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PubMed2000

Structure of uranium(VI) oxide dihydrate, UO3.2H2O; synthetic meta-schoepite (UO2)4O(OH)6.5H2O.

Structure of uranium(VI) oxide dihydrate, P03.2H20; synthetic meta-schoepite (UO2)40(OH)6.5H20 f The structure of uranium oxide dihydrate, also known as meta-schoepite (UO2)4O(OH)6.5H2O, has been determined from a synthetic single crystal. The structure, at 150 K, space group Pbcn, lattice constants a = 14.6861 (4), b = 13.9799 (3) and c = 16.7063 (5) A, consists of layers of stoichiometry (UO2)4O(OH)6, formed from edge-sharing UO7 pentagonal bipyramids, interleaved with hydrogen-bonded water molecules. Three of the layer hydroxyl groups are linked through hydrogen bonding to single water molecules and the three remaining OH units form interactions with water molecules that each act as acceptors in two hydrogen bonds. One of the water molecules in the inter-layer region is disordered over two symmetry-related sites and forms hydrogen-bonded interactions only within the layer and with the uranyl O atoms. The relationship of the structure of meta-schoepite to that of schoepite is discussed in detail.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Gametogenic count and histopathological effect of thorium nitrate and uranyl nitrate on mice testes.

Daily intraperitoneal administration of aqueous solution of 0.05 m mole/100 g b. wt. of uranyl nitrate and thorium nitrate has been observed for 7 days. Marked reduction in the seminiferous tubule diameter and gametogenic count was observed. Signs of testicular necrosis, exfoliation of germ cells, and karyolysis and karyorrhexis were seen in most of the tutubles. Mononucleate and polynucleate giant cells were also observed indicating prolonged pathological condition.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Long-term survival of xenogeneic pancreatic islet grafts induced by CTLA4lg.

Antigen-specific T cell activation depends on T cell receptor-ligand interaction and costimulatory signals generated when accessory molecules bind to their ligands, such as CD28 to the B7 (also called BB1) molecule. A soluble fusion protein of human CTLA-4 (a protein homologous to CD28) and the immunoglobulin (lg) G1 Fc region (CTLA4lg) binds to human and murine B7 with high avidity and blocks T cell activation in vitro. CTLA4lg therapy blocked human pancreatic islet rejection in mice by directly affecting T cell recognition of B7+ antigen-presenting cells. In addition, CTLA4lg induced long-term, donor-specific tolerance, which may have applications to human organ transplantation.

Abatacept↗
PubMed1992

Uranium bioaccumulation by a Citrobacter sp. as a result of enzymically mediated growth of polycrystalline HUO2PO4.

A Citrobacter sp. accumulates heavy deposits of metal phosphate, derived from an enzymically liberated phosphate ligand. The cells are not subject to saturation constraints and can accumulate several times their own weight of precipitated metal. This high capacity is attributable to biomineralization; uranyl phosphate accumulates as polycrystalline HUO2PO4 at the cell surface. The precipitated metal is indistinguishable from crystalline HUO2PO4.4H2O grown by chemical methods.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed2004

Uranyl precipitation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa via controlled polyphosphate metabolism.

The polyphosphate kinase gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa was overexpressed in its native host, resulting in the accumulation of 100 times the polyphosphate seen with control strains. Degradation of this polyphosphate was induced by carbon starvation conditions, resulting in phosphate release into the medium. The mechanism of polyphosphate degradation is not clearly understood, but it appears to be associated with glycogen degradation. Upon suspension of the cells in 1 mM uranyl nitrate, nearly all polyphosphate that had accumulated was degraded within 48 h, resulting in the removal of nearly 80% of the uranyl ion and >95% of lesser-concentrated solutions. Electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) suggest that this removal was due to the precipitation of uranyl phosphate at the cell membrane. TRLFS also indicated that uranyl was initially sorbed to the cell as uranyl hydroxide and was then precipitated as uranyl phosphate as phosphate was released from the cell. Lethal doses of radiation did not halt phosphate secretion from polyphosphate-filled cells under carbon starvation conditions.

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1984

Immobilization and geological disposal of nuclear fuel waste.

The Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program is developing methods for the safe disposal of both used nuclear fuel and fuel recycle waste. The disposal strategy is based on interim storage of the used fuel, immobilization of either used fuel or recycle waste, and disposal, deep in a stable geological formation in the Canadian Shield. The disposal concept proposes a multibarrier system to inhibit the release of the radioactive waste from the disposal vault. The principal components of the multibarrier system are (i) the waste form in which the radionuclides are immobilized, (ii) engineered barriers including high integrity containers, buffers and backfills designed to retard the movement of groundwaters in the disposal vault, and (iii) the natural barrier provided by the massive geological formation itself. The research programs to investigate this concept are discussed briefly. Several different waste forms are being developed for the immobilization of high-level fuel recycle waste, including glass, glass-ceramics and crystalline materials. Dissolution of these materials in groundwater is the only likely scenario that could lead to radionuclide release. The factors that influence the aqueous dissolution behaviour of these materials are reviewed.

Ceramics↗
PubMed1988

The metabolism of ceramic and non-ceramic forms of uranium dioxide after deposition in the rat lung.

Ceramic and non-ceramic forms of uranium dioxide, produced industrially, were administered to rats either by inhalation or as an aqueous suspension which was injected directly into the pulmonary region of the lungs. The results showed that: 1 both materials should be assigned to inhalation class Y as defined by the International Commission on Radiological Protection; 2 whilst the translocation of uranium to the blood for the non-ceramic UO2 was about twice that obtained for the ceramic form, the two dioxides were unlikely to be differentiated on the basis of their lung retention kinetics; 3 the distribution of uranium amongst body tissues and the relationship between systemic content and cumulative urinary excretion indicated that it was transported in the hexavalent form; 4 in addition to air sampling procedures, lung radioactivity counting measurements could be used to advantage for assessing occupational exposures; 5 the exposure limits should be based on radiation dose rather than chemical toxicity.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

Lung dissolution of uranium tetrafluoride in rats and baboons. Comparison with dissolution by alveolar macrophages in culture and chemical dissolution.

Lung dissolution of industrial uranium tetrafluoride (UF4) was tested in rats and baboons by intratracheal instillation and inhalation, to check the W classification given to UF4 by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Rats and baboons were given 10 and 160 micrograms of UF4 per animal respectively. Lung clearance, urinary excretion and tissue distribution of uranium were measured in rats, and urinary excretion was measured in baboons. After intratracheal instillation, daily urinary excretion was fast in both species; 4.8 +/- 0.7 X 10(-2) of the initial lung burden (ILB) in rats and 2.9 +/- 0.3 X 10(-2) in baboons. After inhalation of dry UF4 powder, daily urinary excretion was 5.6 +/- 2.2 X 10(-2) of the ILB in rats and the lung clearance half-life was 7.3 d. The amounts of uranium excreted by rats and baboons were compared to the amounts dissolved in vitro by alveolar macrophages from both species, and also to the amount dissolved chemically by a serum simulant. Both rat and baboon macrophages were clearly shown to be involved in the mechanism of uranium dissolution, since on the first day of macrophage culture, they dissolved 20 and 40% respectively of the amounts of UF4 added to the macrophage cultures, again illustrating the fast dissolution of UF4.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

In vitro dissolution of uranium oxide by baboon alveolar macrophages.

In vitro cellular dissolution tests for insoluble forms of uranium oxide are technically difficult with conventional methodology using adherent alveolar macrophages. The limited number of cells per flask and the slow dissolution rate in a large volume of nutritive medium are obvious restricting factors. Macrophages in suspension cannot be substituted because they represent different and poorly reproducible functional subtypes with regard to activation and enzyme secretion. Preliminary results on the dissolution of uranium oxide using immobilized alveolar macrophages are promising because large numbers of highly functional macrophages can be cultured in a limited volume. Cells were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavages performed on baboons (Papio papio) and then immobilized after the phagocytosis of uranium octoxide (U3O8) particles in alginate beads linked with Ca2+. The dissolution rate expressed as percentage of initial uranium content in cells was 0.039 +/- 0.016%/day for particles with a count median geometric diameter of 3.84 microns(sigma g = 1.84). A 2-fold increase in the dissolution rate was observed when the same number of particles was immobilized without macrophages. These results, obtained in vitro, suggest that the U3O8 preparation investigated should be assigned to inhalation class Y as recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection. Future experiments are intended to clarify this preliminary work and to examine the dissolution characteristics of other particles such as uranium dioxide. It is recommended that the dissolution rate should be measured over an interval of 3 weeks, which is compatible with the survival time of immobilized cells in culture and may reveal transformation states occurring with aging of the particles.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

In vitro chemical and cellular tests applied to uranium trioxide with different hydration states.

A simple and rapid in vitro chemical solubility test applicable to industrial uranium trioxide (UO3) was developed together with two in vitro cellular tests using rat alveolar macrophages maintained either in gas phase or in alginate beads at 37 degrees C. Industrial UO3 was characterized by particle size, X-ray, and IR spectra, and chemical transformation (e.g., aging and hydration of the dust) was also studied. Solvents used for the in vitro chemical solubility study included carbonates, citrates, phosphates, water, Eagle's basal medium, and Gamble's solution (simulated lung fluid), alone, with oxygen, or with superoxide ions. Results, expressed in terms of the half-time of dissolution, according to International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) classification (D,W,Y), varied for different hydration states of UO3, showing a lower solubility of hydrated UO3 in solvents compared to basic UO3 or UO3 heated at 450 degrees C. Two in vitro cellular tests on cultured rat alveolar macrophages (cells maintained in gas phase and cells immobilized in alginate beads) were used on the same UO3 samples and generally showed a lower solution transfer rate in the presence of macrophages than in the culture medium alone. The results of in vitro chemical and cellular tests were compared, with four main conclusions: a good reproducibility of the three tests in Eagle's basal medium the effect of hydration state on solubility, the classification of UO3 in terms of ICRP solubility criteria, and the ability of macrophages to decrease uranium solubility in medium.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Dosimetric implications of pulmonary macrophage clusters observed within lungs of rats that have inhaled enriched UO2 particles.

Twenty-four Fischer 344 rats were exposed to enriched uranium dioxide (UO2) aerosols to give a mean initial lung burden of 291 +/- 89 (SD) micrograms. Groups of rats were killed at 1, 7, 180, 360, 540, and 720 days post-inhalation (PI). Their lungs were fixed and inflated. Sections cut from all five lung lobes were used to prepare CR-39 neutron-induced 235U fission fragment autoradiographs. A single traverse across a CR-39 autoradiograph of a tissue section, from the left lung of all the rats, was made using a motorized microscopic stage. The traverse was divided into 10 fields. The track counts per field were used to test for homogeneity of track distribution and to assess if there was any tendency for tracks to be related to the peripheral region of the lung. Full raster scans across the entire tissue image were made on left lung autoradiographs from two animals killed at each time point to assess the homogeneity of fission fragment track distribution throughout the entire section. There was no evidence of any temporal change in the proportion of tracks associated with the lung periphery. At all time points PI, the track distribution was significantly nonhomogeneous, suggesting a nonuniform pattern of tissue irradiation from the 234U alpha particles. At time points from 180 to 720 days PI, large clusters of macrophages were observed in some of the sections taken from all five lung lobes. The total number of macrophage clusters increased with time PI. These macrophage clusters produced many 235U fission fragment tracks within the CR-39 autoradiographs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2006

c-Type cytochrome-dependent formation of U(IV) nanoparticles by Shewanella oneidensis.

Modern approaches for bioremediation of radionuclide contaminated environments are based on the ability of microorganisms to effectively catalyze changes in the oxidation states of metals that in turn influence their solubility. Although microbial metal reduction has been identified as an effective means for immobilizing highly-soluble uranium(VI) complexes in situ, the biomolecular mechanisms of U(VI) reduction are not well understood. Here, we show that c-type cytochromes of a dissimilatory metal-reducing bacterium, Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, are essential for the reduction of U(VI) and formation of extracellular UO(2) nanoparticles. In particular, the outer membrane (OM) decaheme cytochrome MtrC (metal reduction), previously implicated in Mn(IV) and Fe(III) reduction, directly transferred electrons to U(VI). Additionally, deletions of mtrC and/or omcA significantly affected the in vivo U(VI) reduction rate relative to wild-type MR-1. Similar to the wild-type, the mutants accumulated UO(2) nanoparticles extracellularly to high densities in association with an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). In wild-type cells, this UO(2)-EPS matrix exhibited glycocalyx-like properties and contained multiple elements of the OM, polysaccharide, and heme-containing proteins. Using a novel combination of methods including synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy and high-resolution immune-electron microscopy, we demonstrate a close association of the extracellular UO(2) nanoparticles with MtrC and OmcA (outer membrane cytochrome). This is the first study to our knowledge to directly localize the OM-associated cytochromes with EPS, which contains biogenic UO(2) nanoparticles. In the environment, such association of UO(2) nanoparticles with biopolymers may exert a strong influence on subsequent behavior including susceptibility to oxidation by O(2) or transport in soils and sediments.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed2001

Suppression of depleted uranium-induced neoplastic transformation of human cells by the phenyl fatty acid, phenyl acetate: chemoprevention by targeting the p21RAS protein pathway.

Depleted uranium is a dense heavy metal used primarily in military applications. Published data from our laboratory have demonstrated that exposure to depleted uranium in vitro can transform immortalized human osteoblast (HOS) cells to the tumorigenic phenotype (associated with aberrant RAS oncogene expression and tumor suppressor protein production). Since depleted uranium is used in military applications, it would therefore be beneficial to identify and test potential antitumor-promoting agents. Chemopreventive interventions that target deregulated signal transduction pathways may be effective strategies to prevent carcinogenesis. Since the RAS protein plays a key role in signal transduction, disruption of its signaling pathway may be particularly effective. The phenyl fatty acid, phenyl acetate, a differentiation inducer that affects post-translational processing of RAS, was tested for its ability to prevent depleted uranium-induced neoplastic transformation using HOS cells. After a 24-h exposure to insoluble depleted uranium-uranium dioxide (1 mg/ml), cells were incubated for 1 day to 6 weeks with 2.5 mM phenyl acetate. Treatment with depleted uranium resulted in transformation to the tumorigenic phenotype. In contrast, HOS cells exposed to depleted uranium and then treated with phenyl acetate did not exhibit transformation to the tumorigenic phenotype. These data suggest that depleted uranium-induced neoplastic transformation in vitro can be prevented by targeting the RAS protein.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Source of toxicity in storm water: zinc from commonly used paint.

A Department of Energy site in Paducah, Kentucky (USA), stores thousands of cylinders of depleted uranium hexafluoride. Breaches of the cylinders could result in the release of uranium and hydrogen fluoride. Beginning in 1996, a program was begun to paint the cylinders in order to prevent corrosion of the cylinders and the surfaces of the storage yards were converted to concrete. In 1998, storm water from the cylinder storage yards was found to be toxic to Ceriodaphnia, at concentrations exceeding limits in the site's discharge permit. A six-month study was conducted to identify the source of the toxicity in the storm water. Ceriodaphnia toxicity tests with the storm water resulted in 48-h median lethal concentrations (LC50) ranging from 12 to 94%; zinc concentrations in the storm water ranged from 0.08 to 0.54 mg/L. Acute toxicity tests with zinc and linear regression identified that zinc concentrations in the storm water were sufficient to account for the toxicity observed. By tracking the sources to the discharge point, newly painted cylinders were identified as the source of the zinc in the storm water. Rainwater collected directly from the painted cylinders contained up to 13 mg Zn/L. Laboratory and field tests showed that topcoating the cylinders would reduce the amount of zinc in the runoff from the cylinders.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Valve closure response to uranium exposure for a freshwater bivalve (Corbicula fluminea): quantification of the influence of pH.

Laboratory experiments were carried out to analyze the first valve closure response of a freshwater bivalve (Corbicula fluminea) exposed to uranium during a 5-h period. Experiments were performed in a well-defined artificial water at two pH values, 5.5 and 6.5, with a noninvasive method of valve recording. Sensitivity thresholds, based on percentage of bivalve that close their valves in a given time, were determined. Response thresholds depended on the total uranium concentration, integration time of response (fast responses could only be observed for the highest concentrations), and pH. The bivalve is much more sensitive to total uranium concentration at pH 5.5 than pH 6.5. The minimal sensitivity threshold determined, expressed as the uranium concentration inducing the valve closure of 50% of the bivalves, was 0.05 micromol/L at pH 5.5 after 5 h of exposure. Moreover, higher concentrations of the free ion UO2(2-) are required at pH 5.5 than at pH 6.5 to illicit the same response. Two hypotheses can be proposed, that UO2(2-) is not the only detected species or that competition exists between H- and UO2(2-) for binding sites.

Animals↗