Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab

AES is a powerful analytical technique, especially effective when used with plasma sources, producing abundant spectra in characteristic emission lines. The Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP), in particular, yields superior quantitative analytical data due to its high stability, low noise, low background, and minimal interferences under optimal experimental conditions. However, newer air-operated microwave sources are emerging as promising alternatives that could be more cost-effective than...

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview

Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Lab

For AAS measurements, samples must be introduced as clear solutions, often requiring extensive preliminary treatment to dissolve materials like soils, animal tissues, and minerals. Common methods for sample preparation include treatment with hot mineral acids, wet ashing, combustion in closed containers, high-temperature ashing, or fusion with reagents.
Solutions containing organic solvents, such as low-molecular-mass alcohols, esters, or ketones, enhance absorbances by increasing nebulizer...

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)

High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HRMS)

The resolution of a mass spectrometer depends on the efficiency of separating ions with different ion masses. The mass of an atom is approximated to the sum of the masses of protons and neutrons inside, considering the masses of protons and neutrons as equal. However, the masses of the proton (1.6726 × 10−24 g) and neutron (1.6749 × 10−24 g) are not truly equal. There is a minor error in the expression of atomic masses relative to the simplest atom of hydrogen. For example, the mass of helium...

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Interference

Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Interference

In atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), high-temperature atomizers excite a broad range of elements and molecules that generate complex emissions from sources such as oxides, hydroxides, and flame combustion products in the flame or plasma. Several strategies can be employed to minimize spectral interferences caused by overlapping emission lines or bands. These include increasing instrument resolution, choosing alternative emission lines, optimally placing the detector in low-background regions,...

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Radiation and Light Sources

Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: Radiation and Light Sources

Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) relies on the Beer-Lambert law, which requires that the radiation source emits a narrow range of wavelengths to match the absorption characteristics of the analyte atom. The primary criteria for choosing an appropriate radiation source in AAS is to provide a precise and intense emission at specific wavelengths that will allow accurate detection of the analyte.
Two common narrow-range 'line' sources used in AAS are hollow-cathode lamps (HCLs) and...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Automatic Detection of Gait Perturbations With Everyday Wearable Technology.

IEEE open journal of engineering in medicine and biology·2025

Same author

Survey of drug use and its association with herd-level and farm-level characteristics on German dairy farms.

Journal of dairy science·2023

Same author

Tunable electrochromic filter for in situ Fourier spatial frequency filtering.

Optics express·2021

Same author

Corrigendum to "Constructed wetlands for combined seweroverflow treatment: A state-of-the-art review"[Sci. Total Environ. 727 (2020) 138618].

The Science of the total environment·2021

Same author

Constructed wetlands for combined sewer overflow treatment: A state-of-the-art review.

The Science of the total environment·2020

Same author

Performance of retention soil filters for the reduction of hygienically-relevant microorganisms in combined sewage overflow and treated wastewater.

Water science and technology : a journal of the International Association on Water Pollution Research·2020

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

Preparing an Isotopically Pure ²²⁹Th Ion Beam for Studies of ^229mTh

Published on: May 3, 2019

Accuracy testing using thick source alpha-particle spectroscopy for the U and Th series estimations.

C T Michael¹, N Zacharias, A Hein

¹Laboratory of Archaometry, Institute of Materials Science, NCSR Demokritos, Attiki, Greece. ctmichael@ims.demokritos.gr

Applied Radiation and Isotopes : Including Data, Instrumentation and Methods for Use in Agriculture, Industry and Medicine

|November 11, 2009

Summary

A new method using alpha particle spectra calculates Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th) levels for dating applications. The technique, while promising for dose rate determination, requires further refinement for optimal accuracy and disequilibrium detection.

More Related Videos

Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

Separation of Uranium and Thorium for ²³⁰Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

Published on: May 20, 2019

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C₂, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown

Published on: February 14, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh

Preparing an Isotopically Pure ²²⁹Th Ion Beam for Studies of ^229mTh

Published on: May 3, 2019

Separation of Uranium and Thorium for 230Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

Separation of Uranium and Thorium for ²³⁰Th-U Dating of Submarine Hydrothermal Sulfides

Published on: May 20, 2019

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C2, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown

Measurement and Analysis of Atomic Hydrogen and Diatomic Molecular AlO, C₂, CN, and TiO Spectra Following Laser-induced Optical Breakdown

Published on: February 14, 2014

Area of Science:

Geochronology
Nuclear Physics
Analytical Chemistry

Background:

Accurate determination of Uranium (U) and Thorium (Th) concentrations is crucial for radiometric dating techniques.
Existing methods for U-Th series analysis can be complex and time-consuming.
Thermoluminescence (TL), Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL), and Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating rely on precise dose rate calculations.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate a novel technique for calculating U and Th concentrations using alpha particle spectroscopy.
To assess the applicability of this method for dose rate determination in TL, OSL, and ESR dating.
To identify potential technical challenges and propose improvements for enhanced accuracy.

Main Methods:

Utilizing a silicon detector (Passivated Implanted Planar Silicon - PIPS) to measure alpha particle spectra from thick samples.
Developing a calculation method based on the acquired alpha particle energy spectra.
Analyzing U and Th series disequilibrium using the spectral data.

Main Results:

The new technique demonstrates potential for U and Th calculation from alpha spectra.
Several technical issues were identified during the testing phase.
Recommendations for improving the accuracy of the U and Th calculations were formulated.
The method shows promise for detecting U-Th series disequilibrium.

Conclusions:

The alpha particle spectrum technique offers a new approach for U and Th quantification.
Further optimization is needed to overcome technical challenges and enhance accuracy for dating applications.
The method's capability to detect U-Th series disequilibrium is a significant advantage.