Highly-sensitive analysis of fluorescence XANES at Europium (Eu) L-edge for the determination of oxidation state for trace amount of Eu in natural samples by bragg-type crystal analyzer system

Konagaya, Rimi*; Kawamura, Naomi*; Yamaguchi, Akiko; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Chemistry Letters, 50(8), p.1570 - 1572, 2021/08

https://doi.org/10.1246/cl.210249

no abstracts in English

Incorporation of U, Pb and rare earth elements in calcite through crystallisation from amorphous calcium carbonate; Simple preparation of reference materials for microanalysis

Miyajima, Yusuke*; Saito, Ayaka*; Kagi, Hiroyuki*; Yokoyama, Tatsunori; Takahashi, Yoshio*; Hirata, Takafumi*

Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, 45(1), p.189 - 205, 2021/03

https://doi.org/10.1111/ggr.12367

Uncertainty for elemental and isotopic analyses of calcite by LA-ICP-MS is largely controlled by the homogeneity of the reference materials (RMs) used for normalization and validation. In order to produce calcite RMs with homogeneous elemental and isotopic compositions, we incorporated elements including U, Pb, and rare earth elements into calcite through heat- and pressure-induced crystallization from amorphous calcium carbonate that was precipitated from element-doped reagent solution. X-ray absorption spectra showed that U was present as U(VI) in the synthesized calcite, probably with a different local structure from that of aqueous uranyl ions. The uptake rate of U by our calcite was higher in comparison to synthetic calcite of previous studies. Variations of element mass fractions in the calcite were better than 12% 2RSD, mostly within 7%. The Pb/Pb ratio in the calcite showed 1% variations, while the U/Pb ratio showed 3-24% variations depending on element mass fractions. Using the synthetic calcite as primary RMs, we could date a natural calcite RM, WC-1, with analytical uncertainty as low as 3%. The method presented can be useful to produce calcite with controlled and homogeneous element mass fractions, and is a promising alternative to natural calcite RMs for U-Pb geochronology.

Speciation of cesium in tree tissues and its implication for uptake and translocation of radiocesium in tree bodies

Tanaka, Kazuya; Kanasashi, Tsutomu*; Takenaka, Chisato*; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Science of the Total Environment, 755(Part 2), p.142598_1 - 142598_8, 2021/02

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142598

In this study, we investigated coordination structures of Cs in Cs-doped bark, sapwood, heartwood, needle, and branch samples of trees collected in Fukushima by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. We examined four representative tree species in Fukushima, , , , and . EXAFS spectra suggested that Cs was adsorbed as an outer-sphere complex on all parts of the four species, with electrostatic binding to negatively charged functional groups in components of tree tissues. These results were supported by extraction experiments where most of the sorbed Cs was desorbed from all parts of each tree species using 1 M CHCOONH.

Characterization of two types of cesium-bearing microparticles emitted from the Fukushima accident via multiple synchrotron radiation analyses

Miura, Hikaru*; Kuribara, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Masayoshi*; Sakaguchi, Aya*; Yamaguchi, Noriko*; Sekizawa, Oki*; Nitta, Kiyofumi*; Higaki, Shogo*; Tsumune, Daisuke*; Itai, Takaaki*; et al.

Scientific Reports (Internet), 10, p.11421_1 - 11421_9, 2020/07

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-68318-2

A Review of Cs-bearing microparticles in the environment emitted by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

Igarashi, Yasuhito*; Kogure, Toshihiro*; Kuribara, Yuichi; Miura, Hikaru*; Okumura, Taiga*; Satou, Yukihiko; Takahashi, Yoshio*; Yamaguchi, Noriko*

Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, 205-206, p.101 - 118, 2019/09

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvrad.2019.04.011

Scientists face challenge in identifying the radioactive materials which are found as dotted images on various imaging plate (IP) autoradiographic photos of radioactively contaminated materials by the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1NPP, or FDNPP) accident, such as air filter, fugitive dust, surface soil, agricultural materials, and water-shed samples. It has been revealed that they are minute particles with distinct morphology and elemental composition with high specific radioactivity, and different from those of the so-called Chernobyl hot particles. Basically, they are glassy particles once molten, composed of Si, O, Fe, Zn etc. with highly concentrated radiocaesium, which can be called as radiocaesium-bearing microparticles (CsMP). At present, CsMP can be classified into two types, Types-A and -B, which are characterized by different specific radioactivity, Cs/Cs ratio, size and morphology, and geographic distribution around F1NPP. Such studies on the CsMP from various aspects have provided valuable information about what happened in the nuclear reactors during the F1NPP accident and fates of the CsMP in the environment. This review first provides a retrospective view on the research history of the CsMP, which is helpful to understand the unique character of the CsMP. Subsequently, more details about the current understanding of the natures of these hot particles, such as origin, morphology, chemical compositions, thermal properties, water-solubility, and secondary migration of CsMP in river and ocean systems are described with future prospects.

A New technique for removing strontium from seawater by coprecipitation with barite

Tokunaga, Kohei; Kozai, Naofumi; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Journal of Hazardous Materials, 359, p.307 - 315, 2018/07

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.07.044

In the present study, we looked at the removal efficiency of Sr by using barite (BaSO) under various experimental conditions to develop techniques for the direct removal of Sr from seawater. The uptake of Sr by barite was found to be dependent on pH, saturation state, and [Ba]/[SO] ratio in initial aqueous solution, showing that most of the aqueous Sr can be removed from the aqueous solution by adjusting these parameters. However, the effects of ionic strength and competitive ions were negligible, suggesting the effectiveness of its application to removal of Sr from seawater. Batch experiments were also conducted in a seawater system, and a rather high removal efficiency of Sr from seawater (more than 90%) was achieved. Considering its high removal and retention efficiency of Sr in seawater systems, barite is a reliable material for the removal of Sr from seawater.

Estimation of desorption ratios of radio/stable caesium from environmental samples (aerosols and soils) leached with seawater, diluted seawater and ultrapure water

Sakaguchi, Aya*; Chiga, Haruka*; Tanaka, Kazuya; Tsuruta, Haruo*; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Geochemical Journal, 52(2), p.187 - 199, 2018/00

https://doi.org/10.2343/geochemj.2.0496

An aerosol sample collected on the 15th of March 2011 at Kawasaki City (Kanagawa) was sequentially leached with seawater for 30 days. As a result, about 60% of the total Cs was extracted. In addition, a surface soil sample collected from Kawamata Town (Fukushima) two months after the Fukushima accident, was leached for 223 days with a natural seawater, a 1:1 mixture of ultrapure water and seawater, and ultrapure water. Eventually, more than 15% of the total Cs in the surface soil sample was efficiently desorbed by seawater leaching. In comparison, about 9% of the total Cs was leached with 1:1 diluted seawater and less than 1% of the total Cs was leached with ultrapure water over the 223 days. Overall, Cs and Cs showed similar leaching behaviour.

Discovery of ion-adsorption type deposits of rare earth elements (REE) in Southwest Japan with speciation of REE by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Yamaguchi, Akiko*; Honda, Tasuku*; Tanaka, Masato*; Tanaka, Kazuya; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Geochemical Journal, 52(5), p.415 - 425, 2018/00

https://doi.org/10.2343/geochemj.2.0531

Ion-adsorption type REE deposits in weathered granite are main sources of REE essential for high-technology industries. However, these type deposits have not been searched in Japan. In this study, Bulk REE abundances (= REE), ion-exchangeable REE (= REE) by ammonium chloride solution, and percentage of REE relative to REE (= REE) in fresh and weathered granite samples in Southwest Japan (i.e., Hiroshima and Shimane Prefectures) were determined. The REE and REE were comparable to those of ion-adsorption type REE deposits in China. Extended X-ray adsorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of REE in original samples and samples after the extraction of ion-exchangeable REE showed that (i) REE in samples with high REE mainly forms outer-sphere complexes and (ii) the remaining REE in the rocks after the extraction forms inter-sphere complexes.

Effective removal of selenite and selenate ions from aqueous solution by barite

Tokunaga, Kohei*; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Environmental Science & Technology, 51(16), p.9194 - 9201, 2017/08

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.7b01219

In the present study, we explore a new application of barite (BaSO) as a sequestering phase for selenite (Se(IV)) and selenate (Se(VI)) ions from aqueous solutions due to the low solubility and high stability of barite. The uptake of Se(IV) and Se(VI) during coprecipitation with barite was investigated through batch experiments to understand the factors controlling effective removal of Se(IV) and Se(VI) from polluted water to barite. The uptake of Se(IV) by barite is dependent on pH, coexistent calcium ion, and sulfate concentration in the initial solution, possibly due to their effects on the chemical affinity and structural similarity. On the other hand, the uptake of Se(VI) by barite was strongly dependent on sulfate concentration in the initial solution, which is only related to the structural similarity. This study provides a good estimate of its ability to effectively remove Se(IV) and Se(VI) from aqueous solutions (more than 80%) under optimized experimental parameters.

Simultaneous recovery and separation of rare earth elements in ferromanganese nodules by using

Fujimoto, Jun*; Tanaka, Kazuya; Watanabe, Naoko*; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Hydrometallurgy, 166, p.80 - 86, 2016/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hydromet.2016.09.005

We examined recovery of REEs in Fe-Mn nodules by using (Fe-reducing bacterium). In this method, Fe-Mn nodule decomposition and REE recovery were achieved simultaneously in a single solution system. Fe-Mn nodules were reductively decomposed in NaCl solution under anaerobic conditions with daily addition of sodium lactate as an electron donor. During the decomposition of Fe-Mn nodule, REEs released from the Fe-Mn nodule were adsorbed on bacterial cells. Of the conditions studied here, the best REE adsorption rates were obtained with 0.5M NaCl solution at pH7 with daily addition of 1 mmol sodium lactate.