Institut fr Kernchemie Scientific profile of the Institute

Institut für Kernchemie

Scientific profile of the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and the research reactor TRIGA Mainz Chemistry / physics of the heaviest elements J. V. Kratz Fundamental research in nuclear chemistry J. V. Kratz Nucleon research J. V. Kratz, C. Plonka-Spehr Research reactor TRIGA Mainz G. Hampel Spectroscopic methods T. Reich W. Nörtershäuser Speciation / analysis of the environment T. Reich G. Hampel Nuclear chemistry in life sciences F. Rösch Radiopharmaceutical chemistry F. Rösch Education and training

Ultratrace Analysis with Laser Radiation

Ultratrace analysis with RIMS Principal of the resonance laser ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS): 1. Production of an atomic beam 2. Efficient three step ionization of the atoms by lasers 3. Mass separation of the ions by a time-of-flight mass spectrometer 4. Extremely high isotopic selectivity of 5× 1012 and low experimental limit of detection of 106 atoms per sample

Applications of ultratrace analysis with RIMS • Plutonium in the environment – Powder sample from the Elbmarsch – Water sample from the North Sea and the Irish Sea – Incorporation measurements – Stolen plutonium from a reprocessing facility – Uranium amunitions from the Kosovo – Water samples from Rheinland-Pfalz • Calcium-41 in the biological medicine • Uranium-236 in the environment

Application of synchrotron radiation for structural analysis Investigation of long-lived radionuclides (actinides) in – – aqueous solutions, soils, plants and microorganisms by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy

Information from XAFS spectra Molecular symmetry and oxidation state

Information from XAFS spectra Bond distances and coordination numbers

Synthesis of artificial elements by nuclear fission The UNILACAccelerator A facility to produce artificial elements is installed at GSIDarmstadt.

Island of stability in the N, Z diagram N

Chemistry of the heaviest elements (transactinides) Periodic Table of the Elements (2008) 27 artificially produced elements

Nuclear chemistry in life sciences Radiopharmaceutical chemistry Membrane receptors (Somatostatin): Diagnosis and therapy of neuro-endocrine tumors using 86/90 Y-labeled peptides Glycolysis: Visualization of glucose metabolism using 2 -[18 F]FDG (2 -[18 F]fluorodesoxy-glucose)

Brain research Synthesis of neurotransmitters Dopamine receptor system: Parkinson, Schizophrenia, . . . Opiate receptor system: Pain, addiction, . . . Glucose metabolisms: Alzheimer, epilepsy, . . . Benzodiazepine receptor system: Alcohol dependency, fear, …

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

2008 Reactor Training Course for the University of South Carolina TRIGA Mainz Dr. Gabriele Hampel Johannes Gutenberg - Universität Mainz