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Abstract  

Methods to determine U, Th, and other constituent elements in mineral matrices through Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), have been widely utilized due to their capability to extract a large quantity of information from small samples. In the present work, an experimental methodology based on INAA associated to the cluster statistics technique was used to determine the uranium concentration and its correlation with other elements present in the mineral phosphorites from the northeast region of Brazil. Data for 22 elements including rare-earth elements are presented. A good correlation between uranium and rare-earth elements is observed. For the transition metals, correlation with uranium was not noted.

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Abstract  

The thermal decomposition of Nafion has been studied by means of high-resolution and constant heating rate thermogravimetry (TG), under nitrogen and synthetic air atmospheres. Nafion membranes have been studied in acid and salt (alkali chlorides) forms. The TG curves of Nafion with alkali countercations show similar profiles, whichever the atmosphere employed. The kinetics of thermal decomposition of the Nafion-Cs+ has also been studied. The method employed to calculate the kinetic parameters and to estimate the polymer lifetime from the data was based on Kissinger's method.

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Abstract  

Proline and hydroxyproline are two amino acids which due to their analogous chemical structures give similar reactions and often appear together. In view of the high percentage of proline in wheat gluten we have investigated the presence of hydroxyproline in wheat flour. We have developed a method to separate the two amino acids after separation from other interfering amino acids which are present in flour. The method of separation utilizes an ion-exchange column/Dowex 50 X-8, 100–200 resin/. The separated amino acids are determined either by spectrophotometry or isotope dilution /14C/ The latter method is more rapid and more sensitive than the spectrophotometric method.

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Abstract  

A Spanish hazardous waste from tertiary aluminium industry was used as a raw material for the synthesis of calcium aluminate. An amorphous precursor was obtained by a hydrothermal method at different values of pH. The transformation of the precursor in a crystalline aluminate was followed by TG/DTA up to 1300 °C. At temperatures between 719 and 744 °C, the precursors evolve towards the formation of C12A7 which becomes CA at circa 1016 °C. Mass spectrometry coupled to thermal analyser allowed the identification of the decomposition products.

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Summary  

An approach for half-life determination using the reference source method associated with gamma-spectrometry with a Ge detector is presented. The method reduces the contribution of the type B component of the total uncertainty. The independence of the method regarding the instrumental interferences or radiochemical impurities was evidenced. However, there are some limitations when the method is applied for a genetically-related impurity with the same or very similar energy to that of the radionuclide to be measured, e.g., if 99Mo in a 99mTc sample is present. The measured half-life values are in good agreement with those of the literature and the associated uncertainties are lower than 0.1%.

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Abstract  

The metal distribution of Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb, and the elemental composition, morphology and relative abundance of particles have been evaluated in suspended matter of the Upper Course of the Lerma River in Mexico. The metal concentrations in the suspended matter decrease in the sequence: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu = Cr > Pb. The Fe and Mn concentrations in the suspended matter are produced principally by natural contributions whereas the Cu, Zn, Cr, and Pb concentrations are produced principally by anthropogenic contributions. In general, the particle groups decrease in the following sequence: aluminosilicate > silica > sulphur > metals > calcium > manganese > iron > calcium carbonate.

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Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry
Authors:
S. Tejeda
,
G. Zarazúa-Ortega
,
P. Avila-Pérez
,
A. García-Mejía
,
L. Carapia-Morales
, and
C. Diaz-Delgado

Summary  

The Lerma is one of the most important rivers of Mexico, where it drains highly populated and industrialized regions. The concentration of six major and trace elements: titanium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper and lead in the surface sediments of the upper course of Lerma river was investigated, in order to identify its distribution along the river and to recognize the principal sites of pollution. The surface sediment samples were collected at 8 sites distributed following the stream flow direction of the river. Major and trace elements concentrations were determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. The results show that the metal concentrations in the sediments decrease in the sequence: Fe > Ti > Mn > Zn > Cu > Pb. Concentration of Fe, Mn and Ti were significantly higher than the other metals in site 8,200 meters downstream the Alzate Dam. The high concentrations and spatial variations of Zn, Cu and Pb in the middle sites of the upper course of the Lerma River indicate that the river pollution is probably associated with urban and industrial discharges.

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Acta Alimentaria
Authors:
J. Montiel-Ventura
,
J.J. Luna-Guevara
,
M.A. Tornero-Campante
,
A. Delgado-Alvarado
, and
M.L. Luna-Guevara

The aim was to examine conditions of convective drying and spray-drying to improve preservation of lycopene content in tomatoes. The weight, size, colour, pH and °Brix values were evaluated in fresh fruit (FF) and colour (L, a, b), hue, and chrome indices were analysed from dried tomatoes, too. Tomato paste was dried (40, 50, 60, and 80 °C with times of 540, 390, 270, and 240 min) under convection conditions and pulverized. In the encapsulation treatments core material with tomato powders of 50, 60, and 70%, shell solution of maltodextrin/gum arabic 1:1, flow rate of 4, 6, 9, and 12 ml min–1, and inlet air T of 160, 170, and 180 °C were used. The physicochemical properties of FF corresponded to a degree of ripeness for consumption. The a, a/b, and hue values of dried tomatoes at 50 °C significantly correlated to red colouring and higher lycopene content (47.98±1.49 mg/100 g). The encapsulation with 50% and 60% of tomato powders, 170 °C and 9 ml min–1 treatments increased lycopene contents to 10.41 mg/100 g, 10.20 mg/100 g, and 11.51 mg/100 g, respectively. The results demonstrated that the physicochemical and functional properties were influenced by drying conditions, providing useful information for increasing the stability of lycopene in dried tomatoes.

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Acta Physiologica Hungarica
Authors:
R Bravo Santos
,
J Delgado
,
J Cubero
,
L Franco
,
S Ruiz-Moyano
,
M Mesa
,
AB Rodríguez
,
C Uguz
, and
C Barriga

The objective of the present study was to compare differences between elderly rats and young obesity-induced rats in their activity/inactivity circadian rhythm. The investigation was motivated by the differences reported previously for the circadian rhythms of both obese and elderly humans (and other animals), and those of healthy, young or mature individuals. Three groups of rats were formed: a young control group which was fed a standard chow for rodents; a young obesity-induced group which was fed a high-fat diet for four months; and an elderly control group with rats aged 2.5 years that was fed a standard chow for rodents. Activity/inactivity data were registered through actimetry using infrared actimeter systems in each cage to detect activity. Data were logged on a computer and chronobiological analysis were performed. The results showed diurnal activity (sleep time), nocturnal activity (awake time), amplitude, acrophase, and interdaily stability to be similar between the young obesity-induced group and the elderly control group, but different in the young control group. We have concluded that obesity leads to a chronodisruption status in the body similar to the circadian rhythm degradation observed in the elderly.

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