Lead,cadmium, and arsenic in commercial algae of the Sea of Japan

The concentrations of toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead) in commercial algae Saccharina japonica and Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis from different habitats of the Sea of Japan have been determined. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals has been analyzed with respect to the habitat and growth conditions. The lead content of Sascharina japonica from all habitats and arsenic content of the same alga species from the Ol’ga Bay, Kievka Bay, and Tatar Strait have been found to exceed maximum permissible levels. Increased lead concentrations have been detected in Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis. Samples of Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis collected from the bottom layer contain more toxic elements than those from the upper layer.     

Analyse de la fraction labile du zinc,cadmium, plomb et du cuivre dissous en milieu marin côtier par la redissolution anodique à impulsions différentielles

Analysis of the labile fraction of zinc, cadmium, lead and copper dissolved in the coastal marine environment using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry. The determination of the optimal experimental conditions for the dosage of labile concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, copper lead and zinc, in a coastal marine environment has been performed. The method used was differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) with hanging mercury drop. To cite this article: M. El Makhfouk et al., C. R. Chimie 6 (2003).     

Properties of gold electrode modified with dimercaptosuccinic acid and electrochemical behavior of copper histidine complex

A self-assembled monolayer of meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid was prepared on the surface of gold disc electrode. The modified electrode was characterized using cyclic voltammetry in copper(II) solution and cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of potassium hexacyanoferrate( II)/(III) and hexaammineruthenium (II)/(III) chloride. Binding of copper(II) histidine complex (Cu–His) onto the electrode was successfully achieved for a wide range of tested concentrations, as shown with adsorption transfer stripping voltammetry. Electrode response (logΔI_p) was linearly proportional to logc(Cu–His) with correlation coefficient R³² = 0.9839.     

Determination of Rutin in Drinks Using an Electrode Modified with Carbon Nanotubes-Prussian Blue

A new sensor was developed using a screen-printed carbon electrode modified with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and Prussian blue (PB) coated with chitosan. The modified electrode allowed the oxidation and reduction of rutin at 0.25 and 0.096 V, respectively, with a ΔE of 0.154 V. Furthermore, the peak currents increase nearly 100% compared with the electrode without modification. The process was more reversible compared with the electrode modified with only SWCNTs or PB. Cyclic voltammetry was used to characterize the modified electrode surface. The quantification of rutin was more sensitive with adsorptive stripping voltammetry than with anodic stripping voltammetry. Adsorption potential, adsorption time and pH were optimized based on the oxidation of rutin: E_ads =–0.10 V, t_ads = 60 s, pH 3.0. The detection limit (3σ/b) was 0.01 μM and the relative standard derivation was 3%. The new sensor was used in the quantification of rutin in black tea, coffee and synthetic drink of tea with satisfactory results.     

Study of physical chemistry on biosorption of zinc by using Chlorella pyrenoidosa

Discharge of heavy metals from metal processing industries is known to have adverse effects on the environment. Biosorption of heavy metals by metabolically inactive biomass of microbial organisms is an innovative and alternative technology for removal of these pollutants from aqueous solution. Presence of heavy metals in the aquatic system is posing serious problems. Zinc has been used in many industries and removal of Zn ions from waste water is significant. Biosorption is one of the economic methods used for removal of heavy metals. In the present study, the biomass obtained from the dried Chlorella pyrenoidosa was used for evaluating the biosorption characteristics of Zn ions in aqueous solutions. Batch adsorption experiments were performed with this material and it was found that the amount of metal ions adsorbed increased with the increase in the initial metal ion concentration. In this study effect of agitation time, initial metal ion concentration, temperature, pH and biomass dosage were studied. Maximum metal uptake (q _max) observed at pH 5 was 101.11 mg/g. The biosorption followed both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm model. The adsorption equilibrium was reached in about 1 h. The kinetic of biosorption followed the second-border rate. The biomass could be regenerated using 0.1 M HNO₃. A positive value of ΔH° indicated the endothermic nature of the process. A negative value of the free energy (ΔG°) indicated the spontaneous nature of the adsorption process. A positive value of ΔS° showed increased randomness at solid-liquid interface during the adsorption of heavy metals, it also suggests some structural changes in the adsorbate and the adsorbent. FTIR Spectrums of Chlorella pyrenoidosa revealed the presence of hydroxyl, amino, carboxylic and carbonyl groups. The scanning electron micrograph clearly revealed the surface texture and morphology of the biosorbent.     

Comparative efficacy of locally isolated fungal strains for Pb(II) removal and recovery from water

The present investigation aimed to study and compare the efficiency of non-viable fungal isolates to remove divalent lead (Pb(II)) from aqueous streams. The selected fungal isolates showed identity with Aspergillus caespitosus, Aureobasidium sp. RBSS-303 and Aspergillus flavus HF5 as confirmed using gene sequencing of ITS regions of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The obtained equilibrium data for Pb(II) biosorption of A. caespitosus fitted better to Langmuir isotherm with maximum sorption capacity of 351.0 mg/g and A. sp. RBSS-303 and A. flavus HF5 showed good fit to Freundlich isotherm with maximum sorption capacity of 271.5 and 346.3 mg/g respectively. The values of thermodynamic factors ascertained the nature of adsorption process is endothermic with A. caespitosus and A. flavus HF5 but exothermic with A. sp. RBSS-303. The experimental data for Pb(II) biosorption fits very well to pseudo second order kinetic model. With HCl the maximum 85.5, 75.3, 73.7% recovery of Pb(II) was obtained from A. caespitosus, A. sp. RBSS-303 and A. flavus HF5, respectively. The observed percentage loss in sorption capacity of Pb(II) was 3.9% by A. flavus HF5, 12.2% by A. caespitosus and 26.6% by A. sp. RBSS-303 after five cyclic studies of sorption and desorption. Results from the study confirmed the efficiency order of A. caespitosus > A. flavus HF5 > A. sp. RBSS-303 to remove and recover Pb(II) from aqueous solution. Finally, the fungal biosorbents can be used as soil conditioning agent after compositing into valuables fungal protein.     

Use of adsorptive square-wave anodic stripping voltammetry at carbon paste electrode for the determination of amlodipine besylate in pharmaceutical preparations

The antihypertensive drug amlodipine has been characterized voltammetrically in a carbon paste electrode by means of anodic stripping voltammetry. An adsorptive stripping method in a carbon paste electrode for trace determination of amlodipine has been described. Cyclic voltammetric studies indicated the oxidation of amlodipine besylate at the electrode surface through a single two-electron irreversible step fundamentally controlled by adsorption. A study of the variation in the peak current with solution variables such as pH, ionic strength, concentration of amlodipine, possible interference, and instrumental variables, such as preconcentration time and accumulation potential, has resulted in the optimization of the oxidation signal for analytical purposes. By anodic adsorptive anodic stripping voltammetry, the calibration plot was linear in the range 9.9 × 10^?9 ? 1.4 × 10^?7 M with a detection limit of 2 × 10^?10 M in a carbon paste electrode at pH 11.0. The procedure was successfully applied to the assay of amlodipine besylate in some commercial products in the market (Amlopres®, Amlodipine, and Norvasc®). The percentage recoveries were in agreement with those obtained by the reference method.     

Experimental and theoretical prediction of the redox potentials of noradrenaline and its supramolecular complex with glycine

The redox reaction of N-protonated noradrenalin (NA) is a two-proton-two-electron reaction in aqueous solution. NA can be oxidated to N-protonated noradrenalin quinone (NAquinone). The standard electrode potential (E⁰) value of NA/NAquinone couples is obtained experimentally with cyclic voltammetry (CV) and theoretically with two methods at B3LYP/6-311++G(d, p) level. The theoretical E⁰ value of NA/NAquinone couples is in good agreement with experimental ones and close to each other. Glycine (Gly) can form hydrogen bonds with NA in physiological environment. The E⁰ values of NA–Gly/NAquinone–Gly couples are predicted experimentally and theoretically. Hydrogen bond interaction weakens the electrondonation abilities of NA.     

Common plants as alternative analytical tools to monitor heavy metals in soil

Background

Herbaceous plants are common vegetal species generally exposed, for a limited period of time, to bioavailable environmental pollutants. Heavy metals contamination is the most common form of environmental pollution. Herbaceous plants have never been used as natural bioindicators of environmental pollution, in particular to monitor the amount of heavy metals in soil. In this study, we aimed at assessing the usefulness of using three herbaceous plants (Plantago major L., Taraxacum officinale L. and Urtica dioica L.) and one leguminous (Trifolium pratense L.) as alternative indicators to evaluate soil pollution by heavy metals.

Results

We employed Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) to assess the concentration of selected heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Mn, Pb, Cr and Pd) in soil and plants and we employed statistical analyses to describe the linear correlation between the accumulation of some heavy metals and selected vegetal species. We found that the leaves of Taraxacum officinale L. and Trifolium pratense L. can accumulate Cu in a linearly dependent manner with Urtica dioica L. representing the vegetal species accumulating the highest fraction of Pb.

Conclusions

In this study we demonstrated that common plants can be used as an alternative analytical tool for monitoring selected heavy metals in soil.

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Tri-<Emphasis Type="Italic">n</Emphasis>-butyl phosphate–ionic liquid mixtures for Li<Superscript>+</Superscript> extraction from Mg<Superscript>2+</Superscript>-containing brines at 303–343 K

Extraction of Li⁺ ions from salt lake brine into an ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([C₂mim][NTf₂]) mixed with tri-n-butyl was investigated. The extraction mechanism was been studied using UV–Vis spectroscopy From the temperature dependence data, the thermodynamic functions values (ΔG°, ΔH°, and ΔS°) were calculated. Furthermore, stripping of metals from ionic liquid phase to an aqueous phase by hydrochloric acid was accomplished.     

Synthesis and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>-/<Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis>-methionine grafted PEDOTs for selective recognition of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine enantiomers

Two pairs of amino-acid functionalized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) derivatives, namely, poly(N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-L-methionyl (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-2’-yl)methylamide) (L-PEDOT-Boc-Met) and poly(N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-D-methionyl (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-2’-yl)methylamide) (D-PEDOT-Boc-Met); poly(L-methionyl (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-2’-yl)methylamide) (L-PEDOT-Met) and poly(D-methionyl (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene-2’-yl)methylamide) (D-PEDOT-Met) were synthesized via chemical oxidative polymerization of corresponding monomers. The structural characterization, spectroscopic properties and thermal stability of these monomers and polymers were systematically explored by FTIR spectra, Raman spectra, XRD spectra, UV-Vis spectra and thermogravimetric analysis. As chiral electrode materials, these polymers were employed to successfully recognize 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) enantiomers by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in sulphuric acid solution. The measurement results reveal that the tendency was hetero-chiral interaction between L-PEDOT-Met/PVA/GCE and D-DOPA, D-PEDOT-Met/PVA/GCE and L-DOPA, respectively. Also, the mechanism of chiral discrimination was discussed. All the results implied that the combination of electrochemical molecular recognition technology and chiral PEDOT materials can be a promising approach for chiral recognition and may open new opportunities for facile, biocompatible, sensitive and robust chiral assays in biochemical applications.     

Application of Graphite-Epoxy Composite Electrodes in Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry of Heavy Metals

An analytical study on the use of graphite-epoxy composite (GEC) electrodes for differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry (DPASV) of heavy metals is presented. This study is accompanied by microscopic observations of the electrode surface before and after the stripping step in comparison to glassy carbon electrode. GEC electrodes show much better accumulation properties and consequently acceptable behaviour which makes them suitable as working electrodes in the DPASV of heavy metals. Lead determination in real water samples in a batch system as well as some preliminary results in a flow-through system are presented. The detection limits in batch measurements were 100ppb for Cd, 10pb for lead and 50ppb for copper. The detection limit for lead in the flow-through system was similar to that in the batch. The results obtained show that these low cost and easy to prepare materials can be of interest in future research concerning stripping techniques of heavy metals and other analytes.     

Cu UPD at Pt(100) and stepped faces Pt(610), Pt(410) of platinum single crystal electrodes

The processes of adsorption/desorption of copper adatoms on the basal Pt(100) face and stepped Pt(610), Pt(410) surfaces have been studied in perchloric acid solution by cyclic voltammetry. It has been shown that the positions of the Cu stripping peaks are determined by perfection of the adlayer. The “island” model is suggested to describe electrochemical behavior of the Pt(hkl)+Cu_ad system. Obtained results are important for target modification of shape-controlled nanoparticles that are used in electrocatalysis.     

Structure and EPR spectra of binuclear copper(II) complexes with acyldihydrazones of benzenedicarboxylic acids and trifluoroacetylacetone

Binuclear copper(II) complexes with acyldihydrazones of benzenedicarboxylic acid and trifluoroacetylacetone have been synthesized and studied. The structure of the copper(II) complex with diacylhydrazone of 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H₄L) of composition [Cu₂L · 2LPy] has been studied by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are triclinic: a = 9.2298(4) Å, b = 11.8510(6) Å, c = 13.8314(7) Å, α = 90.780(3)°, β = 96.124(3)°, γ = 99.264(3)°, space group \(P\bar 1\), Z = 2. The number of symmetry-unrelated reflections with I > 2σ(I) 5941; R = 0.0357, R _w = 0.0589. The complex contains two equivalent copper atoms at a distance of 9.56 Å from each other in the square-planar coordination environment. The high-temperature EPR spectra of the complexes show a signal of seven HFS lines indicating the coupling of unpaired electrons to two equivalent copper nuclei (g = 2.113?2.116, a _Cu = 37.0?37.2 × 10^?4 cm^?1).     

Binuclear copper(II) complexes with acyldihydrazones of 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid

The binuclear copper(II) complexes with acyldihydrazones formed by 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid and salicylaldehyde or 2-hydroxyacetophenone were synthesized and studied. The structure of the complex with 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid bis(salicylidene)hydrazone (H₄L¹) [Cu₂L¹(Py)₂] was studied by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are triclinic: a = 8.1852(4) Å, b = 8.5157(5) Å, c = 11.6553(7) Å, α = 80.678(3)°, β = 70.041(4)°, γ = 74.803(3)°. Space group \(P\bar 1\), Z = 1. The number of symmetrically independent reflections with I > 2(σ(I)) is 2245, R = 0.0395; R _w = 0.0917. The complex contains two equivalent copper atoms located at a 10.772 Å distance from each other. The coordination polyhedra have a square geometry and are involved in the intermolecular π/π-stacking. The EPR spectra of solutions of the binuclear complexes show an isotropic signal of seven HFS lines (g = 2.113–2.118, A _Cu ≈ 38 G), indicating interaction between the unpaired electrons and the two equivalent copper nuclei. The possible exchange interaction channels were analyzed.     

Heavy Metal Stress and Its Consequences on Exopolysaccharide (EPS)-Producing <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pantoea agglomerans</Emphasis>

Currently, the heavy metal pollution is of grave concern, and the part of microorganism for metal bioremediation should take into account as an efficient and economic strategy. On this framework, the heavy metal stress consequences on exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing agricultural isolate, Pantoea agglomerans, were studied. The EPS production is a protective response to stress to survive and grow in the metal-contaminated environment. P. agglomerans show tolerance and mucoid growth in the presence of heavy metals, i.e., mercury, copper, silver, arsenic, lead, chromium, and cadmium. EDX first confirmed the metal accumulation and further, FTIR determined the functional groups involved in metal binding. The ICP-AES identified the location of cell-bound and intracellular metal accumulation. Metal deposition on cell surface has released more Ca²⁺. The effect on bacterial morphology investigated with SEM and TEM revealed the sites of metal accumulation, as well as possible structural changes. Each heavy metal caused distinct change and accumulated on cell-bound EPS with some intracellular deposits. The metal stress caused a decrease in total protein content and increased in total carbohydrate with a boost in EPS. Thus, the performance of P. agglomerans under metal stress indicated a potential candidate for metal bioremediation.

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Graphical Abstract ?

     

Chemoselective acylation of monosubstituted thiacalix[4]arene with di-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl dicarbonate

Mono-, di-, and tetrasubstituted derivatives of p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene containing tert-butylcarbamate, tert-butylcarbonate, and tert-butyl fragments have been prepared for the first time. Depending on the reaction conditions (reagents ratio, temperature, and the presence of a base), the interaction of the monoamine derivative of p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene with di-tert-butyl dicarbonate can lead to the formation of mono-, di-, and tetrasubstituted products.     

Crystal structure of the complex of copper(II) with 3-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfo-5-nitrophenylazo)-pentadione-2,4

A new complex of copper (II) with 3-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfo-5-nitrophenylazo)-pentadione-2,4 (HL) is synthesized and analyzed by single crystal XRD. The crystals are monoclinic: a = 7.7563(4) Å, b = 24.0157(12) Å, c = 24.6353(13) Å, β = 91.9490(10)°, V = 4586.2(4) ų, space group P2₁/c, Z = 2, ρ_calc = 1.713 g/cm³, R = 0.0695. The environment of the copper atom is formed by three oxygen atoms, the nitrogen atom of tetradentate ligand, and the oxygen atom of a water molecule.     

Enzymatic determination of cadmium,zinc, and lead in plant materials

Prospects are outlined for using the following enzymes (native and immobilized on polyurethane foam) in the rapid and highly sensitive determination of cadmium, zinc, and lead ions in plant materials (wild grass, fresh pea, and grape): horseradish peroxidase and alkaline phosphatases isolated from chicken intestine and Greenland seal small intestine. The analytical ranges of the above metals are 1 × 10^–3?25, 7 × 10^?3?250, and 3 × 10^?2?67 mg/kg dry matter, respectively. The enzymatic determination procedures developed are based on the inhibiting effect of metal ions on the catalytic activity of peroxidase in the oxidation of o-dianisidine with hydrogen peroxide and alkaline phosphatases in the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The rates of enzymatic reactions were monitored spectrophotometrically or visually. In the analysis of plant extracts, their high acidity was diminished by choosing optimum dilution factors and pH values for test samples and the nature and concentration of a buffer solution. The interference of iron(III) was removed by introducing a 0.1 M tartaric acid solution into the indicator reaction. The accuracy of the results of the enzymatic determination of cadmium, zinc, and lead in plant materials was supported by atomic absorption spectrometry and anodic stripping voltammetry.