Elemental and isotopic analysis of americium in non-separated spent fuels using high resolution ICP-OES and sector field ICP-MS

The article draws attention to the problem of the presence of metals: germanium (Ge), tellurium (Te), thallium (Tl), and others (Cd, Ba, Co, Mn, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Sr, and Zn) in selected waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). As a result of the growing demand for new technologies, the global consumption of TECs has also been increasing. Thus, the amount of metals in circulation, of which the impacts on the environment have not yet been fully understood, is constantly increasing. Due to the low content of these metals in WEEE, they are usually ignored during e-waste analyses. The main aim of this study was to determine the distribution of Ge, Te, and Tl (and other elements) in ground sieve fractions (1.0, 0.5, 0.2, and 0.1 mm) of selected electronic components (solar lamps, solar cell, LED TV screens, LCD screens, photoresistors, photodiodes, phototransistors) and to determine the possible tendency of the concentrations of these metals in fractions. This problem is particularly important because WEEE recycling processes (crushing, grinding, and even collection and transport operations) can lead to dispersion and migration of TCE pollutants into the environment. The quantitative composition of e-waste was identified and confirmed by ICP-MS, ICP-OES and SEM-EDS, and XRD analyses. It was found that Ge, Te, and Tl are concentrated in the finest fractions of ground e-waste, together with Cd and Cr, which may favor the migration of these pollutants in the form of dust during storage and processing of e-waste.

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Iron accumulation in the oculomotor nerve of the progressive supranuclear palsy brain

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-82469-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hansol Lee ◽

Myung Jun Lee ◽

Eun-Joo Kim ◽

Gi Yeong Huh ◽

Jae-Hyeok Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Resolution ◽

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy ◽

Oculomotor Nerve ◽

Iron Accumulation ◽

Blue Staining ◽

Normal Brain ◽

Myelinated Fiber ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Icp Ms

AbstractAbnormal iron accumulation around the substantia nigra (SN) is a diagnostic indicator of Parkinsonism. This study aimed to identify iron-related microarchitectural changes around the SN of brains with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) via postmortem validations and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). 7 T high-resolution MRI was applied to two postmortem brain tissues, from one normal brain and one PSP brain. Histopathological examinations were performed to demonstrate the molecular origin of the high-resolution postmortem MRI findings, by using ferric iron staining, myelin staining, and two-dimensional laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) imaging. In vivo iron-related MRI was performed on five healthy controls, five patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and five patients with PSP. In the postmortem examination, excessive iron deposition along the myelinated fiber at the anterior SN and third cranial nerve (oculomotor nerve) fascicles of the PSP brain was verified by LA-ICP-MS. This region corresponded to those with high R2* values and positive susceptibility from quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), but was less sensitive in Perls’ Prussian blue staining. In in vivo susceptibility-weighted imaging, hypointense pixels were observed in the region between the SN and red nucleus (RN) in patients with PSP, but not in healthy controls and patients with PD. R2* and QSM values of such region were significantly higher in patients with PSP compared to those in healthy controls and patients with PD as well (vs. healthy control: p = 0.008; vs. PD: p = 0.008). Thus, excessive iron accumulation along the myelinated fibers at the anterior SN and oculomotor nerve fascicles may be a pathological characteristic and crucial MR biomarker in a brain with PSP.

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Comparison of Serum, Plasma, and Liver Zinc Measurements by AAS, ICP-OES, and ICP-MS in Diverse Laboratory Settings

Biological Trace Element Research ◽

10.1007/s12011-021-02883-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Andrew G. Hall ◽

Janet C. King ◽

Christine M. McDonald

Keyword(s):

Inductively Coupled Plasma ◽

Method Development ◽

Geometric Mean ◽

Zinc Content ◽

Plasma Zinc ◽

Icp Oes ◽

Percent Error ◽

Accuracy And Precision ◽

Icp Ms ◽

Standardized Method

AbstractProgress improving zinc nutrition globally is slowed by limited understanding of population zinc status. This challenge is compounded when small differences in measurement can bias the determination of zinc deficiency rates. Our objective was to evaluate zinc analytical accuracy and precision among different instrument types and sample matrices using a standardized method. Participating laboratories analyzed zinc content of plasma, serum, liver samples, and controls, using a standardized method based on current practice. Instrument calibration and drift were evaluated using a zinc standard. Accuracy was evaluated by percent error vs. reference, and precision by coefficient of variation (CV). Seven laboratories in 4 countries running 9 instruments completed the exercise: 4 atomic absorbance spectrometers (AAS), 1 inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), and 4 ICP mass spectrometers (ICP-MS). Calibration differed between individual instruments up to 18.9% (p < 0.001). Geometric mean (95% CI) percent error was 3.5% (2.3%, 5.2%) and CV was 2.1% (1.7%, 2.5%) overall. There were no significant differences in percent error or CV among instrument types (p = 0.91, p = 0.15, respectively). Among sample matrices, serum and plasma zinc measures had the highest CV: 4.8% (3.0%, 7.7%) and 3.9% (2.9%, 5.4%), respectively (p < 0.05). When using standardized materials and methods, similar zinc concentration values, accuracy, and precision were achieved using AAS, ICP-OES, or ICP-MS. However, method development is needed for improvement in serum and plasma zinc measurement precision. Differences in calibration among instruments demonstrate a need for harmonization among laboratories.

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