Genetic Improvement of Local Red Peanut With Using Nuclear Technique (Multigamma Irradiation) for Obtaining Superior Variety

The main problem examined in this study concerns the breeding of local red peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) to use standard multigamma irradiation methods to obtain superior variety that can be adapted to drought conditions, pests-diseases, extreme climate, and high production. The research objective was to develop local red peanut variety to use multigamma irradiation and careful selection for obtaining superior variety that can be adapted to drought conditions, pests-diseases, extreme climate, and high production. Research methods include multigamma irradiation, observation, sampling, carefully selection, comparative, and interpretation. The results of the study are as follows: The development of local red peanut variety through breeding to use multigamma irradiation and careful selection resulted in superior variety that could adapt to drought conditions, pests-diseases, extreme climate, and increased production significantly. The range of production of selected superior variety resulting from multigamma irradiation was (3.68-4.10) t ha-1 with an average production of 3.92 t ha-1. The percentage increase in the production of selected superior variety was 49.23% with an average water content of dry seeds of 11.3%.

Application of positive matrix factorization and pollutants tracing for identification of dust sources: A case study in Khuzestan, Iran

In this study for identification of internal and external origins of dust events in the southwest of Iran, for the first time, a comprehensive dust sampling was performed in nine regions of Khuzestan over the four seasons. The dust samples were analyzed using INAA nuclear technique. Factors obtained from applying the PMF Modeling indicated five kinds of pollutant sources which include 1) Sedimentary surface soil/dried bed of wetlands, 2) steel and metalworking industries, 3) refineries, 4) waste, and 5) solid fuel as well as oil fuel power plants. These identified sources were used as the tracers to identify the internal dust sources. Investigation of NASA AOT images and the synoptic data at the event dates showed that in the period of mid-autumn up to the early winter, dust events had external origins, that are mainly situated in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, while in the period of mid-summer to early autumn and mid-winter up to the early spring, the internal sources such as mud-salt zones or areas with fine sediments with evaporitic deposits and puffy grounds in the regions between Omidieh - Mahshahr, south, and southeast of Ahvaz, “Dasht-E-Azadegan,” and dried bed of Hoor-Al-Azim are more dominant.

ESTIMATION OF THE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS IN SOIL AROUND KADUNA REFINING AND PETROCHEMICAL COMPANY USING NUCLEAR TECHNIQUE

Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) technique was used to investigate the abundance and distribution of rare earth elements (REE) in soil around Kaduna Refinery. The aim of the study is to assess the rare elements potential of Nigeria for economic exploitation. Five REEs (La, Dy, Eu, Yb, and Lu) were detected in varying concentrations ranging from a minimum of 0.6 µg/g (Lu) to a maximum of 249.0 µg/g (La). The elements existed with trends consistent with the natural pattern of REEs in soil, showing significant Eu and Dy anomalies which characterize upper plains and flood plains. The levels of REEs in soil in the study area were generally slightly above background levels, with minimal (La, Dy, and Eu), moderate (Yb), and significant (Lu) enrichments and trending: Lu ˃Yb ˃ Eu ˃ Dy ˃ La. The abundance of the REEs investigated cannot establish a potential of Nigeria for economic exploitation of the mineral, hence, rare earth project in the study area is not viable at the moment.

Use of the Neutron Activation Analysis, k0-standardized method, in the evaluation of the air quality in critical points of Belo Horizonte

Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, is one of the largest cities in Brazil. It is geographically centered on a region with intense mining and industrial activity and a fleet of more than 1.5 million vehicles. The numerous sources of atmospheric emissions of particulate matter in this capital and its vicinity offer a considerable risk to the degradation of air quality. In order to contribute with elemental composition of particulate matter, the Nuclear Technology Development Center / Brazilian Commission for Nuclear Energy, and the Department of Nuclear Engineering of the Federal University of Minas Gerais has developed a research based on environmental samples. This work aims to present the sampling methodology, the concentration values of sampled particulate matter preliminarily, the methodology of analysis of elemental concentration using the nuclear technique of neutron activation analysis, k0-standardized method, and interpreted through statistical techniques and values of the elemental concentrations more representative of the samplings carried out. The results pointed out the vehicle emissions as the major source that contributes to airborne particulate matter followed by soil resuspension.

Positron emission particle tracking: A powerful technique for flow studies

Positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) has developed into a flexible applied nuclear technique for measuring the trajectory of a single tracer particle moving in a system of granular or liquid flow or attached to a moving rigid body. The tracer particle is labelled with a radionuclide (such as [Formula: see text]F or [Formula: see text]Ga) that decays via positron emission. The nearly collinear 511 keV annihilation gamma rays are detected in coincidence by a modified positron emission tomography (PET) camera, which defines their line of response (LOR). The chronologically measured LORs may then be used to triangulate the position of the moving tracer particle. We present an introduction to PEPT and illustrate the quality of measurements possible with a high-resolution PET scanner. Data are presented and discussed with reference to a few fundamental measurement scenarios and a framework for the metrology of PEPT is introduced.