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Distribution of 137Cs, 40K and 7Be in tissues of the silver fir-tree was studied. Samples of the shoots were taken at six locations in Croatia during five years. Shoots were cut according to the year of growth and analyzed. Distribution between needles and twigs was also studied. Samples of the tree rings and the bark were taken at three locations. 137Cs and 40K showed very similar distributions. 137Cs and 40K activities were age-dependent and increased in decreasing age of twigs and needles. The highest activities were measured in the youngest twigs. The highest 7Be activities were found in the twigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents comparison of two methods for the determination of 55Fe activity of waste waters discharged from the Krsko nuclear power plant (KNPP). Research was conducted on 12 composite samples of waste water collected in the waste monitor tank (WMT) during each month as well as on Analytics, Inc. cross-check sample. Results showed that the complicated and time-consuming method proposed by the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) could be successfully replaced with a simple and fast based on the extraction of 55Fe from waste water by non-specific chelating agent ammonium-pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (APDC) at pH 4 after separation from cobalt, and activity measurement by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRS). Results obtained by the XRS method were approximately 8.6% lower than those obtained by liquid scintillation spectrometer (LSC). The mean deviation of the XRS results from the activity of cross-check sample was 2.47%, which ensures that this method is accurate enough for environmental monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Gamma-spectrometric measurements of 137Cs activities in meat of wild boars collected in Croatia at several locations with different levels of 137Cs contamination are presented. Samples were collected during the period between 2000 and 2002, about 15 years after the Chernobyl accident. 137Cs concentrations ranged over three orders of magnitude: 0.4–611.5Bqkg−1. On the basis of these results, 137Cs concentrations at researched areas could be categorized into three groups: (i) the area of Slavonski Brod, Lipik and Slunj with 137Cs concentrations in meat of only a few Bqkg−1; (ii) the area of Vrbovsko and Sirac with 137Cs concentrations of a few tens of Bqkg−1; and (iii) the Fužine area with 137Cs values in wild boar meat of a few hundreds of Bqkg−1. In areas with approximately equal contamination level, 137Cs concentrations in wild boar meat varied over two orders of magnitude. This fact suggests that the main reason for high 137Cs values in wild boar meat could be due to food consumed by wild boars, and only secondarily in contamination level of area where they live. Intensive mushroom consumption during autumn months could be one of the factors responsible for high 137Cs values in wild boar meat. An average dose arising from 137Cs due to ingestion of wild boar meat in Croatia is below radiological health concern except in the area of Fužine, and only in cases of high annual wild boar meat intake, probably by hunters or members of their families. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a new treatment procedure applied on phosphogypsum transport water. Untreated transport water is highly acidic (pH 1.79), having fluoride content of 1540 mg/L and elevated values of phosphates (215 mg/L) and heavy metals (Fe=25.8 mg/L; Zn=5.7 mg/L; Mn=2.7 mg/L, V=1.7 mg/L). Neutralization/purification of the transport water was carried out with wood fly ash, otherwise a rich source of calcium, composed of calcite, dipotassium calcium carbonate and hydroxylapatite. Maximum removal efficiency of fluoride was observed at pH 7 (99.99%) and phosphate at pH 9 (96.29%). The removal of fluorides was a consequence of the formation of fluorite and fluorapatite mineral phases derived from the reaction of calcium (released from the fly ash minerals) and fluorides (from the transport water). The removal of phosphates resulted from the formation of fluorapathite and hydroxilapatite. At the optimum conditions removal efficiencies for the elements Pb, V, Cr(VI), Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Zn were 95%, 98.14%, 91.11%, 100%, 99.71%, 96.33%, 97.24%, and 99.65%, respectively. Optimal heavy metal removal occurred in major cases at pH 7.

A new analytical procedure for determination of lanthanides in environmental samples after chemical separation from major matrix elements on DOWEX 50W-X8 resin followed by preconcentration with chelating agent ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (APDC) and analyses of thin targets by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) method using 109Cd as the source of excitation was presented. Characteristic Lalpha X-ray lines of the lanthanides were used for calculations of the net peak area and mass concentrations. The influence of pH value of the solution and addition of organic matter on the complexation was investigated. Percentage of recovery of each lanthanide after separation on DOWEX 50W-X8 resin was also determined. Accuracy of the method was tested on standard reference materials and real environmental samples (red mud material). For that purpose samples of standard reference materials and red mud were prepared as thick targets and directly analyzed (without the separation step) by EDXRF method using 241Am as the excitation source. In that case lanthanides concentrations were determined over their characteristic Kalpha X-ray lines and results were compared with those obtained after separation/preconcentration step described above. Results showed that selected lanthanides made stable complexes with APDC in the alkaline medium with the maximum recovery at pH=8. The presence of organic matter slightly modified the complexation by means of somewhat higher recovery percentage at pH lower than 7 and approx. 20% lower recovery at pH higher than 7. Recovery of the elements after separation on DOWEX 50W-X8 resin and preconcentration with APDC at pH=8 varied from 91.4% (Pr) to only 24.9% in the case of Dy. Concentrations of lanthanides measured in standard reference material and environmental samples of red mud after microwave digestion, separation on DOWEX 50W-X8 resin, preconcentration with APDC at pH=8 and recalculation on the percentage of recovery were in good agreement with certified values in the case of SRM as well as with the concentrations obtained by direct determination over Kalpha lines using 241Am excitation source in the case of red mud leading to the conclusion that presented method was applicable for the determination of lanthanides in real environmental samples.

A new procedure for electroplating wastewater treatment using waste by-product (ferrous-sulfate) and waste (wood fly ash) is presented. Ferrous-sulfate was employed for Cr(VI) reduction whereas neutralization and heavy metal removal from electroplating wastewaters was performed using wood fly ash. Heavy metal removal efficiency varied from 97.5% for Cu to 99.973% for Zn. Satisfying results can be achieved already at the pH 8. The method is suitable for the purposes of wastewater treatment and disposal in compliance with environmental laws. Furthermore, it is technically simple, cost-efficient and requires less space compared to the classical methodology. According to the composition of its water extractable fraction remaining waste ash could be safely deposited on domestic waste repositories.

This study was undertaken to investigate the suitability of applying the conventional method of chemical deinking flotation of digital offset prints and ecological implications of the disposal of digital offset prints, with special emphasis on the content of heavy metal cations. The EDXRF method was used to determine the concentrations of Pb, Zr, Sr, As, Co, Zn, Cu, Ni, Fe, Mn, Cr, V, Ti, Ca, and K cations in handsheet ashes after flotation as well as in ashes of foams separated from cellulose suspension in the flotation phase. The same method was applied to determine the concentrations of Pb, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, and Co in process water filtrates obtained from the cellulose suspension after flotation and in foam filtrates. Centrifuging and coagulation previously treated flotation process water, while foam filtrates were centrifuged. Concentrations of Pb, As, Sr, Zr, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn were determined in the sediments obtained by centrifuging process water. The trials were done with unprinted substrates without deinking chemicals, with unprinted substrates in the presence of deinking chemicals and with printed substrates in the presence of deinking chemicals. Cation analysis revealed that deinking chemicals facilitate release of cations from the substrate and their transition into process water. Concentrations of most cations in the flotation process water, in foam water as well as in the sediment of the process water of printed substrate flotation deinking were lower than those obtained by flotation of unprinted substrate suspension. Polymer particles of ElectroInk incompletely separated from cellulose fibers prevent release of cations from cellulose fibers into process water. Deinking chemicals do not affect release of cations from ElectroInk particles, so the substrate is the main source of increased concentration of cations in the water of digital offset print deinking. The major part of cations in process water is bound to the colloid particles of the filler (CaCO3) released by substrate disintegration and to particles of fine fibers.

The objective of this study was chemical and radiological characterization of soil samples affected by the dust emission and slag dumping from ferro-manganese smelter as well as uptake of metals by vegetation growing on that soil. Iron was the main component of metallurgical slag deposited near the smelter. Slag material was highly enriched in Zn, Cr, Cu, Co, and Pb. V and Cr were enriched in the soil taken near the smelter approximately by a factor of two, Pb and Cu were increased fivefold whereas the mean content of Mn was about 130 times higher than the levels in background soil samples. Activities of agricultural soil samples were typical for the soil developed on late Cretaceous carbonate surface. 40K, 232Th, and 137Cs showed somewhat lower activities in background soil compared to the soil taken near the smelter while the opposite was found for 226Ra and 238U. Plot of factor 1 against factor 2, obtained by Principal component analysis, showed perfect separation of the samples taken in the vicinity of the smelter, slag material, and normal background agricultural soil. Perfect correlation (Canonical R =0.992) was obtained between chemical composition of soil and vegetation samples taken from the same spots. The content of Mn was approximately 36 times higher in vegetation taken from the vicinity of the smelter compared to the background values.