Submitted by admin tede (tede@pucgoias.edu.br) on 2016-11-09T12:22:21Z No. of bitstreams: 1 GERALDO DA COSTA JÚNIOR.pdf: 8344933 bytes, checksum: 699cc78030b30d10a7d4d26a5694a627 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-11-09T12:22:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 GERALDO DA COSTA JÚNIOR.pdf: 8344933 bytes, checksum: 699cc78030b30d10a7d4d26a5694a627 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-30 / This dissertation has the objective of analyze the journalistic reports published by the newspaper Correio Braziliense about the radiation accident happened in 1987 in the city of Goiania with the chemical element called Cesium 137. This was the second largest urban radioactive accident of humanity. The circumstances of the accident and how this led to profound and tragic changes in the lives of residents directly and indirectly involved in this case were analyzed. The study was based on journalistic reports that accompanied the event for two decades. This work shows the changes in the journalistic speech over time and compare the firsts reports in 1987 with the lasts in 2007, what demonstrate how the memory is being lost and forgetfulness taking place. The dissertation was structured, besides journalistic reports, by bibliographic research about Cesium 137 and associated events with the accident, distributed in three chapters. The first chapter discuss the accident history. The second chapter brings a brief historic about Correio Braziliense and then shows analysis about the Cesium reports published in the newspaper. The third chapter analyze the speech change between the firsts journalistic reports and the special report of 20 years later the Cesium accident. / Esta dissertação tem por objetivo analisar matérias jornalísticas que foram divulgadas pelo Jornal Correio Braziliense sobre o acidente radioativo acontecido no ano de 1987, na cidade de Goiânia, com o elemento químico denominado Césio 137. Este foi considerado o segundo maior acidente radioativo urbano da humanidade. Foram analisadas as circunstâncias do acidente e de que forma este provocou profundas e trágicas mudanças nas vidas dos moradores envolvidos direta e indiretamente neste caso. O estudo se baseou em reportagens e matérias jornalísticas que acompanharam o acontecimento por duas décadas e visa mostrar as mudanças nos discursos jornalísticos no decorrer do tempo, comparando as primeiras matérias em 1987 com as últimas em 2007, para apontar como a memória foi se perdendo e o esquecimento se instalando em forma de valorização da dor, do sofrimento, em vez do fato. A dissertação foi estruturada, além das matérias jornalísticas, por pesquisas bibliográficas sobre o césio 137 e os acontecimentos relacionados com o acidente, distribuídos em três capítulos. O primeiro relata a história do acidente com o Césio 137; o segundo traz breve histórico sobre o Correio Braziliense e apresenta análises das matérias publicadas neste jornal sobre o Césio; o terceiro analisa a mudança de discurso entre as primeiras matérias jornalísticas e as reportagens especiais por ocasião dos 20 anos do acidente.

O césio 137 (137Cs) é um radionuclídeo crítico do ponto de vista radioecológico por apresentar meia-vida física longa (30 anos), um alto rendimento de fissão e ser um análogo químico do sódio e potássio, elementos fiíndamentais para os seres vivos, presentes em grandes concentrações em todas as células. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar o acúmulo e eliminação do 137pela alga Gracilária caudata e peixe Abudefduf saxatilis, a partir da água do mar contaminada com esse radionuclídeo e obter as constantes de transferência do 137Cs da água para os respectivos organismos. O Fator de Concentração encontrado para o peixe foi de 5,6 ± 0,2 e para a alga de 13,0 ± 0,6. Com 7 e 22 dias, o peixe e a alga, respectivamente eliminaram a metade da quantidade do radionuclídeo acumulado. Para o peixe, também foi verificada a sua eficiência de ingestão para o 137Cs, a partir do alimento contaminado, sendo que o peixe assimilou apenas 47,6% do 137Cs presente no alimento e, com 4 dias já havia eliminado mais da metade da radioatividade ingerida. Foi proposto um modelo tri-compartimental para explicar a distribuição do 137Cs nos compartimentos (água - alga e água - peixe). Os dados obtidos nos experimentos de acúmulo e eliminação do 137Cs foram aplicados no Programa AnaComp, que permite a análise compartimental, quantificando através das constantes de transferência (k) a distribuição do 137Cs da água do mar para os organismos e vice-versa. O Programa AnaComp também permitiu calcular a dose que o homem receberia com o consumo do peixe contaminado com o referido radionuclídeo. Foram verificados os níveis de 137Cs, proveniente do fenômeno fallout, em amostras ambientais, da região de São Sebastião, litoral norte do Estado de São Paulo, onde está localizado o Centro de Biologia Marinha da Universidade de São Paulo - CEBIMar - USP. / From the ecological point of view, 137Cs is a critical radionuclide because its physical halflife is long (30 years), and it has a high fission yield. Besides, it presents similar characteristics to sodium and potassium, fundamental elements for the living organisms, in great concentration in all cells. This work has as aim to study the 137Cs accumulation and elinunatjon by the alga Gracilaria caudata and by the fish Abudefduf saxatilis as well as to obtain the transfer constants of the 137Cs fi-om the water into the organisms. The concentration factor found for the fish was 5.6 ± 0.2 and for the alga, 13.0 ± Q.6. With 7 and 22 days, the fish and alga respectively had already ehminated naif of ihe accumulated radionuclide. The 137Cs ingestion efficiency by the fish was also studied and it was verified that the fish assimilated only 47.6 % of the cesium content in the food; and within of 4 days it had eliminated more than half of ingested cesium. A compartimental model was proposed to explain the distribution of cesium in the compartiments (water - alga and water - fish). Data obtained fi-om the experiments of 137Cs accumulation and elimination were applied in the AnaComp Program. This program permits the compartimental analysis, and quantifies the cesium distribution from the sea-water to the organisms, and vice versa, through the transfer constants (k). The AnaComp Program also allowed to calculate the dose that one would receive by the consumption of fish contaminated by cesium. Levels of 137Cs fi-om the global fallout in environmental samples, from São Sebastião, northerm coast of São Paulo, (where the \"Centro de Biologia Marinha da Universidade de São Paulo - CEBIMar - USP\" is located), were verified.

A fibra de coco tem sido usada como um adsorvente alternativo e de baixo custo na remoção de diversos metais pesados. A biossorção é um processo que tem alcançado grande importância nas últimas décadas no tratamento de efluentes e de rejeitos radioativos. Este estudo apresenta a eficiência de remoção dos íons 133Cs e 241Am de soluções aquosas utilizando-se a biomassa bruta e ativada. Os estudos foram realizados em batelada e os parâmetros analisados foram: os efeitos do pH e da concentração da solução, tamanho de partícula do biomassa e tempo de contato. Os modelos de isotermas de Langmuir e Freundlich foram aplicados, bem como os modelos cinéticos de ordem de reação. A cinética que melhor representa o processo de adsorção dos íons estudados foi o modelo de pseudo-segunda ordem. O modelo de isotermas que se ajusta ao processo de adsorção do 133Cs e do 241Am é o de Freundlich. Verificou-se também que a melhor condição de remoção para o 241Am foi de cerca de 94% a partir de 30 minutos tanto para a biomassa bruta quanto para a ativada ao passo que o 133Cs foi de 75% a partir de 40 minutos com a biomassa ativada. Os resultados indicaram que a fibra de coco pode ser uma alternativa de tratamento de rejeitos radioativos líquidos que contenham, em sua composição, estes radionuclídeos. / Sorption is one of the most studied methods to reduce the volume of radioactive waste streams. The coconut fibers have been used as an inexpensive alternative adsorbent to removal of several heavy metals from liquid wastes. The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential of coconut fiber, raw and chemically modified form, to remove 133Cs and 241Am from aqueous solutions. The studies were performed at batch conditions and the following parameters were analyzed: contact time, pH and concentration of ions in aqueous solution and the particle size. The Langmuir and Freundlich models were studied to describe the isotherms and the kinetic process was studied using the pseudofirst and pseudo-second orders. For 241Am and 133Cs, the Freundlich isotherm described better the adsorption process. For 241Am, the best removal condition was achieved at 30 minutes with both biomasses. For 133Cs the best condition was achieved from at 40 minutes with modified biomass. Removal kinetics for both ions was fitted by pseudo-second order model. The results indicate that coconut fiber can be used as an alternative sorbent in the treatment of liquid radioactive wastes containing these radionuclides.

Atualmente são muito discutidos temas que abordam a preservação do meio ambiente, para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias de produção que não a agridam, gerando resíduos menos tóxicos e em menor quantidade. Resíduos poluentes contendo metais como o crômio, têm sido lançados nos solos e rios, degradando a água utilizada para o consumo humano. Não diferentes são os problemas decorrentes de atividades nucleares, as quais geram rejeitos nas instalações e laboratórios de pesquisa. Embora estes rejeitos não sejam lançados no meio ambiente, muitas vezes encontram-se armazenados em laboratório inadequadamente, o que pode resultar em graves acidentes. Na intenção de solucionar estes problemas, existem várias técnicas para o tratamento de rejeitos, entre elas a troca iônica eletroquímica (EIX – electrochemical ion exchange). A EIX é um processo avançado que une as vantagens da troca iônica convencional com o fato de usar como reagente o elétron, reduzindo consideravelmente o volume da solução a ser tratada. Esta técnica consiste na elaboração de um eletrodo, no qual o trocador iônico é incorporado fisicamente em uma estrutura do eletrodo com um aglutinante. Optou-se neste trabalho pela resina catiônica Amberlite CG-50 para o tratamento dos rejeitos contendo íons crômio e o trocador catiônico inorgânico fosfato de zircônio para os íons césio, pois apresentam boa estabilidade química em meio oxidante e perante radiação ionizante. A quantidade de carvão, de grafita e aglutinante para a formulação do eletrodo mais eficiente também foi estudada. Após a escolha dos melhores eletrodos, verificaram-se retenções para o Cr e para o Cs da ordem de 99,3% e 99,8%, respectivamente. A eluição completa tanto do íon crômio quanto do íon césio, sem nenhuma adição de reagentes, revelou-se uma das principais vantagens deste processo, o que torna possível a reutilização do eletrodo sem perda de sua capacidade. Com base nos resultados apresentou-se um processo contínuo de tratamento de rejeitos utilizando-se uma célula eletrolítica de fluxo (CELFLUX) de alta capacidade de retenção para o íon Cr e Cs. A alta eficiência desta célula tanto na retenção quanto na eluição, levando a uma redução importante no volume do rejeito e, até mesmo, possibilitando a reutilização dos íons separados, torna o processo altamente viável para o emprego industrial. / Nowadays, environmental preservation using technologies that do not attack it, generating non-toxic residues and reduced volumes, has been discussed. Hazardous effluents, containing metals, as chromium, have been poured in the soils and rivers, degrading the water. Not different are the problems originated from some nuclear activities that generate wastes, as in chemical research laboratories. Although those wastes are not poured in the environment, sometimes they are inadequately stored, what can cause serious accidents. With the purpose of solving this problem, there are some techniques to waste treatment, between them there is the electrochemical ion exchange (EIX). EIX is an advanced process that has advantages over traditional ion exchange and the fact of using the electron as the only reagent, reduces the volume of the solution to be treated. This technique consists of development of an electrode, where an ion exchanger is physically incorporated in an electrode structure with a binder. In this study, cationic resin Amberlite CG-50 and zirconium phosphate have been chosen for the separation of chromium and cesium from waste, respectively. They were chosen because they present high chemical stability in oxidizing media and at ionizing radiation. The quantity of charcoal, graphite and binder used in formulation of electrode have been studied either. Before choosing the best electrode, it was verified sorption percentage of 99,3% for chromium and 99,8% for cesium. The greater advantage of this process is the total elution of chromium as much as cesium, without reagents addition, being possible to reuse the electrode without losing its capacity. Beside on the results, a continuous process for the wastes containing Cr and Cs, using a flux electrolytic cell (CELFLUX) of high retention capacity, was presented. The high efficiency of this cell for both retention and elution, leading to an important reduction of waste volume, and, every more, making possible the reutilization of the ions studied, makes the process available for industrial waste treatment purposes.

It is proposed that an integrated ammonia-PEM fuel cell could unlock the potential of ammonia to act as a high capacity chemical hydrogen storage vector and enable renewable energy to be delivered eectively to road transport applications. Catalysts are developed for low temperature ammonia decomposition with activity from 450 K (ruthenium and cesium on graphitised carbon nanotubes). Results strongly suggest that the cesium is present on the surface and close proximity to ruthenium nanoparticles and that it produces activity in ruthenium by donation of electrons. The activity of sustainable cobalt for ammonia decomposition is shown to be a function of particle size and is more active on microporous carbon supports compared to mesoporous ones. Unlike ruthenium, activity for cobalt was not inuenced by the degree of surface graphitic nature and cobalt supported on microporous carbon approached the activity of ruthenium on the same support. In accordance with the sustainable objectives of this thesis, a case-study on the sustainability of ammonia as a sustainable hydrogen storage vector was undertaken. In this scheme, hydrogen produced from renewable electricity by electrolysis is con- verted to ammonia by the Haber-Bosch process and then converted back to deliver pure hydrogen at the point of use. The energy eciency and carbon footprint fell short of targets set by the US Department of Energy and the UK Department for Transport, the biggest impact was the production of hydrogen by electrolysis and not the Haber-Bosch process which accounts for only 9 % of total energy losses. To assess the feasibility of the ammonia-PEM fuel cell, a conceptual design was un- dertaken to quantify the palladium membrane size and catalyst quantity required for a typical road transport vehicle. The predicted quantity of palladium was excessive and future work must consider improvements to membrane technology.

The development of new digital mammography techniques such as dual-energy imaging, tomosynthesis and CT mammography will require investigation of optimal camera design parameters and optimal imaging acquisition parameters. One tool that is useful for this purpose is Monte Carlo simulation. This study presents a methodology for generating simulated images from a CsI-based, flat-panel imager model and for estimating the normalized glandular dose to the uncompressed breast in CT mammography. The simulation uses the GEANT 3 Monte Carlo code to model x-ray transport and absorption within the CsI scintillator, and the DETECT-II code to track optical photon spread within a columnar model of the CsI scintillator. The Monte Carlo modeling of x-ray transport and absorption within the CsI was validated by comparing to previously published values for the probability of a K-shell interaction, the fluorescent yield, the probability of a K-fluorescent emission, and the escape fraction describing the probability of a K x-ray escaping the scintillator. To validate the combined (GEANT 3 coupled with DETECT-II) Monte Carlo approach to form simulated images, comparison of modulation transfer functions (MTFs) and system sensitivity (electrons/mR/pixel) obtained from simulations were compared to empirical measurements obtained with different x-ray spectra and imagers with varying CsI thicknesses. By varying the absorption and reflective properties of the columnar CsI used in the DETECT-II code, good agreement between simulated MTFs and system sensitivity and empirically measured values were observed. The Monte Carlo software was also validated for dosimetry by comparing results of the linear attenuation coefficient values and the normalized glandular dose (DgN) values of the compressed breast, to those reposted in the literature. The normalized glandular dose was then estimated for three different sizes of the uncompressed breast with a homogeneous composition of adipose and glandular tissue. Further, fit equations of the normalized glandular dose curves were also generated using MATLAB. These equations can be used to replicate the dose for the three sizes of the breast and three compositions of the adipose and glandular tissue. In addition, images displaying energy deposition maps are presented to better understand the spatial distribution of dose in CT mammography.

Atualmente são muito discutidos temas que abordam a preservação do meio ambiente, para o desenvolvimento de tecnologias de produção que não a agridam, gerando resíduos menos tóxicos e em menor quantidade. Resíduos poluentes contendo metais como o crômio, têm sido lançados nos solos e rios, degradando a água utilizada para o consumo humano. Não diferentes são os problemas decorrentes de atividades nucleares, as quais geram rejeitos nas instalações e laboratórios de pesquisa. Embora estes rejeitos não sejam lançados no meio ambiente, muitas vezes encontram-se armazenados em laboratório inadequadamente, o que pode resultar em graves acidentes. Na intenção de solucionar estes problemas, existem várias técnicas para o tratamento de rejeitos, entre elas a troca iônica eletroquímica (EIX – electrochemical ion exchange). A EIX é um processo avançado que une as vantagens da troca iônica convencional com o fato de usar como reagente o elétron, reduzindo consideravelmente o volume da solução a ser tratada. Esta técnica consiste na elaboração de um eletrodo, no qual o trocador iônico é incorporado fisicamente em uma estrutura do eletrodo com um aglutinante. Optou-se neste trabalho pela resina catiônica Amberlite CG-50 para o tratamento dos rejeitos contendo íons crômio e o trocador catiônico inorgânico fosfato de zircônio para os íons césio, pois apresentam boa estabilidade química em meio oxidante e perante radiação ionizante. A quantidade de carvão, de grafita e aglutinante para a formulação do eletrodo mais eficiente também foi estudada. Após a escolha dos melhores eletrodos, verificaram-se retenções para o Cr e para o Cs da ordem de 99,3% e 99,8%, respectivamente. A eluição completa tanto do íon crômio quanto do íon césio, sem nenhuma adição de reagentes, revelou-se uma das principais vantagens deste processo, o que torna possível a reutilização do eletrodo sem perda de sua capacidade. Com base nos resultados apresentou-se um processo contínuo de tratamento de rejeitos utilizando-se uma célula eletrolítica de fluxo (CELFLUX) de alta capacidade de retenção para o íon Cr e Cs. A alta eficiência desta célula tanto na retenção quanto na eluição, levando a uma redução importante no volume do rejeito e, até mesmo, possibilitando a reutilização dos íons separados, torna o processo altamente viável para o emprego industrial. / Nowadays, environmental preservation using technologies that do not attack it, generating non-toxic residues and reduced volumes, has been discussed. Hazardous effluents, containing metals, as chromium, have been poured in the soils and rivers, degrading the water. Not different are the problems originated from some nuclear activities that generate wastes, as in chemical research laboratories. Although those wastes are not poured in the environment, sometimes they are inadequately stored, what can cause serious accidents. With the purpose of solving this problem, there are some techniques to waste treatment, between them there is the electrochemical ion exchange (EIX). EIX is an advanced process that has advantages over traditional ion exchange and the fact of using the electron as the only reagent, reduces the volume of the solution to be treated. This technique consists of development of an electrode, where an ion exchanger is physically incorporated in an electrode structure with a binder. In this study, cationic resin Amberlite CG-50 and zirconium phosphate have been chosen for the separation of chromium and cesium from waste, respectively. They were chosen because they present high chemical stability in oxidizing media and at ionizing radiation. The quantity of charcoal, graphite and binder used in formulation of electrode have been studied either. Before choosing the best electrode, it was verified sorption percentage of 99,3% for chromium and 99,8% for cesium. The greater advantage of this process is the total elution of chromium as much as cesium, without reagents addition, being possible to reuse the electrode without losing its capacity. Beside on the results, a continuous process for the wastes containing Cr and Cs, using a flux electrolytic cell (CELFLUX) of high retention capacity, was presented. The high efficiency of this cell for both retention and elution, leading to an important reduction of waste volume, and, every more, making possible the reutilization of the ions studied, makes the process available for industrial waste treatment purposes.

abstract: Radioactive cesium (137Cs), released from nuclear power plants and nuclear accidental releases, is a problem due to difficulties regarding its removal. Efforts have been focused on removing cesium and the remediation of the contaminated environment. Traditional treatment techniques include Prussian blue and nano zero-valent ion (nZVI) and nano-Fe/Cu particles to remove Cs from water; however, they are not efficient at removing Cs when present at low concentrations of about 10 parts-per-billion (ppb), typical of concentrations found in the radioactive contaminated sites. The objective of this study was to develop an innovative and simple method to remove Cs+ present at low concentrations by engineering a proteoliposome transporter composed of an uptake protein reconstituted into a liposome vesicle. To achieve this, the uptake protein, Kup, from E. coli, was isolated through protein extraction and purification procedures. The new and simple extraction methodology developed in this study was highly efficient and resulted in purified Kup at ~1 mg/mL. A new method was also developed to insert purified Kup protein into the bilayers of liposome vesicles. Finally, removal of CsCl (10 and 100 ppb) was demonstrated by spiking the constructed proteoliposome in lab-fortified water, followed by incubation and ultracentrifugation, and measuring Cs+ with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The ICP-MS results from testing water contaminated with 100 ppb CsCl, revealed that adding 0.1 – 8 mL of Kup proteoliposome resulted in 0.29 – 12.7% Cs removal. Addition of 0.1 – 2 mL of proteoliposome to water contaminated with 10 ppb CsCl resulted in 0.65 – 3.43% Cs removal. These removal efficiencies were greater than the control, liposome with no protein. A linear relationship was observed between the amount of proteoliposome added to the contaminated water and removal percentage. Consequently, by adding more volumes of proteoliposome, removal can be simply improved. This suggests that with ~ 60-70 mL of proteoliposome, removal of about 90% can be achieved. The novel technique developed herein is a contribution to emerging technologies in the water and wastewater treatment industry. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 2018

The aim of the thesis is to compare the results from in situ spectrometry and laboratory determination of the area activity of Cs-137 in samples taken from uncultivated soils. To fulfil the goal, the research question has been determined: Are the results from in situ measurement of the area activity of Cs-137 in uncultivated soil comparable with the results from laboratory measurement of collected soil samples? The theoretical part of the work has been written based on research of book publications, foreign scientific articles and electronic sources, which deal with the issue of radioactivity and its impact on the environment and the principle of semiconductor gamma spectrometry. The practical part of the work deals with the spectrometric measurement using in situ method and the laboratory determination of the area activity of Cs-137 in the soil samples using a semiconductor gamma spectrometer. The measurement and the soil sampling took place in the territory of the Šumava National Park and its adjacent areas in Pilsen Region. There were selected five locations (Nová Hůrka, Prášily, Srní, Nový Brunst and Hadí vrh). By in situ spectrometric measurement the highest values were determined of the area activity of Cs-137 in the location Nová Hůrka (19526 Bq / m2) and the lowest in the location Hadí vrh (5398 Bq / m2). The spectrometric measurements of the soil samples in the laboratory revealed the highest values of the area activity of Cs-137 in the sample from the location Nová Hůrka (10000 Bq / m2) and the lowest values of Cs-137 in the location Hadí vrh (2060 Bq / m2). The contribution of this work is the comparison of in situ spectrometric measurement with the measurement of taken soil samples using the gamma semiconductor spectrometer. The results of this monitoring can provide data on the radiation situation in individual locations in Šumava. By the comparison of the results of the area activity of Cs-137, there has been found a correlation between in situ spectrometric measurements and the laboratory measurements of the soil samples. The results of the area activity of Cs-137 are in an order of magnitude comparable. The differences between the results are probably caused by the measurement conditions.

The objective of this study was to determine the origin of sediment currently collected in Black Lake, an extremely productive salmon fishing environment located along a remote section of the Alaska Peninsula, AK. To meet the goals of this project, soil cores were collected at the site during an extensive field study. The field investigation was based on a prior numerical study, which revealed the most erodible areas and the hydrologic patterns in Black Lake and its tributaries, namely the Alec River. From this study, select locations of the catchment were chosen for coring. These included the Alec River Delta, Black Lake, and four tributaries in the catchment. These samples were analyzed for the radionuclides 137Cs and 210Pb to determine soil deposition rates using Gamma Spectroscopy. To determine the sedimentation rate of each coring location, spikes in the 137Cs activity were connected to the known cesium deposition peak in 1964 and the depth of soil above the peak was divided by the number of years that have passed. This gave a spatially averaged deposition rate within the lake of roughly 0.25 cm/y. This result closely compared to the numerical study of Elhakeem and Papanicolaou (2008) and to a study done in close proximity to Black Lake in the early 1990s (Stihler et al. 1992). The rate of each location was then validated by visually analyzing each core using soil color demarcation lines to determine the soil composition. This analysis resulted in the discovery of a variety of soil types ranging from silts and clays, to coarse sands, to volcanic tephra. It was concluded that the lake flow patterns, the introduction of volcanic material from nearby Mt. Veniaminof, and back water resulting from deposition occurring down stream of Black Lake at the Black River's junction with the West Fork River are some of the main contributors for the deposition in the lake.