Minority Access To Research Careers

By,Nicholas G. Beltran

beltrann@nmsu.edu

Mentor: Dr. Antonio S. Laraalara@nmsu.edu

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Appropriate solution to uranium contamination has a great

impact on citizens worldwide, especially New Mexicans and people along the US-

Mexico border.

Uranium is toxic Radioactivity Chemical toxicity

People are vulnerable to toxic uranium water – this is especially true in New Mexico

New Mexico is the uranium capital of the world (Grants, NM)

New surge in uranium mining expected

Currently

FAST, INEXPENSIVE method

to remove uranium from waterDOES NOT EXIST

Uranium is a naturally-occurring element

All are alpha emitters

If incorporated into the body may cause health effects

Rocks / Soil

Air

Water

Food

EPA Setting Standards for Safe

Drinking water

(Uranium has a limit of 30 parts per

billion)

Radioactive (U-235) Natural abundance 0.72%

Chromosomal damage

Alpha particles get into the body and are destructive to tissue and cells

Chromosomal breakage may result in translocation

Genetic mutations

May cause birth defects in future generations

Chemical toxicity (U-238) Natural abundance 99.3%

Heavy metal chemistry (Poisonous to humans)

Kidney damage

U deposits in the brain from the blood stream

Risk for developing nervous system toxicity as a result of uranium accumulation in the brain.

With the re-opening of U mines, there will be an increase of exposure

•

•

Readily Available

Manageable

Inexpensive

Large surface area

Cation Exchange Capacity

Gallup Soil•

Gallup

Grants

Gallup

Grants

Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass SpectrographVersus

LS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer

ICP/MS

Very sensitive down to 1 ppb

But, volume does not remain constant

LS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer

Volume of the sample remains constant

Volume and Soil Surface Area used as a control

But, limit of detection ~500 ppb

Emission515 nm

LS 55 Luminescence SpectrometerPhosphorescence measurement

•

Uranium Nitrate or

Uranyl NitrateUO2(NO3)2 • 6H2O

When exposed to ultraviolet light, U is visible as a faint green glow

Uranyl Nitrate 100 ppm phosphorescing

LS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)

QUASI

Binding site distribution

Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass Spectrograph (ICP/MS)

For a complete solution to uranium contamination

Bacterial Field Assay

Provide reliable detection of toxicity in potential drinking water.

Is there something else?

EPA. (2006) Uranium Location Database Compilation. EPA 402-R-05-009. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air, Radiation Protection Division (6608J), Washington, DC. Available at http://www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/tenorm/402-r-05-009.pdf

Southwest Research and Information Center (SRIC). (2007) Uranium Impact Assessment Program. Available at http://www.sric.org/uranium/

Environmental & Occupational Health. Available at http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/medsearch/EnviornmentalOccupationa/DepletedUranium_home.shtml

http://www.viaggimagazine.it/VM/guide/stati-uniti/cartina-new-mexico.jpg

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Grant No. GMO 7667-30

Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) Program

Special thanks to Dr. Lara, Dr. Parra, Dr. Ulery

Any questions, comments, concerns?

By,Nicholas G. Beltran

beltrann@nmsu.edu

Mentor: Dr. Antonio S. Laraalara@nmsu.edu

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry