Development of an electrolysis system for tritium enrichment in superficial water samples.
Tritium present in the environment gradually decreased in the last decades and nowadays it has reached extremely low activity concentrations. The purpose of the present work is the implementation of a tritium enrichment system in water samples using electrolytic techniques and pure nickel and iron electrodes. In the present work a mean tritium enrichment factor of 13.0 +/- 3.2 was obtained. This result should allow to reach a minimum detectable activity of tritium in water samples of about 1 tritium unit (TU) or less. The present enrichment system necessitates further adjustments and improvements, such as a cooling system in order to reduce the tritium losses due to evaporation.
Optimization of Cocktail AquaLight LLT Volume for Estimation of 14C Activity in Aqueous Sample using LSC Hidex 300 SL
Optimization of the comparison between the AquaLight LLT cocktail and aqueous samples had been carried out. AquaLight LLT cocktail was mixed with an aqueous sample. The variation ratio between the aquaLight cocktail and the sample were 19: 1; 18: 2; 17: 3; 16: 4; 15: 5; 14: 6; 13: 7; 12: 8; 11: 9; 10:10; 9:11; 8:12; and 7:13. Then, each mixture was analyzed by LSC Hidex 300 SL. Optimization is seen by comparing the highest efficiency which is stated by the TDCR value. The results indicate that the best ratio between AquaLight cocktail and an aqueous sample was 12: 8. The CPM, DPM, and TDCR values from a mixture of 12 mL cocktail and 8 mL sample were 306,400 ± 3,578; 418,000 ± 7,348; and 0.733 ± 0.013.
The German centenary of the First World War
In the run up to the 2014 centenary of the First World War, the German public was gripped by a heated debate on the origins of the war. This article explores the nature of this controversy and its role in shaping national commemoration of the Great War. It also draws parallels between the commemorations of the fiftieth anniversary of the outbreak of the war in 1964 and those of 2014. Through a comparison of Germany’s national memories of the war with those in Britain and France, the article also reveals how different and sometimes conflicting national interpretations of the history of the First World War have affected centenary commemoration. Memories of the First World War are nation-specific, constructed and developed over time to suit a particular view of a country’s past. Moreover, they can be instrumental in influencing that country’s future development and relations with its neighbours.