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Minority Access To Research Careers New Mexico State University URCAS 2008
Minority Access To Research Careers
New Mexico State UniversityURCAS 2008
By,Nicholas G. Beltran
Mentor: Dr. Antonio S. [email protected]
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
“Water Purification by Modified Soil Sorbents”
Appropriate solution to uranium contamination has a great
impact on citizens worldwide, especially New Mexicans and people along the US-
Mexico border.
New Mexico solution to a
New Mexico problem
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
Overall Problem
Currently FAST, INEXPENSIVE
method to remove uranium from water
DOES NOT EXIST
Specific Problem
Causes of the problem Uranium is a
naturally-occurring element
All are alpha emitters
If incorporated into the body may cause health effects
Chemical Toxicity
U-238Half-life in
years4.5x109
Natural abundance
99.3%
Radioactivity
U-235Half-life in
years7.0x108
Natural abundance
0.72%
Other
U-234Half-life in
years245,500
Natural abundance
0.005%
Uranium is an alpha emitter
Where can uranium be found?
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
Effects of the problem
Chemical toxicity (U-238) Natural abundance 99.3%
Heavy metal chemistry (Poisonous to humans)
Kidney damageU deposits in the brain from the blood
streamRisk for developing nervous system toxicity as
a result of uranium accumulation in the brain.
Effects of the problem
Re-opening of U mines
With the re-opening of U mines, there will be an increase of
exposure
Causes of the problem
•
Abandoned Uranium Mines ProjectNavajo Nation (MINES) EPA
Abandoned Uranium Mines ProjectNavajo Nation (SPRINGS) EPA
Eastern AUM Region
Grants Uranium Mining DistrictEPA
•
Possible SolutionSOILS WORK!
Readily Available
Manageable
Inexpensive
Large surface area
Cation Exchange Capacity
Berino Soil
ICP/MS ResultsGallup Soil
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
010
020
030
040
050
0
Uranium Abatement Concentration
Time in Minutes
Conc
entr
atio
n in
ppb
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
010
020
030
040
050
0
Uranium Abatement Concentration
Time in Minutes
Conc
entr
atio
n in
ppb
•
Four Corners / New Mexico
Gallup
Grants
Gallup
Grants
Inductively Coupled Plasma / Mass SpectrographVersus
LS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer
Future Research
ICP/MSVery sensitive down to 1 ppb
But, volume does not remain constant
LS 55 Luminescence SpectrometerVolume of the sample remains constant
Volume and Soil Surface Area used as a control
But, limit of detection ~500 ppb
Excitation245 nm
Future Research
Emission515 nm
LS 55 Luminescence SpectrometerPhosphorescence measurement
•
Future ResearchLS 55 Luminescence Spectrometer
Allows measurment of phosphorescence
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)
Future Research
For a complete solution to uranium contamination
Bacterial Field Assay
Provide reliable detection of toxicity in potential drinking water.
Is there something else?
Future Research
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
References&
Acknowledgements
Any questions, comments, concerns?
Thank You
By,Nicholas G. Beltran
Mentor: Dr. Antonio S. [email protected]
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
“Water Purification by Modified Soil Sorbents”
