scholarly journals Isolation of quartz for cosmogenic in situ <sup>14</sup>C analysis

Geochronology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keir A. Nichols ◽  
Brent M. Goehring

Abstract. Froth flotation is a commonly used procedure for separating feldspars and micas from quartz for the preparation of quartz mineral separates to carry out cosmogenic nuclide analysis. Whilst extracting carbon from quartz we observed in situ carbon-14 (14C) concentrations which were anomalously high and in excess of theoretical geological maximum concentrations. Further etching of sample material reduced carbon yields and 14C concentrations, yet the latter remained unrealistically high. When quartz from the original whole rock sample was isolated in our laboratory, we observed even lower carbon yields and geologically plausible in situ 14C concentrations. After ruling out unlikely geological scenarios and systematic measurement issues, we decided to investigate the quartz isolation procedure as a potential source of 14C contamination. We hypothesised that laurylamine (dodecylamine), an organic compound used as part of the froth flotation procedure, elevates 14C concentrations if residual laurylamine is present. We demonstrate that laurylamine has a 14C modern carbon source and thus has the potential to influence in situ 14C measurements if present in minute but measurable quantities. Furthermore, we show that insufficient sample etching results in contaminant 14C persisting through the step heating of quartz that is subsequently collected with the in situ component released at 1100 ∘C. We demonstrate that froth flotation contaminates in situ 14C measurements. We provide guidelines for the preparation of quartz based on methods developed in our laboratory and demonstrate that all froth-flotation-derived carbon and 14C is removed when applied. We recommend that the procedures presented be used at a minimum when using froth flotation to isolate quartz for in situ 14C measurements.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keir A. Nichols ◽  
Brent M. Goehring

Abstract. Froth flotation is a commonly used procedure for separating feldspars and micas from quartz for the preparation of quartz mineral separates to carry out cosmogenic nuclide analysis. Whilst extracting carbon from quartz we observed in situ carbon-14 (14C) concentrations which were anomalously high and in excess of theoretical geological maximum concentrations. Further etching of sample material reduced carbon yields and 14C concentrations, yet the latter remained unrealistically high. When quartz from the original whole rock sample was isolated in our laboratory, we observed even lower carbon yields and geologically plausible in situ 14C concentrations. After ruling out unlikely geological scenarios and systematic measurement issues, we decided to investigate the quartz isolation procedure as a potential source of 14C contamination. We hypothesised that laurylamine (dodecylamine), an organic compound used as part of the froth flotation procedure, elevates 14C concentrations if residual laurylamine is present. We demonstrate that laurylamine has a 14C modern carbon source and thus has the potential to influence in situ 14C measurements if present in minute but measurable quantities. Furthermore, we show that insufficient sample etching results in laurylamine-derived carbon persisting through step heating of quartz and is subsequently collected with the in situ component released at 1100 °C. We therefore demonstrate that laurylamine contaminates in situ 14C measurements. We provide guidelines for the preparation of quartz based on methods developed in our laboratory and demonstrate that all laurylamine derived carbon and 14C is removed when applied. We recommend that the procedures presented be used at a minimum when using froth flotation to isolate quartz for in situ 14C measurements.


1971 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-647 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Schwers ◽  
T. Vancrombreucq ◽  
M. Govaerts ◽  
G. Eriksson ◽  
E. Diczfalusy

ABSTRACT Two midgestation placentas were perfused in situ with a combination of [7α-3H] dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and [4-14C] oestrone sulphate and metabolites were isolated from the placentas, perfusates and maternal urine specimens. Approximately 70 per cent of the perfused radioactive material was recovered from these three sources. The bulk of the administered radioactive material was recovered in an unchanged form from the perfusates; some 2–4 per cent was excreted in the urine and less than 0.5% was found in the placentas. The tritium to carbon-14 ratio of the unconjugated material isolated from the perfusates and placentas was higher, and that of the conjugated material recovered from the same sources was lower than the ratio of the administered material. In addition, more tritium than carbon-14 labelled material was present in the urine. Approximately 2 per cent of the perfused dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate was recovered in the form of phenolic steroids, mostly from the urine. From this source double labelled oestrone, oestriol, 16α-hydroxy-oestrone and 16-epioestriol were isolated. The tritium to carbon-14 ratio of all oestrogens isolated from the urine was higher than that of the perfused material. From the urine specimens 10 to 15 times more double labelled oestriol than oestrone was isolated.


1980 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-123
Author(s):  
H.G. Callan ◽  
R.W. Old

Denatured 3H-labelled DNAs containing Xenopus or human globin sequences hybridize to RNA transcripts on a single pair of lateral loops on lampbrush chromosome IX of Triturus cristatus carnifex, and to no other loops on this chromosome or the rest of the complement. However they do so, not because of the globin sequences in the probes, but rather because the plasmids from which the probes were prepared were constructed with G.C homopolymer tails. Simple sequence poly d(C/G)n probes also hybridize with RNA transcripts on this same pair of loops, and with no others.


MRS Advances ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (21) ◽  
pp. 1161-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikko Voutilainen ◽  
Juuso Sammaljärvi ◽  
Eveliina Muuri ◽  
Jérôme Donnard ◽  
Samuel Duval ◽  
...  

In Finland and Sweden the KBS-3 concept has been chosen for the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in crystalline rock. Recent experiments have shown that heterogeneity of rock may play a major role in the transport of radionuclides. Autoradiographic methods have been proven to be able to assist the characterization of heterogeneous structures. In this study we tested a novel filmless autoradiographic device called BeaverTM which applies a micro patterned gaseous detector in order to quantitatively map beta emissions from C-14 atoms. The studied samples were impregnated with C-14-labelled methylmethacrylate (C-14-MMA) and polymerized to C-14-PMMA with thermal initiator. The BeaverTM was then used to determine the spatial distribution of the C-14-PMMA by measuring the C-14 emissions. The porosity is determined from the amount of C-14-PMMA in the rock sample and results were compared to ones from phosphor imaging plate autoradiography. The resulting images show a heterogeneous distribution of porosity which arises from the different minerals. The samples were chosen from three sites that have been used recently for in situ diffusion experiments: Olkiluoto (Finland), Äspö (Sweden) and Grimsel (Switzerland).


2015 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 56-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel Lifton ◽  
Marc Caffee ◽  
Robert Finkel ◽  
Shasta Marrero ◽  
Kunihiko Nishiizumi ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Hin Foo Low ◽  
Sih Ying Kong ◽  
Daniel Kong

<p>Prestressed transfer plate consists of a thick cast in-situ post-tensioned concrete slab supporting multi-storey shear walls at building transition level. Compared to conventional reinforced concrete transfer beams, it offers savings in concrete volume of 10-15%, cuts steel reinforcement content by 35-50% and significantly reduces formwork usage which eventually helps to achieve lower carbon footprint for a more sustainable transfer floor construction. The design of prestressed transfer plates is complicated owing to its two-way bending behaviour and irregular load path from reactions of numerous shear walls. This paper elaborates the analysis of prestressed transfer plates and discusses their interaction effect with shear walls. It also explains the design of interfacing shear for thick plate construction with multi-layer casting in addition to various design considerations including flexural and punching shear design based on relevant codes of practice.</p>


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