Nuclear and Radiochemistry Fundamentals and Applications

Karl Heinrich Lieser9783527294534, 3-527-29453-8

This handbook gives a complete and concise description of the up-to-date knowledge of nuclear and radiochemsitry and applications in the various fields of science. I is based on teaching courses and on research for over 40 years. The book is addressed to any researcher whishing sound knowledge about the properties of matter, be it a chemist, a physicist, a medical doctor, a mineralogist or a biologist. They will all find it a valuable source of information about the principles and applications of nuclear and radiochemistry. Research in radiochemistry includes: Study of radioactice matter in nature, investigation of radioactive transmutations by chemical methods, chemistry of radioelements etc. Applications include: Radionuclides in geo- and cosmochemistry, dating by nuclear methods, radioanalysis, M?ssbaur spectroscopy and related methods, behaviour of natural and man-made radionuclides in the environment, dosimetry and radiation protection. All subjects are presented clearly and comprehensibly, and in logical sequence. Detailed derivations of equations are avoided and relevant information is compiled in tables. The recent edition of the multi-coloured Karlsruhe ‘Chart of the Nuclides’ is included. Clearly a standard work by an author with extensive experience in research and teaching.

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Table of contents :
Nuclear and Radiochemistry: Fundamentals and Applications……Page 2
Contents……Page 10
Preface……Page 8
1.2 Radioactive Substances in Nature……Page 16
Literature……Page 19
2.1 Periodic Table of the Elements……Page 20
2.2 Isotopes and the Chart of the Nuclides……Page 21
2.3 Stability and Transmutation of Nuclides……Page 25
2.4 Binding Energies of Nuclei……Page 26
2.5 Nuclide Masses……Page 29
Literature……Page 31
3.1 Properties of Nuclei……Page 34
3.2 Elementary Particles and Quarks……Page 39
Literature……Page 42
4.1 Decay Series……Page 44
4.2 Law and Energy of Radioactive Decay……Page 47
4.3 Radioactive Equilibria……Page 50
4.4 Secular Radioactive Equilibrium……Page 52
4.5 Transient Radioactive Equilibrium……Page 54
4.6 Half-life of Mother Nuclide Shorter than Half-life of Daughter Nuclide……Page 55
4.7 Similar Half-lives……Page 56
4.8 Branching Decay……Page 57
4.9 Successive Transformations……Page 59
Literature……Page 61
5.1 Survey……Page 62
5.2 Alpha-Decay……Page 64
5.3 Beta-Decay……Page 68
5.4 Gamma-Transitions……Page 76
5.5 Proton-Decay and Other Rare Decay Modes……Page 81
5.6 Spontaneous Fission……Page 82
Literature……Page 87
6.1 General Properties……Page 90
6.2 Alpha Radiation……Page 92
6.3 Beta Radiation……Page 96
6.4 Gamma Radiation……Page 100
6.5 Neutrons……Page 105
6.6 Short-lived Elementary Particles in Atoms and Molecules……Page 106
Literature……Page 108
7.1 Activity and Counting Rate……Page 110
7.2 Gas-filled Detectors……Page 115
7.3 Scintillation Detectors……Page 119
7.4 Semiconductor Detectors……Page 121
7.5 Choice of Detectors……Page 125
7.6 Spectrometry……Page 128
7.7 Determination of Absolute Disintegration Rates……Page 131
7.9 Low-level Counting……Page 132
7.10 Neutron Detection and Measurement……Page 133
7.1 1 Statistics and Errors of Counting……Page 134
7.12 Track Detectors……Page 135
7.13 Detectors Used in Health Physics……Page 139
Literature……Page 140
8.1 Mono- and Binuclear Reactions……Page 142
8.2 Energetics of Nuclear Reactions……Page 143
8.3 Projectiles for Nuclear Reactions……Page 145
8.4 Cross Sections of Nuclear Reactions……Page 149
8.5 Yield of Nuclear Reactions……Page 153
8.6 Investigation of Nuclear Reactions……Page 158
8.7 Mechanisms of Nuclear Reactions……Page 159
8.8 Low-energy Reactions……Page 161
8.9 Nuclear Fission……Page 164
8.10 High-energy Reactions……Page 173
8.11 Heavy-ion Reactions……Page 177
8.12 Nuclear Fusion – Thermonuclear Reactions……Page 180
Literature……Page 184
9.1 General Aspects……Page 186
9.2 Recoil Effects……Page 187
9.3 Excitation Effects……Page 192
9.4 Gases and Liquids……Page 196
9.5 Solids……Page 199
9.6 Szilard-Chalmers Reactions……Page 203
9.7 Recoil Labelling and Self-labelling……Page 204
Literature……Page 206
10.1 Survey……Page 208
10.2 Dependence of Half-lives on Chemical Bonding……Page 209
10.4 Mössbauer Spectrometry……Page 210
Literature……Page 214
1 1.1 Energy Production by Nuclear Fission……Page 216
1 1.2 Nuclear Fuel and Fuel Cycles……Page 221
11.3 Production of Uranium and Uranium Compounds……Page 226
1 1.4 Fuel Elements……Page 228
11.5 Nuclear Reactors, Moderators and Coolants……Page 232
1 1.6 Reprocessing……Page 239
11.7 Radioactive Waste……Page 244
1 1.8 The Natural Reactors at Oklo……Page 247
11.9 Controlled Thermonuclear Reactors……Page 248
11.10 Nuclear Explosives……Page 250
Literature……Page 251
12.1 Production in Nuclear Reactors……Page 254
12.2 Production by Accelerators……Page 259
12.3 Separation Techniques……Page 264
12.4 Radionuclide Generators……Page 268
12.5 Labelled Compounds……Page 270
Literature……Page 276
13.1 Short-lived Radionuclides and the Role of Carriers……Page 280
13.3 Microamounts of Radioactive Substances……Page 282
13.4 Radiocolloids……Page 286
Literature……Page 289
14.1 Natural and Artificial Radioelements……Page 292
14.2 Technetium and Promethium……Page 295
14.3 Production of Transuranium Elements……Page 298
14.4 Further Extension of the Periodic Table of the Elements……Page 307
14.5 Properties of the Actinides……Page 309
14.6 Properties of the Transactinides……Page 315
Literature……Page 321
15.1 Natural Abundances of the Elements and Isotope Variations……Page 324
15.2 General Aspects of Cosmochemistry……Page 327
15.3 Early Stages of the Universe……Page 328
15.4 Synthesis of the Elements in the Stars……Page 330
15.5 Evolution of the Stars……Page 332
15.6 Evolution of the Earth……Page 333
15.7 Interstellar Matter and Cosmic Radiation……Page 335
Literature……Page 336
16.1 General Aspects……Page 338
16.2 Cosmogenic Radionuclides……Page 339
16.3 Terrestrial Mother/Daughter Nuclide Pairs……Page 343
16.4 Natural Decay Series……Page 345
16.5 Ratios of Stable Isotopes……Page 347
16.6 Radioactive Disequilibria……Page 348
16.7 Fission Tracks……Page 349
Literature……Page 350
17.1 General Aspects……Page 352
17.2 Analysis on the Basis of Inherent Radioactivity……Page 353
17.3 Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA)……Page 355
17.4 Activation by Charged Particles……Page 359
17.5 Activation by Photons……Page 361
17.6 Special Features of Activation Analysis……Page 362
17.7 Isotope Dilution Analysis……Page 364
17.8 Radiometric Methods……Page 366
17.10 Absorption and Scattering of Radiation……Page 368
17.1 1 Radionuclides as Radiation Sources in X-ray Fluorescence Analysis (XFA)……Page 369
Literature……Page 370
18.2 Chemical Equilibria and Chemical Bonding……Page 372
18.3 Reaction Mechanisms in Homogeneous Systems……Page 374
18.4 Reaction Mechanisms in Heterogeneous Systems……Page 378
18.5 Diffusion and Transport Processes……Page 383
18.6 Emanation Techniques……Page 384
Literature……Page 387
19.1 Survey……Page 388
19.3 Radioanalysis in The Life Sciences……Page 389
19.4 Application in Physiological and Metabolic Studies……Page 391
19.5 Radionuclides Used in Nuclear Medicine……Page 392
19.6 Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPET)……Page 395
19.7 Positron Emission Tomography (PET)……Page 396
Literature……Page 397
20.1 Radiotracer Techniques……Page 400
20.2 Absorption and Scattering of Radiation……Page 402
20.3 Radiation-induced Reactions……Page 403
20.4 Energy Production by Nuclear Radiation……Page 406
Literature……Page 408
21.1 Sources of Radioactivity……Page 410
21.2 Mobility of Radionuclides in the Geosphere……Page 413
21.3 Reactions of Radionuclides with the Components of Natural Waters……Page 415
21.4 Interactions of Radionuclides with Solid Components of the Geosphere……Page 419
21.5 Radionuclides in the Biosphere……Page 423
Literature……Page 428
22.1 Dosimetry……Page 432
22.2 External Radiation Sources……Page 435
22.3 Internal Radiation Sources……Page 436
22.4 Radiation Effects in Cells……Page 438
22.5 Radiation Effects in Man, Animals and Plants……Page 439
22.6 Non-occupational Radiation Exposure……Page 442
22.7 Safety Recommendations……Page 444
22.8 Safety Regulations……Page 446
Literature……Page 449
Glossary……Page 452
Relevant Journals……Page 454
Name Index……Page 456
Subject Index……Page 458