Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yibin Zhang, Lin Sun, Qing Yan, Xianyu Qiu, Yueting Cheng, Boling Wang, Xiaoping Tan, Mingxi Fang, Rudy L. Luck, Haiying Liu
Summary: A novel near-infrared fluorescent probe has been developed for uranyl ion detection, showing a strong fluorescence response to the ions.
MICROCHEMICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Amber Mertens, Nele Horemans, Eline Saenen, Robin Nauts, Ann Cuypers
Summary: This study found that calcium influences uranium uptake and toxicity in the terrestrial plant Arabidopsis thaliana, affecting plant growth and oxidative stress. Uranium, in turn, influences calcium uptake and distribution. The expression of calcium transporters is also influenced by uranium and calcium channel blockers.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Melanie A. Trenfield, Ceiwen J. Pease, Samantha L. Walker, Scott J. Markich, Chris L. Humphrey, Rick A. van Dam, Andrew J. Harford
Summary: Six tropical freshwater species were used to assess the toxicity of mine waters from a uranium mine in northern Australia. The study found that in over 90% of cases, mine-water toxicity was less than predicted, indicating that existing water quality guideline values for U, Mg, Mn, and TAN are adequate to protect ecosystems downstream of the mine.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Liqun Huang, Ge Sun, Wenli Xu, Shufang Li, Xiujun Qin, Quan An, Zhongwen Wang, Jianguo Li
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the endocytosis mechanisms of uranium uptake in HK-2 cells and assess its toxic effects. Results showed that uranium exposure disrupted redox homeostasis, increased cell membrane permeability and mitochondrial membrane permeability, leading to apoptosis via cytochrome-c leakage. The alkaline phosphatase activity increased after uranium exposure, suggesting intracellular mineralisation of uranium and subsequent cell necrosis. Furthermore, clathrin-mediated endocytosis played a crucial role in uranium uptake in HK-2 cells, and there was a strong negative correlation (r = -0.853) between total uranium uptake and cell viability according to Pearson correlation analysis. In conclusion, uranium uptake in mammalian cells was mainly facilitated by clathrin-mediated endocytosis pathway and induced dose-dependent cellular toxicity, including redox homeostasis imbalance, membrane injury, apoptosis, and necrosis.
ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Le Zhang, Yanhong Zhao, Hongzhou Song, Xingyu Gao, Qili Zhang, Yu Liu, Bo Sun, Mingfeng Tian, Haifeng Song, Haifeng Liu
Summary: This study investigates the thermodynamic stability of uranium hydrides, revealing the initial decomposition mechanism and discussing the effects of temperature and hydrogen pressure. The findings provide new insights and a practical method for scientific studies of uranium hydride.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wei Jiang, Qi-fa Pan, Xu Huang, Gan Li, Yun Fang, Hua-qin Kou, Tao Tang
Summary: The hydrogen absorption properties of depleted uranium in impure hydrogen containing various gases were studied. The behavior of these impurities can be classified into three categories: inert gases that hinder hydrogen diffusion, gases that form nitrides and oxides reducing capacity, and gases that chemically adsorb on the uranium surface inhibiting hydrogen adsorption and dissociation. These conclusions are important for studying mixed gas reactivity with uranium and can be used as a reference for other hydrogen storage systems.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
Emily N. Weerakkody, Nick G. Glumac
Summary: Absorption spectroscopy using a xenon flash lamp has been used to investigate laser-produced plasmas, showcasing signatures from various species such as uranium monoxide at high resolution. Challenges and critical issues in utilizing broadband absorption to determine ground state parameters in laser plasmas are discussed.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS D-APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kohei Miyake, Tomoya Yasujima, Syunsuke Takahashi, Takahiro Yamashiro, Hiroaki Yuasa
Summary: Recent studies have revealed the role of specific amino acid residues in the unique pyridoxine transport function of human solute carrier SLC19A3. These residues are critical for pyridoxine transport and are mostly conserved in SLC19A3 orthologs that can transport pyridoxine. The findings provide insights into the molecular basis of SLC19A3's unique functional characteristics.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yichuan Liu, Yalan Liu, Lin Wang, Shilin Jiang, Yuke Zhong, Yanze Wu, Mei Li, Weiqun Shi
Summary: In this study, the dissolution behavior of U3O8 and UO3 in LiCl-KCl molten salt was investigated using AlCl3 as a chlorination agent. It was found that the dissolution products of U3O8 and UO3 were different when AlCl3 was present, and with higher AlCl3 content, the UO2Cl42- in the dissolved products tended to transform into UCl62-.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Liandong Zhang, Jian Chu, Binyuan Xia, Zhonghua Xiong, Shaoyu Zhang, Wei Tang
Summary: Uranium contamination is a significant global health issue, particularly through inhalation of particulate uranium. Studies have shown a possible association between lung cancer risk and uranium exposure, but evidence for other tumors is limited. Animal experiments have demonstrated respiratory and central nervous system damage from particulate uranium exposure. However, understanding of the health risks and toxicological mechanisms of particulate uranium contamination is still preliminary.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jin-long Lai, Ze-wei Liu, Chen Li, Xue-gang Luo
Summary: This study aimed to uncover the accumulation and phytotoxicity mechanism of sweet potato roots after exposure to toxic levels of uranium and cadmium. Different sweet potato cultivars showed varietal differences in U and Cd accumulation, with high concentrations inhibiting growth and damaging root microstructure. U and Cd mainly accumulated in root cell walls and vacuoles, affecting mineral nutrition and photosynthetic metabolism, while RNA-seq analysis revealed responses in cell wall and plant hormone signal transduction pathways to U and Cd toxicity.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Pooja Panwar, Abhishek Joshi, Krishna Pal Singh, Mukesh Prasad, Rohit Mehra, S. K. Sahoo, R. C. Ramola
Summary: This study reports the concentrations of uranium and heavy metals in drinking water samples from Garhwal Himalaya, India using LED Fluorimeter and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) respectively. The risks associated with the consumption of uranium in water were evaluated. The concentrations of uranium and heavy metals were within safe limits according to WHO and USEPA guidelines.
JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Yan Yuan, Tianyu Chen, Feifei Zhang, Yuanyuan Liu, Guolin Xiong, Guang-Yi Wei, Tais W. Dahl, Wen Yan, Hong-Fei Ling, Hai Cheng, Shu-Zhong Shen
Summary: The uranium isotope ratio in marine carbonates is an important tool for reconstructing past oceanic redox conditions. However, diagenetic processes may complicate this proxy by introducing isotopically heavy uranium into the carbonates. This study quantifies the valence states of trace amounts of uranium in geological carbonate samples and finds that modern coral carbonates faithfully record uranium from seawater. Surprisingly, drill core samples from a modern coral carbonate platform show a significant positive correlation between a specific valence state of uranium and the uranium isotope ratio, suggesting the presence of this valence state in marine carbonates and its influence on the uranium isotope ratio. The study suggests that coupled valence and isotope analyses of uranium in marine carbonates could provide critical constraints for reconstructing marine redox evolution.
GEOCHIMICA ET COSMOCHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Simon Bayle, Maria Rosa Beccia, Christophe Moulin, Pier Lorenzo Solari, Christophe Den Auwer, Pierre Crancon
Summary: In this article, the speciation and behavior of anthropogenic metallic uranium deposited on natural soil were studied using a combination of EXAFS and TRLFS techniques. The study revealed that uranium migration is limited by sorption onto soil and rock constituents, particularly mineral carbonates and organic matter. Multiple adsorption complexes of uranyl onto carbonate materials were inferred, and the presence of a uranium-humic substance complex in subsurface soil materials was confirmed.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Eugene S. Ilton, Richard N. Collins, Cristiana L. Ciobanu, Nigel J. Cook, Max Verdugo-Ihl, Ashley D. Slattery, David J. Paterson, Sebastian T. Mergelsberg, Eric J. Bylaska, Kathy Ehrig
Summary: Research demonstrates that pentavalent uranium can stably exist in 1.6 billion year old hematite, which is significant for the geologic sequestration of nuclear waste, uranium-lead dating, and the use of uranium isotopes as paleo redox proxies.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Fiona Sewell, Ian Ragan, Graham Horgan, David Andrew, Thomas Holmes, Irene Manou, Boris P. Mueller, Tim Rowan, Barbara G. Schmitt, Marco Corvaro
Summary: There are currently three test guidelines for acute oral toxicity studies, but the subjectivity of one guideline may be hindering its wider use. In order to address this, the NC3Rs and EPAA collaborated to analyze historical data and provide recommendations on the recognition of 'evident toxicity'.
REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Michael DeVito, Bas Bokkers, Majorie B. M. van Duursen, Karin van Ede, Mark Feeley, Elsa Antunes Fernandes Gaspar, Laurie Haws, Sean Kennedy, Richard E. Peterson, Ron Hoogenboom, Keiko Nohara, Kim Petersen, Cynthia Rider, Martin Rose, Stephen Safe, Dieter Schrenk, Matthew W. Wheeler, Daniele S. Wikoff, Bin Zhao, Martin van den Berg
Summary: In October 2022, the World Health Organization reevaluated the toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) for chlorinated dioxin-like compounds in a panel convened in Lisbon. This effort utilized an updated database, Bayesian dose response modeling, and meta-analysis to derive Best-Estimate TEFs. Applying these new TEFs may result in lower total toxic equivalents for dioxin-like chemicals.
REGULATORY TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY
(2024)