New radioanalytical tools for the detection of naturally-occurring and anthropogenic radionuclides

用于检测天然和人为放射性核素的新放射性分析工具

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-04216
• 负责人: Lariviere, Dominic
• 金额: $ 4.66万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=714703
• 关键词: New; radioanalytical; tools; detection; naturally

A decade ago, nuclear power was seen as an environmentally friendly alternative to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels for our growing electricity needs. However, the Fukushima-Daichii accident and a uranium mining moratorium in many countries have significantly altered the expected renaissance. Many scientific challenges remain in nuclear science: the decommissioning of numerous nuclear power plants, increasing quantities of nuclear waste, increasing use of ionizing radiation in therapy and diagnostics, the impact of climate changes on the distribution of radionuclides in a vulnerable environment, radionuclide presence in mining residues (including those from rare earth mining) and fracking processes, and the debate about the effects of low doses of radiation. To face those challenges, we need better measurement, evaluation, and monitoring of radioactivity to assess the impact of our own activity on ourselves and our environment. New radioanalytical methodologies (e.g. preparation of samples, measurements, automation) will enable faster, more cost-effective monitoring. In our previous discovery grant, we focused on the development of new radioanalytical tools for the detection and quantification of transuranium elements. Based on our recent progress using emerging analytical techniques, we will extend our research to naturally-occurring and other hard-to-detect radionuclides (HTDR) by incorporating new and emerging concepts and tools in analytical chemistry. In the research period covered by this proposal, we will investigate and develop new chemical and instrumental approaches to facilitate the detection and quantification of naturally occurring and anthropogenic radionuclides in industrial, biological and environmental matrices. Now, we will study: the use of new ligands in CPE for the preconcentration of other radionuclides and the development of multiconstituent and multianalysis CPE for environmental samples; the development of functionalized materials for the passive monitoring of radionuclides (beneficial to mining industry, nuclear worker bioassays, well water owners, and geochemists); the usability of inorganic mass spectrometry (ICP-MS/MS) for the rapid detection of hard-to-detect radionuclides (a new approach to reduce peak tailing and limit interfering species formation); and the design of a mesofluidic lab-on-a-valve (MLOV) coupled to a enrichment volatilization module (EVM) for the simultaneous preconcentration and enhanced sample-to-plasma transfer suited for inorganic mass spectrometry of HTDR. These analytical innovations will provide faster, more accurate and cost-effective tools to assess and minimize environmental impacts. In turn this will increase our ability to detect and quantify possible emissions of radionuclides in the environment at ultra-low levels, and provide scientific support to help protect flora and fauna from ionizing radiation.

十年前，核能被视为一种环保的替代方案，可以减少我们对化石燃料的依赖，以满足我们日益增长的电力需求。但是，许多国家的福岛 - 戴希（Fukushima-daichii）事故和铀矿山暂停大大改变了预期的文艺复兴时期。核科学中仍然存在许多科学挑战：众多核电站的退役，增加数量的核废料，增加在治疗和诊断中使用电离辐射的使用，气候变化对易感环境中放射性核素分布的影响，放射性核素在降低核素中存在，放射性核素存在采矿残留物（包括稀土开采的残留物）和压裂过程，以及关于低剂量辐射的影响的争论。 要面对这些挑战，我们需要更好地测量，评估和监测放射性，以评估我们的活动对自己和环境的影响。新的放射分析方法（例如样品的制备，测量，自动化）将使更快，更具成本效益的监视。 在我们以前的发现赠款中，我们专注于开发新的放射分析工具，用于检测和量化胸骨元素。基于我们使用新兴分析技术的最新进展，我们将通过将新的和新兴的概念和工具纳入分析化学中，将研究扩展到自然存在和其他难以检测的放射性核素（HTDR）。 在该提案所涵盖的研究期间，我们将研究并开发新的化学和工具方法，以促进在工业，生物学和环境矩阵中自然存在和人为放射性核素的检测和定量。 现在，我们将学习： 在CPE中使用新的配体用于其他放射性核素的预浓缩，以及用于环境样本的多核和多纳分析CPE的开发； 开发用于被动监测放射性核素的功能化材料（对采矿业，核工人生物测定，井水所有者和地球化学家有益）； 无机质谱法（ICP-MS/MS）的可用性快速检测难以检测的放射性核素（一种减少峰值尾巴和限制干扰物种形成的新方法）；和 与富集的挥发模块（EVM）相连的中浮游生物实验室（MLOV）的设计，用于同时预浓缩和增强的样品到上皮转移，适合于HTDR的无机质谱法。 这些分析创新将提供更快，更准确，更具成本效益的工具，以评估和最小化环境影响。反过来，这将提高我们在超低水平下检测和量化环境中可能的放射性核素排放的能力，并提供科学支持，以帮助保护动植物植物群免受电离辐射的影响。