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High heating rate thermal desorption for molecular surface sampling
A method for analyzing a sample having at least one analyte includes the step of heating the sample at a rate of at least 10.sup.6 K/s to thermally desorb at least one analyte from the sample. The desorbed analyte is collected. The analyte can then be analyzed.
Microbiological sampling of surfaces.
Microbiological surface sampling methods, noting role in detecting contamination on eating utensils, blankets, sheets, etc
Analysis of Tank 38H (HTF-38-18-78, -79) and Tank 43H (HTF-43-18-80, -81, -83) Samples for Support of the Enrichment Control and Corrosion Control Programs
SRNL analyzed samples from Tank 38H and Tank 43H to support ECP and CCP. Compared with recent samples, the surface and sub-surface samples from Tank 38H show much lower concentrations of most species analyzed except for silicon. The Tank 38H samples show stratification in the tank with the concentration of species in the surface sample being much lower than in the sub-surface sample and both samples being much lower than recent results. The Tank 43H surface and two sub-surface samples generally showed consistent results across the three samples and compare well with recent analyses. The lowest sub-surface sample from Tank 43H contained slightly higher concentrations of uranium and plutonium likely due to the presence of a small amount of dark sludge solids in the sample.
NASA Tech Briefs, June 2008
Topics covered include: Charge-Control Unit for Testing Lithium-Ion Cells; Measuring Positions of Objects Using Two or More Cameras; Lidar System for Airborne Measurement of Clouds and Aerosols; Radiation-Insensitive Inverse Majority Gates; Reduced-Order Kalman Filtering for Processing Relative Measurements; Spaceborne Processor Array; Instrumentation System Diagnoses a Thermocouple; Chromatic Modulator for a High-Resolution CCD or APS; Commercial Product Activation Using RFID; Cup Cylindrical Waveguide Antenna; Aerobraking Maneuver (ABM) Report Generator; ABM Drag_Pass Report Generator; Transformation of OODT CAS to Perform Larger Tasks; Visualization Component of Vehicle Health Decision Support System; Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Uplink Analysis Tool; Problem Reporting System; G-Guidance Interface Design for Small Body Mission Simulation; DSN Scheduling Engine; Replacement Sequence of Events Generator; Force-Control Algorithm for Surface Sampling; Tool for Merging Proposals Into DSN Schedules; Micromachined Slits for Imaging Spectrometers; Fabricating Nanodots Using Lift-Off of a Nanopore Template; Making Complex Electrically Conductive Patterns on Cloth; Special Polymer/Carbon Composite Films for Detecting SO2; Nickel-Based Superalloy Resists Embrittlement by Hydrogen; Chemical Passivation of Li+-Conducting Solid Electrolytes; Organic/Inorganic Polymeric Composites for Heat-Transfer Reduction; Composite Cathodes for Dual-Rate Li-Ion Batteries; Improved Descent-Rate Limiting Mechanism; Alignment-Insensitive Lower-Cost Telescope Architecture; Micro-Resistojet for Small Satellites; Using Piezoelectric Devices to Transmit Power through Walls; Miniature Latching Valve; Apparatus for Sampling Surface Contamination; Novel Species of Non-Spore-Forming Bacteria; Chamber for Aerosol Deposition of Bioparticles; Hyperspectral Sun Photometer for Atmospheric Characterization and Vicarious Calibrations; Dynamic Stability and Gravitational Balancing of Multiple Extended Bodies; Simulation of Stochastic Processes by Coupled ODE-PDE; Cluster Inter-Spacecraft Communications; Genetic Algorithm Optimizes Q-LAW Control Parameters; Low-Impact Mating System for Docking Spacecraft; Non-Destructive Evaluation of Materials via Ultraviolet Spectroscopy; Gold-on-Polymer-Based Sensing Films for Detection of Organic and Inorganic Analytes in the Air; and Quantum-Inspired Maximizer.
Analysis in Support of Disposition of Tank 48 Legacy Material
This report contains the characterization of six 200-mL Tank 48H samples: HTF-48-21-74, HTF-48-21-75, HTF-48-21-76, HTF-48-21-81, HTF-48-21-82, and HTF-48-21-83. The effort supports a Systems Engineering Evaluation (SEE) recommendation involving a Tank 48H decantation strategy that would remove liquid volume and grout the solids. The first three Tank 48H samples were surface samples taken after a quiescent period in the tank. The quiescent period allowed settling of the solids, these being mostly potassium tetraphenylborate. These three surface samples had no measurable solids, though a settling haze could be seen. The latter three samples were taken at 48, 25, and 10 inches from the bottom of Tank 48H immediately after tank mixing pumps had been run. Those samples contained measurable insoluble solids that were readily visible. All six samples were analyzed to provide chemical and radionuclide concentrations as defined as the "Limit" and "Target" in the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and per the compliance strategy in the Tank Farm Waste Compliance Plan (WCP). Samples were analyzed by many methods to determine pH, density/specific gravity, radioactive isotopes, soluble and insoluble elements, total solids, total insoluble solids, organic and inorganic mercury, volatile and semi-volatile chemicals, and anions. Photographs of the settling of small samples were taken over time and are displayed in this report. The extent of settling was very significant, showing that surface sample liquids are similar to filtrates. However, Cs-137 measurements exceeded WAC limits in all surface samples (1.1E+07 vs. 1.3E+06). The solids were found to contain very high cesium activity, measured as high as 1.1E+10 dpm/gram. Sodium was in the range of 4.24 to 4.74 M for all samples, so the solids would tend to settle with time and would not be at risk of floating without air entrainment. No organic mercury was detected in this work.
Analysis in Support of Disposition of Tank 48 Legacy Material
This report contains the characterization of six 200-mL Tank 48H samples: HTF-48-21-74, HTF-48-21-75, HTF-48-21-76, HTF-48-21-81, HTF-48-21-82, and HTF-48-21-83. The effort supports a Systems Engineering Evaluation (SEE) recommendation involving a Tank 48H decantation strategy that would remove liquid volume and grout the solids. The first three Tank 48H samples were surface samples taken after a quiescent period in the tank. The quiescent period allowed settling of the solids, these being mostly potassium tetraphenylborate. These three surface samples had no measurable solids, though a settling haze could be seen. The latter three samples were taken at 48, 25, and 10 inches from the bottom of Tank 48H immediately after tank mixing pumps had been run. Those samples contained measurable insoluble solids that were readily visible. All six samples were analyzed to provide chemical and radionuclide concentrations as defined as the "Limit" and "Target" in the Saltstone Production Facility (SPF) Waste Acceptance Criteria (WAC) and per the compliance strategy in the Tank Farm Waste Compliance Plan (WCP). Samples were analyzed by many methods to determine pH, density/specific gravity, radioactive isotopes, soluble and insoluble elements, total solids, total insoluble solids, organic and inorganic mercury, volatile and semi-volatile chemicals, and anions. Photographs of the settling of small samples were taken over time and are displayed in this report. The extent of settling was very significant, showing that surface sample liquids are similar to filtrates. However, Cs-137 measurements exceeded WAC limits in all surface samples (1.1E+07 vs. 1.3E+06). The solids were found to contain very high cesium activity, measured as high as 1.1E+10 dpm/gram. Sodium was in the range of 4.24 to 4.74 M for all samples, so the solids would tend to settle with time and would not be at risk of floating without air entrainment. No organic mercury was detected in this work.
Quantitative Characterization of Impacts of Coupled Geomechanics and Flow on Safe and Permanent Geological Storage of CO 2 in Fractured Aquifers
This is the final scientific report for the award DE-FE0023305, entitled “Quantitative Characterization of Impacts of Coupled Geomechanics and Flow on Safe and Permanent Geological Storage of CO 2 in Fractured Aquifers.” The work has been divided into six tasks. In Task 2, we characterized rock properties, which are important when developing a quantitative approach for understanding and predicting geomechanical effects on large-scale CO 2 injection and long-term storage in the subsurface. Rock properties of interest for this characterization include porosity, permeability, elastic constants, strength, and heat capacity. We measured rock properties for three different rock types: concrete, sandstone and shale. These properties were obtained from the acoustic measurement, permeability and porosity measurement, Brazilian test, the uniaxial compressive test, and heat capacity measurement. Then, using the Brazilian technique to fracture samples, we measured their permeability under brine injection for varying effective stresses, followed by similar measurements of permeability under sc-CO 2 injection. Permeability to brine and sc-CO 2 decreased as the effective stress increased. The apparent permeability to sc-CO 2 was an order of magnitude less than that for brine, a consequence of CO 2 being the non-wetting fluid. In Task 3, we developed understandings and correlations for CO 2 injection pressure induced fracturing. We initially fractured four eight inch cubes of concrete with brine to establish a standard test procedure. Then, additional concrete samples were fractured using brine. Confining stresses were exerted on the samples and brine was injected at a constant rate into a borehole that was previously drilled into the concrete cube. The borehole pressure was measured and fracture initiation was identified as a peak in the pressure profile. That was followed by fracture propagation, which was identified as a plateau in the pressure profile, and finally the fracture reached the sample surface. The sample surfaces were photographed before and after fracturing, which enabled determination of where the fracture reached the sample surface. Afterwards, aqueous food dye solution was injected into the fractured concrete samples to color the fracture planes. The borehole was filled with food dye solution in advance, a gas pulse was transmitted to the borehole, and the borehole was then shut in to allow the food dye to be driven into existing fractures. Then, the concrete samples were broken down by high-pressure gas injection to reveal the geometry and morphology of the hydraulic fractures. In addition, acoustic measurements were conducted on multiple locations on each face of the concrete samples before and after injection for comparison. This comparison was used to confirm changes in the internal structure of the concrete sample, namely the formation of fractures. There were six concrete samples fractured with brine. Afterwards, concrete samples were fracture using sc-CO 2 . The main change in experimental procedure was the inclusion of temperature control, since in the field, we mostly encounter temperature and pressure conditions above the supercritical point of CO 2 . The concrete samples were pre-heated in an oven to elevate their temperature, and thermal tape was used to heat the CO 2 to a temperature above its supercritical temperature. Two concrete samples were fractured using liquid CO 2 , four concrete samples were fractured using gaseous CO 2 , and twenty two concrete samples were fractured using sc-CO 2 . For the concrete samples fractured using sc-CO 2 , three had pre-existing hydraulic fractures on the surface near the wellbore, and two were water saturated (as opposed to containing only air). Two concrete samples were composite samples, with a high permeability ball in the center, in order to represent CO 2 injection into a high permeability zone surrounded by a low permeability sealing formation. Later, we fractured five shale samples, obtained from the Niobrara shale outcrop, with sc-CO 2 . The injection rate was constant, confining stresses were applied, the shale samples were pre-heated in an oven to the desired temperature, and the sample was then fractured. An analysis of the failure type was done for many of the concrete samples, based on the predicted break down pressure for tensile and shear failure, and it was found that most samples fractured due to shear failure. Also, the presence of induced fractures has little to no effect on the fracture initiation pressure, but significantly changes the fracture morphology. The CO 2 fracturing in water saturated samples behaved much similar to brine induced fracturing. There was a significant difference of breakdown pressure for injection of CO 2 and brine, where the breakdown pressure for CO 2 induced fracturing is generally around the minimum horizontal stress and that for brine is much higher. Finally, the fracture orientation for most samples with large confining stress differential was perpendicular to the minimum horizontal stress. When the stress differential, especially the difference between the two directions with the smallest stresses was small, the fracture orientation was determined not only by the minimum stress direction, but also the magnitude of the confining stress, the tensile strength of the rock, and the breakdown pressure. In Task 4, we modified our coupled flow-geomechanical models to model fracture growth and propagation in storage formations and caprocks. These flow-geomechanical models are TOUGH2-CSM and TOUGH2-FLAC. The TOUGH2-CSM fluid and heat flow formulation is based on the TOUGH2 formulation of mass and energy conservation equations that govern fluid and heat flow in general multiphase, multicomponent, multi-porosity systems. The TOUGH2-CSM simplified geomechanical formulation is based on the linear theory of elasticity applied to multi-porosity non-isothermal (thermo-multi-poroelastic) media. We previously derived, from the fundamental relations of the linear theory of elasticity, an equation relating mean stress, pore pressures, temperatures, and body force (the Mean Stress equation) that we added to the TOUGH2-CSM fluid and heat flow equations. We extended the TOUGH2-CSM simplified geomechanical formulation to calculate the entire stress tensor by deriving equations for stress tensor components from derivatives of the Cartesian thermo-multi-poroelastic Navier equation components. In addition, we derived equations for stress tensor components in rz-coordinates. We solved these geomechanical equations using the integral finite difference method. This method utilizes momentum fluxes obtained by “factoring” a divergence operator out of each geomechanical equation. In Task 5, we did a literature survey to determine suitable correlations for fracture initiation, growth, and propagation. After surveying numerous papers, we modified TOUGH2-CSM to model stress dependent fracture initiation and growth using the Mohr-Coulomb criterion for shear failure in faults and caprock and the condition of negative minimum effective stress for tensile failure. Tensile failure results in a fracture whose width depends on the difference between fracture pressure and minimum stress and whose propagation is based on the difference between the stress intensity factor at the fracture tip and the rock toughness. The TOUGH-FLAC model is based on the FLAC3D ubiquitous joint model, extended for the modeling of permeability changes induced by changes in effective normal stress across fractures as well permeability changes caused by shearing along fractures. In Task 6, we validated our coupled flow-geomechanical models using analytical solutions and problems from the literature. We validated the TOUGH2-CSM modifications using analytical solutions to the displacement from a uniform load on a semi-infinite elastic medium and the two-dimensional Mandel-Cryer effect. Those were followed by a sample problem to test our stress tensor calculations, which was for injection into a single-phase reservoir with constant properties. Comparisons of our simulator to published results were done on for the depletion of a single-phase reservoir with stress dependent porosity, two examples from the In Salah gas project, an axisymmetric baserock–reservoir–caprock system with a normal faulting stress regime that had thermally induced shear stresses, simulations of CO 2 leakage through caprock in a two-dimensional reservoir in Cartesian coordinates, and predictions of caprock failure from CO 2 injection into an axisymmetric reservoir. Finally, we simulated CO 2 injection pressure-induced fracturing from one of our laboratory studies, Sample 39, and obtained a fracture profile. We also validated the TOUGH2-FLAC model for fluid driven fracture growth against solutions based on the KGD model and a case with an inclined fracture that was loaded from the boundaries to achieve wing-crack propagation. The strain softening tensile behavior and softening of modulus considering a simple damage approach was verified by a simulation representing hydraulic fracturing stress measurement around a vertical well. Finally, the model was validated against deep fracture zone opening and surface uplift at In Salah with inverses analysis used to improve the match of simulation with field data. In Task 7, we developed a scheme based on inverse modeling that can be used to identify caprock leakage. Injection of fluid into a reservoir results in a time varying pressure profile that depends on the properties of the rock and the fluid. The presence of significant caprock leakage would effect this pressure profile and we used inverse modeling, namely the Levenberg-Marquardt method, to determine the leakage location from the pressure profile. A two-dimensional and a three-dimensional example based on published data were presented. The published simulation was run and its results were considered as “field” data. In the two-dimensional example, a simulation of CO 2 injection into a two-dimensional aquifer-caprock system, the caprock had a vertical fault through which leakage could occur. The location of this leakage was obtained from our inverse modeling scheme. In the three-dimensional example, the simulation domain had four geological layers, one of which was the injection zone that contained a horizontal injection well. We simulated fractures as high permeability gridblocks, introduced a fracture that spanned the caprock depth, and ran a simulation to obtain “field” data. Then, using our inverse modeling scheme, we obtained the location of that fracture.
Quantitation of repaglinide and metabolites in mouse whole-body thin tissue sections using droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling-high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry
Herein, quantitation aspects of a fully automated autosampler/HPLC-MS/MS system applied for unattended droplet-based surface sampling of repaglinide dosed thin tissue sections with subsequent HPLC separation and mass spectrometric analysis of parent drug and various drug metabolites was studied. Major organs (brain, lung, liver, kidney, muscle) from whole-body thin tissue sections and corresponding organ homogenates prepared from repaglinide dosed mice were sampled by surface sampling and by bulk extraction, respectively, and analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. A semi-quantitative agreement between data obtained by surface sampling and that by employing organ homogenate extraction was observed. Drug concentrations obtained by the two methods followed the same patterns for post-dose time points (0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 h). Drug amounts determined in the specific tissues was typically higher when analyzing extracts from the organ homogenates. Furthermore, relative comparison of the levels of individual metabolites between the two analytical methods also revealed good semi-quantitative agreement.
Extraction efficiency and implications for absolute quantitation of propranolol in mouse brain, liver and kidney thin tissue sections using droplet-based liquid microjunction surface sampling-HPLC ESI-MS/MS
Currently, absolute quantitation aspects of droplet-based surface sampling for thin tissue analysis using a fully automated autosampler/HPLC-ESI-MS/MS system are not fully evaluated. Knowledge of extraction efficiency and its reproducibility is required to judge the potential of the method for absolute quantitation of analytes from thin tissue sections. Methods: Adjacent thin tissue sections of propranolol dosed mouse brain (10- μm-thick), kidney (10- μm-thick) and liver (8-, 10-, 16- and 24- μm-thick) were obtained. Absolute concentration of propranolol was determined in tissue punches from serial sections using standard bulk tissue extraction protocols and subsequent HPLC separations and tandem mass spectrometric analysis. These values were used to determine propranolol extraction efficiency from the tissues with the droplet-based surface sampling approach. Results: Extraction efficiency of propranolol using 10- μm-thick brain, kidney and liver thin tissues using droplet-based surface sampling varied between ~45-63%. Extraction efficiency decreased from ~65% to ~36% with liver thickness increasing from 8 μm to 24 μm. Randomly selecting half of the samples as standards, precision and accuracy of propranolol concentrations obtained for the other half of samples as quality control metrics were determined. Resulting precision ( ±15%) and accuracy ( ±3%) values, respectively, were within acceptable limits. In conclusion, comparative quantitation of adjacent mouse thin tissue sections of different organs and of various thicknesses by droplet-based surface sampling and by bulk extraction of tissue punches showed that extraction efficiency was incomplete using the former method, and that it depended on the organ and tissue thickness. However, once extraction efficiency was determined and applied, the droplet-based approach provided the required quantitation accuracy and precision for assay validations. Furthermore, this means that once the extraction efficiency was calibrated for a given tissue type and drug, the droplet-based approach provides a non-labor intensive and high-throughput means to acquire spatially resolved quantitative analysis of multiple samples of the same type.
Comparison of Two Surface Contamination Sampling Techniques Conducted for the Characterization of Two Pajarito Site Manhattan Project National Historic Park Properties
This report presents results for a capstone project. It discusses the problem of waste contamination in natural areas and other findings.
Surface Morphologies and Space Weathering Features of Ryugu Samples
Surface morphologies and space weathering features of Ryugu samples
Errors of five-day mean surface wind and temperature conditions due to inadequate sampling
Surface meteorological reports of wind components, wind speed, air temperature, and sea-surface temperature from buoys located in equatorial and midlatitude regions are used in a simulation of random sampling to determine errors of the calculated means due to inadequate sampling. Subsampling the data with several different sample sizes leads to estimates of the accuracy of the subsampled means. The number N of random observations needed to compute mean winds with chosen accuracies of 0.5 (N sub 0.5) and 1.0 (N sub 1,0) m/s and mean air and sea surface temperatures with chosen accuracies of 0.1 (N sub 0.1) and 0.2 (N sub 0.2) C were calculated for each 5-day and 30-day period in the buoy datasets. Mean values of N for the various accuracies and datasets are given. A second-order polynomial relation is established between N and the variability of the data record. This relationship demonstrates that for the same accuracy, N increases as the variability of the data record increases. The relationship is also independent of the data source. Volunteer-observing ship data do not satisfy the recommended minimum number of observations for obtaining 0.5 m/s and 0.2 C accuracy for most locations. The effect of having remotely sensed data is discussed.
Ion probe analysis of artificially implanted ions in terrestrial samples and surface enhanced ions in lunar sample 76215,77
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Transport Powder and Liquid Samples by Surface Acoustic Waves
Sample transport is an important requirement for In-situ analysis of samples in NASA planetary exploration missions. Tests have shown that powders or liquid drops on a surface can be transported by surface acoustic waves (SAW) that are generated on the surface using interdigital transducers. The phenomena were investigated experimentally and to generate SAWs interdigital electrodes were deposited on wafers of 128 deg rotated Y-cut LiNbO?. Transporting capability of the SAW device was tested using particles of various sizes and drops of various viscosities liquids. Because of different interaction mechanisms with the SAWs, the powders and the liquid drops were observed to move in opposite directions. In the preliminary tests, a speed of 180 mm/s was achieved for powder transportation. The detailed experimental setup and results are presented in this paper. The transporting mechanism can potentially be applied to miniaturize sample analysis system or " lab-on-chip" devices.
Automated Liquid Microjunction Surface Sampling-HPLC-MS/MS Analysis of Drugs and Metabolites in Whole-Body Thin Tissue Sections
A fully automated liquid extraction-based surface sampling system utilizing a commercially available autosampler coupled to high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) detection is reported. Discrete spots selected for droplet-based sampling and automated sample queue generation for both the autosampler and MS were enabled by using in-house developed software. In addition, co-registration of spatially resolved sampling position and HPLC-MS information to generate heatmaps of compounds monitored for subsequent data analysis was also available in the software. The system was evaluated with whole-body thin tissue sections from propranolol dosed rat. The hands-free operation of the system was demonstrated by creating heatmaps of the parent drug and its hydroxypropranolol glucuronide metabolites with 1 mm resolution in the areas of interest. The sample throughput was approximately 5 min/sample defined by the time needed for chromatographic separation. The spatial distributions of both the drug and its metabolites were consistent with previous studies employing other liquid extraction-based surface sampling methodologies.
The solar wind as deduced from lunar samples
Lunar surface samples, which have been exposed to the solar wind, can be used to obtain information on the recent and past solar wind. Some of the more important conclusions reached are: The D/H ratio in the solar wind is smaller than 0.000003. The isotopic composition of C, Ar (except Ar-40), and Kr in the solar wind and on the earth are the same within approximately plus or minus 3%. Terrestrial Ne is enriched in the heavier isotopes relative to solar wind Ne. The average solar wind flux in the past was probably higher than at present. The average solar wind energy has varied in the past; however, no long time trend is apparent. Evidence for a secular decrease of the He-4/He-3 ratio with time exists.