Calculating physical properties of organic compounds for environmental modeling from molecular structure

Mathematical models for predicting the transport and fate of pollutants in the environment require reactivity parameter values – that is the value of the physical and chemical constants that govern reactivity. Although empirical structure–activity relationships have been developed that allow estimation of some constants, such relationships are generally valid only within limited families of chemicals. The computer program, SPARC, uses computational algorithms based on fundamental chemical structure theory to estimate a large number of chemical reactivity parameters and physical properties for a wide range of organic molecules strictly from molecular structure. Resonance models were developed and calibrated using measured light absorption spectra, whereas electrostatic interaction models were developed using measured ionization pK_as in water. Solvation models (i.e., dispersion, induction, H-bonding, etc.) have been developed using various measured physical properties data. At the present time, SPARC’s physical property models can predict vapor pressure and heat of vaporization (as a function of temperature), boiling point (as a function of pressure), diffusion coefficient (as a function of pressure and temperature), activity coefficient, solubility, partition coefficient and chromatographic retention time as a function of solvent and temperature. This prediction capability crosses chemical family boundaries to cover a broad range of organic compounds.     

多氯联苯的正辛醇-空气分配系数与气相色谱保留参数的关联

通过对19种多氯联苯（PCBs）在DB-1,DB-5和DB-1701等3种色谱柱上的气相色谱（GC）保留参数A,B值与正辛醇-空气分配系数(Koa)的相关分析,发现GC保留参数A,B与Koa存在明显的线性关系。采用了逐步回归的方法,建立了保留参数A,B与Koa的二元回归方程,相关系数的平方达到了0.99以上,标准偏差小于0.11。此外,根据实验测定的153个PCBs的GC保留参数以及定量构效关系（QSAR）研究中的56个预测值,对剩余190种PCBs的Koa值进行了预测。     

Linearity of calibration curves: use and misuse of the correlation coefficient

The correlation coefficient is commonly used to evaluate the degree of linear association between two variables. However, it can be shown that a correlation coefficient very close to one might also be obtained for a clear curved relationship. Other statistical tests, like the Lack-of-fit and Mandel’s fitting test thus appear more suitable for the validation of the linear calibration model. A number of cadmium calibration curves from atomic absorption spectroscopy were assessed for their linearity. All the investigated calibration curves were characterized by a high correlation coefficient (r >0.997) and low quality coefficient (QC <5%), but the straight-line model was systematically rejected at the 95% confidence level on the basis of the Lack-of-fit and Mandel’s fitting test. Furthermore, significantly different results were achieved between a linear regression model (LRM) and a quadratic regression (QRM) model in forecasting values for mid-scale calibration standards. The results obtained with the QRM did not differ significantly from the theoretically expected value, while those obtained with the LRM were systematically biased. It was concluded that a straight-line model with a high correlation coefficient, but with a lack-of-fit, yields significantly less accurate results than its curvilinear alternative. Received: 15 January 2002 Accepted: 18 April 2002     

EU Approach for Environmental Exposure Assessment: Actual Status and Future Needs

Abstract

To estimate the environmental concentration of a chemical substance, as required by the legislation of the European Union in the context of the risk assessment of chemical substances, several mathematical models are proposed. Representative and reliable analytical monitoring data for the different environmental compartments are indeed only seldom available. The proposed models are simple models as for instance multimedia fugacity models. Although the results of these models only provide an imperfect approximation of the concentration in the different compartments, very high uncertainties can lie upon certain input parameters, like the quantities of the substance released during one of its life-stages, its biodegradation rate in the respective compartments or its partition coefficients between those compartments. The improvement of the risk assessment scheme as proposed by the EU-Member States should focus on these input parameters. This might imply further adapting the test methods or even the requested test battery to the physical-chemical properties or even the structure of a substance.     

固相微萃取技术在估算多环芳烃的辛醇-水分配系数中的应用

采用固相微萃取 气相色谱／质谱联用技术分析了水中１１种多环芳烃,并获得其平衡时的分配系数。当固相微萃取纤维上涂渍的固定液被视为一种有机溶剂时,根据萃取系统间线性的自由能关系,建立了聚二甲基硅氧烷 水分配系数（Ｋｓｗ）与正辛醇 水分配系数（Ｋｏｗ）间的关系式,并将其应用于估算其它多环芳烃的未知的醇 水分配系数。所建立的方法简单、快速,与Ｌｅｏ碎片法相比,可以更精确地估算取代基位置不同的同分异构体的Ｋｏｗ。     

Determination of the lipophilicity of some aniline derivatives by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography. The effect of the organic phase in the eluent

Summary The lipophilicity of aniline and 36 ring-substituted aniline derivatives was determined by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography using methanol, acetone and acetonitrile as the organic phase. The R_M value of each compound linearly decreased with increasing concentration of the organic solvent, Acetonitrile showed the highest and methanol the lowest solvent strength, however, the difference between the solvent strength of methanol and acetone was negligible. The site of the substitution considerably influenced the lipophilicity particularly in the case of –NO₂ groups. Good correlation was found between the R_M value extrapolated to zero organic phase concentration and the partition coefficient between n-octanol:water. The change in the R_M value caused by a 1% increase of the organic phase concentration also correlated with the partition coefficient, however, it was of secondary importance. The lipophilicity parameters determined by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography correlated to a lesser extent with the calculated lipophilicity values of aniline derivatives.     

Dependence of the Water/Gas Partition Coefficient of Volatile Organic Compounds on the Ionic Strength of Sodium Chloride Solution

Headspace method has been applied to the water/gas partition coefficient investigations for 10 volatile organic compounds at temperature of 20°C. The values of the partition coefficients have been determined at different NaCl concentrations, ranging from 0.5% to 3.6%. A regular decrease in the values of the partition coefficient with the increasing salt concentration in solution has been observed. Additionally, the NaCl salting-out coefficient has been determined for all the examinated compounds. Using the dependence of the logarithm of the partition coefficient on the salinity of the solution has enabled to present the results as a straight – line function.     

Partition coefficients of organic molecules in squalane and water/ethanol mixtures by molecular dynamics simulations

Accurate partition coefficient data of migrants between a polymer and a solvent are of paramount importance for estimating the migration of the migrant over time, including the concentration of the migrant at infinite time in the two solvents. In this article it is shown how this partition coefficient can be estimated for both a small hydrophilic and a hydrophobic organic molecules between squalane (used here to mimic low density poly ethylene) and water/ethanol solutes using thermodynamic integration to calculate the free energy of solvation. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed, using the GROMACS software, by slowly decoupling of firstly the electrostatic and then the Lennard-Jones interactions between molecules in the simulation box. These calculations depend very much on the choice of force field. Two force fields have been tested in this work, the TraPPE-UA (united-atom) and the OPLS-AA (all-atom). The computational cheaper TraPPE-UA force field showed to be more accurate over the whole range of systems compared to the OPLS-AA force field. Moreover, some of the calculations were done with five different water models to investigate the influence of the specific water model on the calculations. It was found that the combination of the TraPPE-UA force field and the TIP4p water model gave the best results. Based on the methodology proposed in this article, it is possible to obtain good partition coefficients only knowing the chemical structure of the molecules in the system.     

Using different types of capillary chromatographic columns as denudation traps: a comparison of sorption properties

The research presented concerns segments of capillary chromatographic columns of different types (WCOT, SCOT, PLOT) used as traps for collection of samples of volatile organic analytes from a stream of air utilizing the equilibrium denudation technique. During the model experiments (utilizing standard mixtures), values of the partition coefficients (Kfs) were determined for volatile organic compounds frequently occurring as pollutants of atmospheric air (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, chlorobenzene). The conducted research demonstrated that the stationary phase film thickness did not affect the partition coefficient value. It was also proved that there is no dependence between the manner of applying the stationary phase in the column and the partition coefficient value.     

双柱气相色谱法测定有机物的正辛醇/水分配系数

通过对烷烃，醇类等有机物在五种不同极性固定相上的气相色谱保留值的测定，提出了从有机物气相色谱保留值测定其正辛醇/分配系数的公式，研究了从不同极性固定相上测得的保留值来测定其分配系数的准确性，得出烷烃类在所有柱上测得的保留值与其分配系数间均具有很好的关联，烷烃醇类在极性相异柱上的保留值之比值与其分配系数间也有很好的相关性，从而为烷烃及醇类等有机物分配系数的测定提供了一种简单、可靠，易行的新方法。     

Periodic crystallisation of magnesium hydroxide in agar-agar gel. Influence of temperature

The influence of temperature on periodic crystallisation of magnesium hydroxide in agar-agar gel has been studied. The increase in velocity constant with temperature is attributed to the increase in the diffusion constant with temperature. The activation energy for diffusion of aqueous ammonia is calculated from the temperature — velocity constant correlation. The solubility of Mg(OH)₂ decreases with temperature. The decrease in the spacing coefficient and fiocculation value of Mg(OH)₂ with temperature is also explained because of the increase in temperature. Matalon and Packter’s equation correlating the spacing coefficient and concentration of the inner electrolyte is suitably modified to satisfy the temperature dependence of the spacing coefficient.     

Response Surface Optimization of the Critical Medium Components for Pullulan Production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aureobasidium pullulans</Emphasis> FB-1

Culture conditions for pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans were optimized using response surface methodology at shake flask level without pH control. In the present investigation, a five-level with five-factor central composite rotatable design of experiments was employed to optimize the levels of five factors significantly affecting the pullulan production, biomass production, and sugar utilization in submerged cultivation. The selected factors included concentration of sucrose, ammonium sulphate, yeast extract, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, and sodium chloride. Using this methodology, the optimal values for concentration of sucrose, ammonium sulphate, yeast extract, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, and sodium chloride were 5.31%, 0.11%, 0.07%, 0.05%, and 0.15% (w/v), respectively. This optimized medium has projected a theoretically production of pullulan of 4.44%, biomass yield of 1.03%, and sugar utilization of 97.12%. The multiple correlation coefficient ‘R’ was 0.9976, 0.9761 and 0.9919 for pullulan production, biomass production, and sugar utilization, respectively. The value of R being very close to one justifies an excellent correlation between the predicted and the experimental data.     

Xylanase recovery effect of extraction conditions on the aqueous two-phase system using experimental design

The partitioning of xylanase produced byPenicillium janthinellum in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and phosphate (K₂HPO₄/KH₂PO₄) was studied employing a statistical experimental design. The aim was to identify the key factors governing xylanase partitioning. The interactions of five factors (PEG concentration molecular weight, concentration of buffer K₂HPO₄/KH₂PO₄, pH, and NaCl concentration) and their main effects on the partition coefficient (K) were evaluated by means of a 2⁵ full-factorial experimental design with four center points. The %PEG, %NaCl, and pH were the most important factors affecting the response variable (K). Response surface methodology (RSM) was adopted and an empirical second-order polynomial model was constructed on the basis of the results. The optimum partition conditions were pH 7.0, PEG = 8.83% and NaCl = 6.02%. Adequacy of the model for predicting optimum response value was tested under these conditions. The experimental xylanase partition coefficient (K) was 2.21, whereas its value predicted by the model was 2.33. These results indicate that the predicted model was adequate for the process. PEG molecular weight and phosphate concentration did not affect the xylanase partition coefficient.     

Comparative analysis of linear and nonlinear models for ion transport problem in chronoamperometry

Ion transport problem related to controlled potential experiments in electrochemistry is studied. The problem is assumed to be superposition of diffusion and migration under the influence of an electric field. The comparative analysis are presented for three well-known models—pure diffusive (Cottrell’s), linear diffusion-migration, and nonlinear diffusion-migration (Cohn’s) models. The nonlinear model is derived by the identification problem for a nonlinear parabolic equation with nonlocal additional condition. This problem reduced to an initial-boundary value problem for nonlinear parabolic equation. The nonlinear finite difference approximation of this problem, with an appropriate iteration algorithm is derived. The comparative numerical analysis for all three models shows an influence of the nonlinear migration term, the valences of oxidized and reduced oxidized species, also diffusivity to the value of the total charge. The obtained results permits one to estimate bounds of linear and nonlinear ion transport models.     

QSPR Studies on lgK_(ow) and lgK_(oc) of Fluorobenzenes and Property Parameters Based on HF and DFT Calculations

1 INTRODUCTION Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) equation could be employed to predict the biological activities of unknown compounds, which is signifi- cant for initial screening and evaluation of toxic compounds[1]. Soil sorption coeff…     

Direct determination of the concentration dependence of diffusivities using combined model-based Raman and NMR experiments

Diffusion in liquids can still be predicted only with high uncertainty due to a lack of sufficient experimental data. Diffusion experiments are complex and time-consuming. Furthermore, the determination of the concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficients requires usually several experiments even for binary mixtures. A powerful model identification framework based on two fast experimental techniques is presented here. Raman inter-diffusion experiments in combination with a novel incremental identification technique establish the concentration dependence directly from the data without requiring a priori specification of the model structure. In regions where this technique is sensitive to error noise, it is complemented with NMR intra-diffusion measurements. Models describing the concentration dependence are identified in two steps. Based on the combined data suitable model candidates are proposed and initialized through basic curve fitting in the first identification step. A statistically sound dynamic optimization step yields the final model parameters. The methodology is exemplarily used to determine the diffusion coefficient in the mixture ethyl acetate–cyclohexane in the full concentration space.