Internal Biokinetic Behaviour of Molybdenum in Humans Studied with Stable Isotopes as Tracers

Abstract

Although molybdenum is considered to be an essential trace metal for humans, the knowledge about its metabolism is rather limited. The present study was aimed at the assessment of biokinetics following intravenous injection of trace amounts of ⁹⁵Mo or ⁹⁶Mo into five healthy volunteers. In a total of 11 investigations, the plasma clearance up to eight hours and the urinary excretion for at least three days after the injection were evaluated. The tracer concentrations were determined by proton nuclear activation analysis in blood plasma and by thermal ionization mass spectrometry in urine samples respectively. In all subjects, the plasma clearance is much faster than expected from the literature. The data obtained for the plasma clearance of the tracer can reasonably be fitted by a two exponential equation. The half times of the fast component range between 4 and 70 minutes and for the slow component between 3 and 30 hours. The urinary excretion of the injected tracer seems also to be faster than expected and the fractions lost are higher for larger doses administered. For the smallest dose given, 34% of the injected tracer were excreted within one day whereas for the four times larger dose about 60% were lost. These findings on urinary excretion are in agreement with recently published results.     

Uranium-bearing francolites present in organic-rich limestones of NW Greece: a preliminary study using synchrotron radiation and fission track techniques

Synchrotron radiation techniques (μ-XRF and μ-XANES) were applied to the study of organic-rich phosphatized limestones of NW Greece (Epirus). The results revealed uranium accumulation in areas of the material containing, among others, carbonate apatite (francolite) and organic matter. The UL ₃-edge of μ-XANES spectra showed that uranium was present in tetravalent form. U-bearing francolite crystals were separated from the rock and characterized by Raman spectroscopy and microprobe. The analysis of the crystals also indicated the presence of sodium and sulfur. The uranium presence in the crystals was also visualized, after neutron irradiation and etching, by the observation of the fission tracks.

     

Aluminium nitride catalyzed solvent-free synthesis of some novel biologically active α-aminophosphonates

A green and atom-efficient one-pot protocol for the synthesis of some novel α-aminophosphonates using micron-particulate AlN/Al as a new reusable heterogeneous catalyst by the Kabachnik–Fields reaction under solvent-free conditions has been developed. The synthesized α-aminophosphonates were screened for several biological activities. They all were investigated to exhibit moderate to promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties.     

CuBe precipitation in Cu-Be alloys

The decomposition of supersaturated, disordered, solid solutions in the binary Cu-2 wt % Be and the ternary Cu-2 wt % Be-0.6 wt % Co alloys was found to be initiated through the formation of GP zones. The ordered CuBe phase (B2 structure) was found to form from these clusters by continuous ordering. The morphology, the crystallography and the mechanism of formation of the precipitate phase is discussed in this paper.