser extent, with water boron. In multivariable-adjusted linear spline regression analysis (non-linear association), we found that serum boron concentrations above 80μg/L were inversely associated with birth length (B-0.69cm, 95% CI -1.4; -0.024, p=0.043, per 100μg/L increase in serum boron). The impact of boron appeared stronger when we restricted the exposure to the third trimester, when the serum boron concentrations were the highest (0.73-447μg/L). An increase in serum boron of 100μg/L in the third trimester corresponded to 0.9cm shorter and 120g lighter newborns (p=0.001 and 0.021, respectively). Considering that elevated boron concentrations in drinking water are common in many areas of the world, although more screening is warranted, our novel findings warrant additional research on early-life exposure in other populations. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of boron and zinc fertilization on white oats grown in soil with average content of these nutrients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deise Dalazen Castagnara

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of fertilization with zinc or boron on the growth and dry matter production, nutritional value and accumulation of nutrients in white oats. The study comprised two experiments conducted in glasshouses, the first consisting of the application of four doses of zinc (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/dm³ in the form of zinc sulphate (20% Zn, and the second consisting of the application of four doses of boron (0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/dm³ in the form of Borax (11% B. The experimental design in each case was a randomized block design, with five replicates. Fertilization with zinc and boron increased the growth of white oats, but had no significant effect on the nutritional value of the forage. Higher levels of absorption and accumulation of nutrients in plant tissues were observed following the application of boron and zinc at rates of up to 0.60 mg/dm³ of soil.

  13. Conceptual design for the field test and evaluation of the gas-phase UF6 enrichment meter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strittmatter, R.B.; Leavitt, J.N.; Slice, R.W.

    1980-12-01

    An in-line enrichment monitor is being developed to provide real-time enrichment data for the gas-phase UF 6 feed stream of an enrichment plant. Data from proof-of-principle measurements using a laboratory prototype system are presented. A conceptual design for an enrichment monitor to be field tested and evaluated at the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant is reported

  14. Tumor cell killing effect of boronated dipeptide. Boromethylglycylphenylalanine on boron neutron capture therapy for malignant brain tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takagaki, Masao; Ono, Koji; Masunaga, Shinichiro; Kinashi, Yuko; Kobayashi, Toru; Oda, Yoshifumi; Kikuchi, Haruhiko; Spielvogel, B.F.

    1994-01-01

    The killing effect of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; BNCT, is dependant on the boron concentration ratio of tumor to normal brain (T/N ratio), and also that of tumor to blood (T/B ratio). The clinical boron carrier of boro-captate (BSH) showed the large T/N ratio of ca. 8, however the T/B ratio was around 1, which indicated nonselective accumulation into tumor. Indeed high boron concentration of blood restrict the neutron irradiation dose in order to circumvent the normal endothelial damage, especially in the case of deeply seated tumor. Phenylalanine analogue of para borono-phenylalanine (BPA) is an effective boron carrier on BNCT for malignant melanoma. For the BNCT on brain tumors, however, BPA concentration in normal brain was reported to be intolerably high. In order to improve the T/N ratio of BPA in brain, therefore, a dipeptide of boromethylglycylphenylalanine (BMGP) was synthesized deriving from trimethylglycine conjugated with BPA. It is expected to be selectively accumulated into tumor with little uptake into normal brain. Because a dipeptide might not pass through the normal blood brain barrier (BBB). Its killing effect on cultured glioma cell, T98G, and its distribution in rat brain bearing 9L glioma have been investigated in this paper. The BNCT effect of BMGP on cultured cells was nearly triple in comparison with DL-BPA. The neutron dose yielding 1% survival ratio were 7x10 12 nvt for BMGP and 2x10 13 nvt for BPA respectively on BNCT after boron loading for 16 hrs in the same B-10 concentration of 20ppm. Quantitative study of boron concentration via the α-auto radiography and the prompt gamma ray assay on 9L brain tumor rats revealed that T/N ratio and T/B ratio are 12.0 and 3.0 respectively. Those values are excellent for BNCT use. (author)

  15. Influence of dopants, particularly carbon, on β-rhombohedral boron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werheit, H.; Flachbart, K.; Pristáš, G.; Lotnyk, D.; Filipov, V.; Kuhlmann, U.; Shitsevalova, N.; Lundström, T.

    2017-09-01

    Due to the high affinity of carbon to boron, the preparation of carbon-free boron is problematic. Even high-purity (6 N) β-rhombohedral boron contains 30-60 ppm of C. Hence, carbon affects the boron physical properties published so far more or less significantly. We studied well-defined carbon-doped boron samples based on pure starting material carefully annealed with up to about 1% C, thus assuring homogeneity. We present and discuss their electrical conductivity, optical absorption, luminescence and phonon spectra. Earlier attempts of other authors to determine the conductivity of C-doped boron are revised. Our results allow estimating the effects of oxygen and iron doping on the electrical conductivity using results taken from literature. Discontinuities at low T impair the electronic properties.

  16. Enrichment of naturally occurring radionuclides and trace elements in Yatagan and Yenikoy coal-fired thermal power plants, Turkey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozden, Banu; Guler, Erkan; Vaasma, Taavi; Horvath, Maria; Kiisk, Madis; Kovacs, Tibor

    2018-08-01

    Coal, residues and waste produced by the combustion of the coal contain naturally occurring radionuclides such as 238 U, 226 Ra, 210 Pb, 232 Th and 40 K and trace elements such as Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni and Zn. In this work, coal and its combustion residues collected from Yatagan and Yenikoy coal fired thermal power plants (CPPs) in Turkey were studied to determine the concentrations of natural radionuclides and trace elements, and their enrichments factors to better understand the radionuclide concentration processes within the combustion system. In addition, the utilization of coal fly ash as a secondary raw material in building industry was also studied in terms of radiological aspects. Fly ash samples were taken at different stages along the emission control system of the thermal power plants. Activity concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides were determined with Canberra Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detector BE3830-P and ORTEC Soloist PIPS type semiconductor detector. The particle size distribution and trace elements contents were determined in various ash fractions by the laser scattering particle size distribution analyzer and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-OES). From the obtained data, natural radionuclides tend to condense on fly ash with and the activity concentrations increase as the temperature drop in CPPs. Measured 210 Pb and 210 Po concentration varied between 186 ± 20-1153 ± 44 Bq kg -1 , and 56 ± 5-1174 ± 45 Bq kg -1 , respectively. The highest 210 Pb and 210 Po activity concentrations were determined in fly ash taken from the temporary storage point as 1153 ± 44 Bq kg -1 and 1174 ± 45 Bq kg -1 , respectively. There were significant differences in the activity concentrations of some natural radionuclide and trace elements (Pb and Zn) contents in ash fractions among the sampling point inside both of the plants (ANOVA, p ash sample analysis showed an increase activity concentration and enrichment factors towards the

  17. Doses de boro no desenvolvimento de copo-de-leite em solução nutritiva Boron doses in the development of calla lily in nutrient solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roseane Rodrigues de Souza

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available O boro desempenha funções importantes em processos biológicos das plantas, como a síntese e estruturação da parede celular, lignificação, metabolismo e transporte de carboidratos, além de participar da divisão e diferenciação celular em tecidos meristemáticos. No entanto, as necessidades nutricionais para o cultivo de copo-de-leite, especialmente de boro, ainda são pouco conhecidas. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de diferentes doses de boro no crescimento e desenvolvimento, teor e acúmulo desse nutriente em plantas de copo-de-leite cultivadas em solução nutritiva. Mudas micropropagadas foram submetidas aos tratamentos com as doses de 0,05; 0,25; 0,50; 0,75; 1,00 e 2,00 mg L-1 de boro em solução nutritiva de Hoagland & Arnon diluída a 30% de sua força iônica. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com dez repetições. As plantas não manifestaram sintomas visuais de deficiência ou de toxidez de boro, no entanto, o sistema radicular das plantas cultivadas na dose de 0,05 mg L-1 de boro apresentou-se com o crescimento reduzido. A melhor dose para o desenvolvimento adequado de plantas de copo-de-leite em solução nutritiva é de 1,20 mg L-1 de boro.Boron has essential functions in plant biological processes such as cell wall synthesis and structuralization, lignification, carbohydrates metabolism and transport. This element also acts in cell division and differentiation in meristematic tissues. However, the nutritional needs for calla lily cultivation, and especially boron needs, are still poorly known. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of different boron doses on growth and development, content and accumulation of boron in calla lily plants grown in a nutrient solution. Micropropagated seedlings were submitted to treatments with the doses 0.05; 0.25; 0.50; 0.75; 1.00 and 2.00 mg L-1 boron in Hoagland & Arnon nutrient solution diluted to 30% of its ionic force. The

  18. From boron analogues of amino acids to boronated DNA: potential new pharmaceuticals and neutron capture agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Spielvogel, B.F.; Sood, Anup; Duke Univ., Durham, NC; Shaw, B.R.; Hall, I.H.

    1991-01-01

    Isoelectronic and isostructural boron analogues of the α-amino acids ranging from simple glycine analogues such as H 3 NBH 2 COOH and Me 2 NHBH 2 COOH to alanine analogues have been synthesised. A diverse variety of analogues, including precursors and derivatives (such as peptides) have potent pharmacological activity, including anticancer, antiinflammatory, analgesic, and hypolipidemic activity in animal model studies and in vitro cell cultures. Boronated nucleosides and (oligo)nucleotides, synthetic oligonucleotide analogues of ''antisense'' agents interact with a complementary nucleic acid sequence blocking the biological effect of the target sequence. Nucleosides boronated on the pyrimidine and purine bases have been prepared. It has been established that an entirely new class of nucleic acid derivatives is feasible in which one of the non-bridging oxygens in the internucleotide phosphodiester linkage can be replaced by an isoelectronic analogue, the borane group, (BH 3 ). The boronated oligonucleotides can be viewed as hybrids of the normal oxygen oligonucleotides and the methylphosphonate oligonucleotides. (author)

  19. Geochemical and isotopic evidences for a severe anthropogenic boron contamination: A case study from Castelluccio (Arezzo, central Italy)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venturi, Stefania; Vaselli, Orlando; Tassi, Franco; Nisi, Barbara; Pennisi, Maddalena; Cabassi, Jacopo; Bicocchi, Gabriele; Rossato, Luca

    2015-01-01

    In 2009 a deterioration of garden plants watered with domestic wells was related to high boron concentrations (up to 57 mg/L) measured in the shallow aquifer from the industrial area of Castelluccio (Tuscany, Italy), where several factories are or were using boron compounds for their industrial processes. Since 2012 a geochemical and isotopic survey of stream, ground and waste waters, and sediment samples was performed. In addition, monthly geochemical surveys were carried out from January to September 2013, during which concentrations of boron up to 139 mg/L were measured. The geochemical dataset also included raw (borax and sodium boron-hydride) and anthropogenic materials (B-rich slags and muds stored in one of the local factories), the latter being, to the best of our knowledge, analyzed for the first time in this work for bulk and leachate boron concentration and isotopic ratios. The results highlighted that the high concentrations of boron found in the local shallow aquifer had unequivocally an anthropogenic source. It was suggested that prolonged interaction between industrial (presently stored at ground level or buried) by-products and waste and meteoric waters was likely the main process responsible of the groundwater contamination as supported by the analysis of the major solutes. The dispersion of the contaminant could not clearly be observed downward the shallow hydrogeological circuit. Consequently, the presence of other sources of boron in the industrial area of Castelluccio cannot be excluded. This would also explain the reason why no univocal results were obtained by the "1"1B/"1"0B isotopic ratios measured in water, sediment and (bulk and leachate) anthropogenic samples. To minimize the boron contamination a hydraulic barrier should be constructed where the highest concentrations of boron were measured. - Highlights: • High boron concentrations were measured in a groundwater system near Arezzo (Italy). • Several factories in the local

  20. Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BCNT) for the Treatment of Liver Metastases: Biodistribution Studies of Boron Compounds in an Experimental Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marcela A. Garabalino; Andrea Monti Hughes; Ana J. Molinari; Elisa M. Heber; Emiliano C. C. Pozzi; Maria E. Itoiz; Veronica A. Trivillin; Amanda E. Schwint; Jorge E. Cardoso; Lucas L. Colombo; Susana Nievas; David W. Nigg; Romina F. Aromando

    2011-03-01

    Abstract We previously demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of different boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) protocols in an experimental model of oral cancer. BNCT is based on the selective accumulation of 10B carriers in a tumor followed by neutron irradiation. Within the context of exploring the potential therapeutic efficacy of BNCT for the treatment of liver metastases, the aim of the present study was to perform boron biodistribution studies in an experimental model of liver metastases in rats. Different boron compounds and administration conditions were assayed to determine which administration protocols would potentially be therapeutically useful in in vivo BNCT studies at the RA-3 nuclear reactor. A total of 70 BDIX rats were inoculated in the liver with syngeneic colon cancer cells DHD/K12/TRb to induce the development of subcapsular tumor nodules. Fourteen days post-inoculation, the animals were used for biodistribution studies. We evaluated a total of 11 administration protocols for the boron compounds boronophenylalanine (BPA) and GB-10 (Na210B10H10), alone or combined at different dose levels and employing different administration routes. Tumor, normal tissue, and blood samples were processed for boron measurement by atomic emission spectroscopy. Six protocols proved potentially useful for BNCT studies in terms of absolute boron concentration in tumor and preferential uptake of boron by tumor tissue. Boron concentration values in tumor and normal tissues in the liver metastases model show it would be feasible to reach therapeutic BNCT doses in tumor without exceeding radiotolerance in normal tissue at the thermal neutron facility at RA-3.

  1. Boron concentration measurements by alpha spectrometry and quantitative neutron autoradiography in cells and tissues treated with different boronated formulations and administration protocols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bortolussi, Silva; Ciani, Laura; Postuma, Ian; Protti, Nicoletta; Luca Reversi,; Bruschi, Piero; Ferrari, Cinzia; Cansolino, Laura; Panza, Luigi; Ristori, Sandra; Altieri, Saverio

    2014-01-01

    The possibility to measure boron concentration with high precision in tissues that will be irradiated represents a fundamental step for a safe and effective BNCT treatment. In Pavia, two techniques have been used for this purpose, a quantitative method based on charged particles spectrometry and a boron biodistribution imaging based on neutron autoradiography. A quantitative method to determine boron concentration by neutron autoradiography has been recently set-up and calibrated for the measurement of biological samples, both solid and liquid, in the frame of the feasibility study of BNCT. This technique was calibrated and the obtained results were cross checked with those of α spectrometry, in order to validate them. The comparisons were performed using tissues taken form animals treated with different boron administration protocols. Subsequently the quantitative neutron autoradiography was employed to measure osteosarcoma cell samples treated with BPA and with new boronated formulations. - Highlights: • A method for 10B measurements in samples based on neutron autoradiography was developed. • The results were compared with those of alpha spectrometry applied on tissue and cell samples. • Boronated liposomes were developed and administered to osteosarcoma cell cultures. • Neutron autoradiography was employed to measure boron concentration due to liposomes. • Liposomes were proved to be more effective in concentrating boron in cells than BPA

  2. Exploiting the enantioselectivity of Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases via boron oxidation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brondani, Patricia B.; Dudek, Hanna; Reis, Joel S.; Fraaije, Marco W.; Andrade, Leandro H.

    2012-01-01

    The enantioselective carbon-boron bond oxidation of several chiral boron-containing compounds by Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenases was evaluated. PAMO and M446G PAMO conveniently oxidized 1-phenylethyl boronate into the corresponding 1-(phenyl)ethanol (ee = 82-91%). Cyclopropyl boronic esters were also

  3. Communication dated 19 May 2011 received from the Resident Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Agency regarding Assurance of Supply of Enrichment Services and Low Enriched Uranium for Use in Nuclear Power Plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2011-01-01

    The Secretariat has received a letter dated 19 May 2011 from the Resident Representative of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Agency, attaching the Proposal for the Assurance of Supply of Enrichment Services and Low Enriched Uranium for Use in Nuclear Power Plants, as described in document GOV/2011/10. As requested by the Resident Representative, the letter and its attachment are circulated herewith for information of all Member States

  4. Boronic acid-based chemical sensors for saccharides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao-Tai; Liu, Guang-Jian; Ning, Zhang-Wei; Xing, Guo-Wen

    2017-11-27

    During the past decades, the interaction between boronic acids-functionalized sensors and saccharides is of great interest in the frontier domain of the interdiscipline concerning both biology and chemistry. Various boronic acid-based sensing systems have been developed to detect saccharides and corresponding derivatives in vitro as well as in vivo, which embrace unimolecular sensors, two-component sensing ensembles, functional assemblies, and boronic acid-loaded nanomaterials or surfaces. New sensing strategies emerge in endlessly with excellent selectivity and sensitivity. In this review, several typical sensing systems were introduced and some promising examples were highlighted to enable the deep insight of saccharides sensing on the basis of boronic acids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Boron removal in radioactive liquid waste by forward osmosis membrane

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doo Seong Hwang; Hei Min Choi; Kune Woo Lee; Jei Kwon Moon [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-07-01

    This study investigated the treatment of boric acid contained in liquid radioactive waste using a forward osmosis membrane. The boron permeation through the membrane depends on the type of membrane, membrane orientation, pH of the feed solution, salt and boron concentration in the feed solution, and osmotic pressure of the draw solution. The boron flux begins to decline from pH 7 and increases with an increase of the osmotic driving force. The boron flux decreases slightly with the salt concentration, but is not heavily influenced by a low salt concentration. The boron flux increases linearly with the concentration of boron. No element except for boron was permeated through the FO membrane in the multi-component system. The maximum boron flux is obtained in an active layer facing a draw solution orientation of the CTA-ES membrane under conditions of less than pH 7 and high osmotic pressure. (authors)

  6. Combined effects of CO2 enrichment, changes in diurnal light level and water stress on foliar metabolites of potato plants grown in naturally sunlit controlled environment chambers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cv Kennebec) were grown in outdoor, naturally sunlit, soil-plant-atmosphere research (SPAR) chambers. Drought treatments were imposed at post-tuber initiation stage to assess water stress effects on leaf metabolites, and interactions with enriched CO2 concentrati...

  7. Effect of boron on fruit quality in pineapple

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Changbin; Ma, Zhiling; Liu, Yuge; Qiao, Jian; Sun, Guangming

    2018-04-01

    Boron (B) is an important element for the plant. The aim of work was to study the effect of B on fruit quality of pineapple. The experiment was carried out with `Comte de paris' variety in pots. The results demonstrated that B had positive effect on fruit weight, TSS, the ratio of TSS/acidity, Vitamin C, the content of aroma volatile compounds. The B had no effect on the content of the three sugars (sucrose, fructose and glucose) and titrable acidity. There was a positive effect on fruit quality by application of B fertilizer in production of pineapple.

  8. Reconstitution of Vanadium Haloperoxidase's Catalytic Activity by Boric Acid-Towards a Potential Biocatalytic Role of Boron.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natalio, Filipe; Wiese, Stefanie; Brandt, Wolfgang; Wessjohann, Ludger

    2017-04-11

    Boron's unusual properties inspired major advances in chemistry. In nature, the existence and importance of boron has been fairly explored (e.g. bacterial signaling, plant development) but its role as biological catalyst was never reported. Here, we show that boric acid [B(OH) 3 ] can restore chloroperoxidase activity of Curvularia inaequalis recombinant apo-haloperoxidase's (HPO) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions. Molecular modeling and semi-empirical PM7 calculations support a thermodynamically highly favored (bio)catalytic mechanism similarly to vanadium haloperoxidases (V-HPO) in which [B(OH) 3 ] is assumedly located in apo-HPO's active site and a monoperoxyborate [B(OH) 3 (OOH) - ] intermediate is formed and stabilized by interaction with specific active site amino acids leading ultimately to the formation of HOCl. Thus, B(OH) 3 -HPO provides the first evidence towards the future exploitation of boron's role in biological systems. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Effect of nitrogen and boron on weldability of austenitic stainless steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhaduri, A.K.; Albert, S.K.; Srinivasan, G.; Divya, M.; Das, C.R.

    2012-01-01

    Hot cracking is a major problem in the welding of austenitic stainless steels, particularly the fully austenitic grades. A group of alloys of enhanced-nitrogen 316LN austenitic stainless steel is being developed for structural components of the Indian Fast Reactor programme. Studying the hot cracking behaviour of this nitrogen-enhanced austenitic stainless steel is an important consideration during welding, as this material solidifies without any residual delta ferrite in the primary austenitic mode. Nitrogen has potent effects on the solidification microstructure, and hence has a strong influence on the hot cracking behaviour. Different heats of this material were investigated, which included fully austenitic stainless steels containing 0.070.22 wt% nitrogen. Also, borated austenitic stainless steels, such as type 304B4, have been widely used in the nuclear applications primarily due to its higher neutron absorption efficiency. Weldability is a major concern for this alloy due to the formation of low melting eutectic phase that is enriched with iron, chromium, molybdenum and boron. Fully austenitic stainless steels are prone to hot cracking during welding in the absence of a small amount of delta ferrite, especially for compositions rich in elements like boron that increases the tendency to form low melting eutectics. Detailed weldability investigations were carried out on a grade 304B4 stainless steel containing 1.3 wt% boron. Among the many approaches that have been used to determine the hot cracking susceptibility of different alloys, Variable-Restraint (Varestraint) weld test and Hot Ductility (Gleeble) tests are commonly used to evaluate the weldability of austenitic alloys. Hence, investigations on these materials consisted of detailed metallurgical characterization and weldability studies that included studying both the fusion zone and liquation cracking susceptibility, using Varestraint tests at 0.254.0%, strain levels and Gleeble (thermo

  10. Boron adsorption on hematite and clinoptilolite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gainer, G.M.

    1993-01-01

    This thesis describes experiments performed to determine the suitability of boron as a potential reactive tracer for use in saturated-zone C-well reactive tracer studies for the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP). Experiments were performed to identify the prevalent sorption mechanism of boron and to determine adsorption of boron on hematite and clinoptilolite as a function of pH. These minerals are present in the Yucca Mountain tuff in which the C-well studies will be conducted. Evaluation of this sorption mechanism was done by determining the equilibration time of boron-mineral suspensions, by measuring changes in equilibrium to titrations, and by measuring electrophoretic mobility. Experiments were performed with the minerals suspended in NaCl electrolytes of concentrations ranging from 0.1 N NaCl to 0.001 N NaCl. Experimentalconditions included pH values between 3 and 12 and temperature of about 38 degrees C

  11. Determination of boron in amorphous alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grazhulene, S.S.; Grossman, O.V.; Kuntscher, K.K.; Malygina, L.I.; Muller, E.N.; Telegin, G.F.

    1985-10-01

    In the determination of boron in amorphous alloys containingFe, Co, B, Si, Ni, and P having unusal magnetic and electrical properties, precise analysis and rapid analysis are necessary. To improve the metrological properties of the existing procedure, to find a rapid determination of boron in amorphous alloys, and to verify the accuracy of the results, in the present work the optimization of the photometric determination after extraction of the BF/sup -//sub 4/ ion pair with methylene blue has been studied, and a boron determination by flame photometry using selective methylation has been developed. The determination of boron by the flame photometric and spectrophotometric methods is shown. When a highly precise determination is needed, the spectrophotometric procedure can be used. This procedure is distinguished by its labor intensity and duration. When the need for reproducibility is less severe, the rapid flame photometric procedure is best.

  12. FEMO, A FLOW AND ENRICHMENT MONITOR FOR VERIFYING COMPLIANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL SAFEGUARDS REQUIREMENTS AT A GAS CENTRIFUGE ENRICHMENT FACILITY

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunning, John E.; Laughter, Mark D.; March-Leuba, Jose A.

    2008-01-01

    A number of countries have received construction licenses or are contemplating the construction of large-capacity gas centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs). The capability to independently verify nuclear material flows is a key component of international safeguards approaches, and the IAEA does not currently have an approved method to continuously monitor the mass flow of 235U in uranium hexafluoride (UF6) gas streams. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is investigating the development of a flow and enrichment monitor, or FEMO, based on an existing blend-down monitoring system (BDMS). The BDMS was designed to continuously monitor both 235U mass flow and enrichment of UF6 streams at the low pressures similar to those which exists at GCEPs. BDMSs have been installed at three sites-the first unit has operated successfully in an unattended environment for approximately 10 years. To be acceptable to GCEP operators, it is essential that the instrument be installed and maintained without interrupting operations. A means to continuously verify flow as is proposed by FEMO will likely be needed to monitor safeguards at large-capacity plants. This will enable the safeguards effectiveness that currently exists at smaller plants to be maintained at the larger facilities and also has the potential to reduce labor costs associated with inspections at current and future plants. This paper describes the FEMO design requirements, operating capabilities, and development work required before field demonstration.

  13. Boron removal by electrocoagulation and recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isa, Mohamed Hasnain; Ezechi, Ezerie Henry; Ahmed, Zubair; Magram, Saleh Faraj; Kutty, Shamsul Rahman Mohamed

    2014-03-15

    This work investigated the removal of boron from wastewater and its recovery by electrocoagulation and hydrothermal mineralization methods respectively. The experimental design was developed using Box-Behnken Model. An initial study was performed based on four preselected variables (pH, current density, concentration and time) using synthetic wastewater. Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the effect of process variables and their interaction on boron removal. The optimum conditions were obtained as pH 6.3, current density 17.4 mA/cm(2), and time 89 min. At these applied optimum conditions, 99.7% boron removal from an initial concentration of 10.4 mg/L was achieved. The process was effectively optimized by RSM with a desirability value of 1.0. The results showed that boron removal efficiency enhanced with increase in current density and treatment time. Removal efficiency also increased when pH was increased from 4 to 7 and subsequently decreased at pH 10. Adsorption kinetics study revealed that the reaction followed pseudo second order kinetic model; evidenced by high correlation and goodness of fit. Thermodynamics study showed that mechanism of boron adsorption was chemisorption and the reaction was endothermic in nature. Furthermore, the adsorption process was spontaneous as indicated by negative values of the adsorption free energy. Treatment of real produced water using electrocoagulation resulted in 98% boron removal. The hydrothermal mineralization study showed that borate minerals (Inyoite, Takadaite and Nifontovite) can be recovered as recyclable precipitate from electrocoagulation flocs of produced water. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Numerical simulation of boron injection in a BWR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tinoco, Hernan, E-mail: htb@forsmark.vattenfall.s [Forsmarks Kraftgrupp AB, SE-742 03 Osthammar (Sweden); Buchwald, Przemyslaw [Reactor Technology, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm (Sweden); Frid, Wiktor, E-mail: wiktor@reactor.sci.kth.s [Reactor Technology, Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2010-02-15

    The present study constitutes a first step to understand the process of boron injection, transport and mixing in a BWR. It consists of transient CFD simulations of boron injection in a model of the downcomer of Forsmark's Unit 3 containing about 6 million elements. The two cases studied are unintentional start of boron injection under normal operation and loss of offsite power with partial ATWS leaving 10% of the core power uncontrolled. The flow conditions of the second case are defined by means of an analysis with RELAP5, assuming boron injection start directly after the first ECCS injection. Recent publications show that meaningful conservative results may be obtained for boron or thermal mixing in PWRs with grids as coarse as that utilized here, provided that higher order discretization schemes are used to minimize numerical diffusion. The obtained results indicate an apparently strong influence of the scenario in the behavior of the injection process. The normal operation simulation shows that virtually all boron solution flows down to the Main Recirculation Pump inlet located directly below the boron inlet nozzle. The loss of offsite power simulation shows initially a spread of the boron solution over the entire sectional area of the lower part of the downcomer filled with colder water. This remaining effect of the ECCS injection lasts until all this water has left the downcomer. Above this region, the boron injection jet develops in a vertical streak, eventually resembling the injection of the normal operation scenario. Due to the initial spread, this boron injection will probably cause larger temporal and spatial concentration variations in the core. In both cases, these variations may cause reactivity transients and fuel damage due to local power escalation. To settle this issue, an analysis using an extended model containing the downcomer, the MRPs and the Lower Plenum will be carried out. Also, the simulation time will be extended to a scale of

  15. Numerical simulation of boron injection in a BWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tinoco, Hernan; Buchwald, Przemyslaw; Frid, Wiktor

    2010-01-01

    The present study constitutes a first step to understand the process of boron injection, transport and mixing in a BWR. It consists of transient CFD simulations of boron injection in a model of the downcomer of Forsmark's Unit 3 containing about 6 million elements. The two cases studied are unintentional start of boron injection under normal operation and loss of offsite power with partial ATWS leaving 10% of the core power uncontrolled. The flow conditions of the second case are defined by means of an analysis with RELAP5, assuming boron injection start directly after the first ECCS injection. Recent publications show that meaningful conservative results may be obtained for boron or thermal mixing in PWRs with grids as coarse as that utilized here, provided that higher order discretization schemes are used to minimize numerical diffusion. The obtained results indicate an apparently strong influence of the scenario in the behavior of the injection process. The normal operation simulation shows that virtually all boron solution flows down to the Main Recirculation Pump inlet located directly below the boron inlet nozzle. The loss of offsite power simulation shows initially a spread of the boron solution over the entire sectional area of the lower part of the downcomer filled with colder water. This remaining effect of the ECCS injection lasts until all this water has left the downcomer. Above this region, the boron injection jet develops in a vertical streak, eventually resembling the injection of the normal operation scenario. Due to the initial spread, this boron injection will probably cause larger temporal and spatial concentration variations in the core. In both cases, these variations may cause reactivity transients and fuel damage due to local power escalation. To settle this issue, an analysis using an extended model containing the downcomer, the MRPs and the Lower Plenum will be carried out. Also, the simulation time will be extended to a scale of several

  16. High pressure synthesis and investigations of properties of boron allotropes and boron carbide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chuvashova, Irina

    2017-01-01

    This work aimed at the development of the high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) synthesis of single crystals of boron allotropes and boron-rich compounds, which could be used further for precise investigations of their structures, properties, and behavior at extreme conditions. To summarize, the present work resulted in the HPHT synthesis of the first previously unknown non-icosahedral boron allotrope ζ-B. This finding confirmed earlier theoretical predictions, which stayed unproven for decades because of experimental challenges which couldn't be overcome until recently. Structural stability of α-B and β-B in the Mbar pressure range and B 13 C 2 up to 68 GPa was experimentally proven. Accurate measurements of the unit cell and B 12 icosahedra volumes of the stoichiometric boron carbide B 13 C 2 as a function of pressure led to conclusion that they undergo a similar reduction upon compression that is typical for covalently bonded solids. Neither 'molecular-like' nor 'inversed molecular-like' solid behavior upon compression was detected that has closed a long-standing scientific dispute. A comparison of the compressional behavior of B 13 C 2 with that of α-B and γ-B allotropes and B 4 C showed that it is determined by the types of bonding involved in the course of compression.

  17. High pressure synthesis and investigations of properties of boron allotropes and boron carbide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chuvashova, Irina

    2017-06-12

    This work aimed at the development of the high-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) synthesis of single crystals of boron allotropes and boron-rich compounds, which could be used further for precise investigations of their structures, properties, and behavior at extreme conditions. To summarize, the present work resulted in the HPHT synthesis of the first previously unknown non-icosahedral boron allotrope ζ-B. This finding confirmed earlier theoretical predictions, which stayed unproven for decades because of experimental challenges which couldn't be overcome until recently. Structural stability of α-B and β-B in the Mbar pressure range and B{sub 13}C{sub 2} up to 68 GPa was experimentally proven. Accurate measurements of the unit cell and B{sub 12} icosahedra volumes of the stoichiometric boron carbide B{sub 13}C{sub 2} as a function of pressure led to conclusion that they undergo a similar reduction upon compression that is typical for covalently bonded solids. Neither 'molecular-like' nor 'inversed molecular-like' solid behavior upon compression was detected that has closed a long-standing scientific dispute. A comparison of the compressional behavior of B{sub 13}C{sub 2} with that of α-B and γ-B allotropes and B{sub 4}C showed that it is determined by the types of bonding involved in the course of compression.

  18. Antioxidant responses of chickpea plants subjected to boron toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardic, M; Sekmen, A H; Tokur, S; Ozdemir, F; Turkan, I

    2009-05-01

    This study investigated oxidative stress and the antioxidant response to boron (B) of chickpea cultivars differing in their tolerance to drought. Three-week-old chickpea seedlings were subjected to 0.05 (control), 1.6 or 6.4 mm B in the form of boric acid (H(3)BO(3)) for 7 days. At the end of the treatment period, shoot length, dry weight, chlorophyll fluorescence, B concentration, malondialdehyte content and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POX), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) were measured. The 1.6 mm B treatment did not cause significant changes in shoot length of cultivars, although shoot length increased in the drought-tolerant Gökce and decreased in the drought-sensitive Küsmen after 6.4 mm B treatment. Dry weights of both cultivars decreased with 6.4 mm B treatment. Chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) did not change in Gökce at either B level. Nor did it change in Küsmen with 1.6 mm B but Fv/Fm decreased with 6.4 mm B. Boron concentration in the shoots of both cultivars increased significantly with increasing levels of applied B. Significant increases in total SOD activity were observed in shoots of both cultivars given 1.6 and 6.4 mm B. Shoot extracts exhibited five activity bands, two of which were identified as MnSOD and Cu/ZnSOD. In comparison to the control group, all enzyme activities (except APX and SOD) decreased with 1.6 mm B stress. GR activity decreased, while activities of CAT, POX and APX did not change with 6.4 mm B in Küsmen. On the other hand, activities of CAT, APX and SOD increased in Gökce at both B levels. In addition, lipid peroxidation was higher in Küsmen than in Gökce, indicating more damage by B to membrane lipids in the former cultivar. These results suggest that (i) Gökce is tolerant and Küsmen is sensitive to B, and (ii) B tolerance of Gökce might be closely related to increased capacity of the antioxidative system (total SOD, CAT and APX) to

  19. Fabrication of boronate-decorated polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes grafted cotton fiber for the selective enrichment of nucleosides in urine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Li; Wei, Yinmao

    2016-06-01

    Various cotton fiber based boronate-affinity adsorbents are recently developed for the sample pretreatment of cis-diol-containing biomolecules, but most do not have efficient capacity due to limited binding sites on the surface of cotton fibers. To increase the density of boronate groups on the surface of cotton fiber, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes were used to modify cotton fiber to provide plentiful reactive sites for subsequent functionalization with 4-formylphenylboronic acid. The new adsorbent showed special recognition ability towards cis-diols and high adsorption capacity (175 μg/g for catechol, 250 μg/g for dopamine, 400 μg/g for adenosine). The in-pipette-tip solid-phase extraction was investigated under different conditions, including pH and ionic strength of solution, adsorbent amount, pipette times, washing solvent, and elution solvent. The in-pipette-tip solid-phase extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography was used to analyze four nucleosides in urine samples. Under the optimal extraction conditions, the detection limits were determined to be between 5.1 and 6.1 ng/mL (S/N  =  3), and the linearity ranged from 20 to 500 ng/mL for these analytes. The accuracy of the analytical method was examined by studying the relative recoveries of analytes in real urine samples with recoveries varying from 83 to 104% (RSD = 3.9-10.2%, n = 3). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Re-assessment of plant carbon dynamics at the Duke free-air CO2 enrichment site: interactions of atmospheric [CO2] with nitrogen and water availability over stand development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heather R. McCarthy; Ram Oren; Kurt H Johnsen; Anne Gallet-Budynek; Seth G. Pritchard; Charles W Cook; Shannon L. LaDeau; Robert B. Jackson; Adrien C. Finzi

    2010-01-01

    The potential for elevated [CO2]-induced changes to plant carbon (C) storage, through modifications in plant production and allocation of C among plant pools, is an important source of uncertainty when predicting future forest function. Utilizing 10 yr of data from the Duke free-air CO2 enrichment site, we evaluated the...