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

十年前，核能被视为一种环境友好的替代方案，可以减少我们对化石燃料的依赖，以满足我们不断增长的电力需求。然而，福岛第一核电站事故和许多国家暂停铀矿开采大大改变了预期的复兴。在核科学中仍然存在许多科学挑战：许多核电厂退役，核废料数量增加，电离辐射在治疗和诊断中的使用增加，气候变化对脆弱环境中放射性核素分布的影响，采矿残留物中存在放射性核素（包括来自稀土开采的）和水力压裂工艺，以及关于低剂量辐射影响的争论。* 为了应对这些挑战，我们需要更好地测量、评估和监测放射性，以评估我们自己的活动对我们自己和环境的影响。新的放射性分析方法（例如样品制备、测量、自动化）将使监测更快、更具成本效益。** 在我们之前的发现资助中，我们专注于开发新的放射性分析工具，用于检测和定量超铀元素。基于我们最近使用新兴分析技术的进展，我们将通过将新的和新兴的概念和工具纳入分析化学中，将我们的研究扩展到天然存在的和其他难以检测的放射性核素（HTDR）。** 在本提案所涉研究期间，我们将研究和开发新的化学和仪器方法，以促进对工业、生物和环境基质中天然存在和人为放射性核素的探测和量化。** 现在，我们将研究：** 在CPE中使用新的配体用于其他放射性核素的预富集和开发用于环境样品的多组分和多分析CPE;** 开发用于放射性核素被动监测的功能化材料（对采矿业、核工人生物测定、井水所有者和地球化学家有益）;* * 无机质谱的可用性（ICP-MS/MS）用于快速检测难以检测的放射性核素（减少峰拖尾和限制干扰物质形成的新方法）;以及 ** 设计了一个与富集挥发模块（EVM）耦合的介观流体阀上实验室（MLOV），用于同时进行预浓缩和增强样品-等离子体转移适合HTDR的无机质谱分析。*这些分析创新将为评估和尽量减少环境影响提供更快、更准确和更具成本效益的工具。这反过来又将提高我们探测和量化环境中可能的超低水平放射性核素排放的能力，并提供科学支持，帮助保护植物群和动物群免受电离辐射的影响。

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.*****