Determination of manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples by slurry sampling using sequential multi-element flame atomic absorption spectrometry

In the present work, a slurry sampling flame atomic absorption spectrometric method to determine directly manganese and zinc in powdered chocolate samples is proposed. The optimization step was performed using univariate methodology involving the following factors: nature and concentration of the acid solution, sonication time, and particle size. The established conditions led to the use of a sample mass of 150 mg, 2.0 mol L^− 1 nitric acid solution, sonication time of 15 min, and a slurry volume of 50 mL. This method allows the determination of manganese and zinc with detection limit of 52 and 61 ng g^− 1, respectively, and a precision expressed as relative standard deviation (RSD) of 2.6% and 3.2% (both, n = 10) for contents of manganese and zinc of 52.4 and 100.0 μg g^− 1, respectively. The proposed method was applied for determination of manganese and zinc in five powdered chocolate samples. In these, the manganese content varied from 42.8 to 52.7 and from 88.6 to 102.4 μg g^− 1 of zinc. The analytical results were compared with the results obtained by analysis of these samples after digestion using open vessel and acid bomb digestion procedures and determination using FS-FAAS. The statistical comparison by t-test (95% confidence level) showed no significant difference between these results.     

Thermotropic Liquid Crystals Based on Extended 2,5‐Disubstituted‐1,3,4‐Oxadiazoles: Structure–Property Relationships,Variable‐Temperature Powder X‐ray Diffraction,and Small‐Angle X‐ray Scattering Studies

A class of extended 2,5‐disubstituted‐1,3,4‐oxadiazoles R¹‐C₆H₄‐{OC₂N₂}‐C₆H₄‐R² (R¹=R²=C₁₀H₂₁O 1 a , p‐C₁₀H₂₁O‐C₆H₄‐C?C 3 a , p‐CH₃O‐C₆H₄‐C?C 3 b ; R¹=C₁₀H₂₁O, R²=CH₃O 1 b , (CH₃)₂N 1 c ; F 1 d ; R¹=C₁₀H₂₁O‐C₆H₄‐C?C, R²=C₁₀H₂₁O 2 a , CH₃O 2 b , (CH₃)₂N 2 c , F 2 d ) were prepared, and their liquid‐crystalline properties were examined. In CH₂Cl₂ solution, these compounds displayed a room‐temperature emission with λ_max at 340–471 nm and quantum yields of 0.73–0.97. Compounds 1 d , 2 a – 2 d , and 3 a exhibited various thermotropic mesophases (monotropic, enantiotropic nematic/smectic), which were examined by polarized‐light optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Structure determination by a direct‐space approach using simulated annealing or parallel tempering of the powder X‐ray diffraction data revealed distinctive crystal‐packing arrangements for mesogenic molecules 2 b and 3 a , leading to different nematic mesophase behavior, with 2 b being monotropic and 3 a enantiotropic in the narrow temperature range of 200–210 °C. The structural transitions associated with these crystalline solids and their mesophases were studied by variable‐temperature X‐ray diffractometry. Nondestructive phase transitions (crystal‐to‐crystal, crystal‐to‐mesophase, mesophase‐to‐liquid) were observed in the diffractograms of 1 b, 1 d , 2 b, 2 d , and 3 a measured at 25–200 °C. Powder X‐ray diffraction and small‐angle X‐ray scattering data revealed that the structure of the annealed solid residue 2 b reverted to its original crystal/molecular packing when the isotropic liquid was cooled to room temperature. Structure–property relationships within these mesomorphic solids are discussed in the context of their molecular structures and intermolecular interactions.     

A Selective Cholesterol Biosensor Based on Composite Film Modified Electrode for Amperometric Detection

An amperometric cholesterol biosensor based on immobilization of cholesterol oxidase in a Prussian blue (PB)/polypyrrole (PPy) composite film on the surface of a glassy carbon electrode was fabricated. Hydrogen peroxide produced by the enzymatic reaction was catalytically reduced on the PB film electrode at 0 V with a sensitivity of 39 μA (mol/L)^?1. Cholesterol in the concentration range of 10^?5 ? 10^?4 mol/L was determined with a detection limit of 6 × 10^?7 mol/L by amperometric method. Normal coexisting compounds in the bio‐samples such as ascorbic acid and uric acid do not interfere with the determination. The excellent properties of the sensor in sensitivity and selectivity are attributed to the PB/PPy layer modified on the sensor.     

A novel three‐dimensional cadmium(II) coordination polymer incorporating 1,4‐bis­(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmethyl)­benzene and thio­cyanate

In the title complex, poly[cadmium(II)‐μ₂‐1,4‐bis­(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmeth­yl)benzene‐di‐μ₂‐thio­cyanato], [Cd(NCS)₂(C₁₂H₁₂N₆)]_n, the Cd^II atom lies on an inversion centre in a distorted octa­hedral environment. Four N atoms from the thio­cyanate and 1,4‐bis­(1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐ylmeth­yl)benzene (bbtz) ligands occupy the equatorial positions, and two S atoms from symmetry‐related thio­cyanate ligands occupy the axial positions. The benzene ring of the bbtz ligand lies about an inversion centre. Single thio­cyanate bridges link the Cd^II atoms into two‐dimensional sheets containing novel 16‐membered [Cd₄(μ‐NCS‐N:S)₄] rings. The bbtz ligands further link these two‐dimensional sheets into an unprecedented covalent three‐dimensional network for the cadmium–thio­cyanate system.     

Studies on Liquid/liquid Extraction of Copper Ion with Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

Room temperature ionic liquids are regarded as “Green solvents” for their nonvolatile and thermally stable properties. They are employed to replace traditional volatile organic solvents in organic synthesis, solvent extraction, and electrochemistry. In this work, a water immiscible room temperature ionic liquid, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C₄mim][PF₆], was used as an alternative solvent for liquid/liquid extraction of copper ions. Metal chelators, including dithizone, 8‐hydroxyquinoline, and 1‐(2‐pyridylazo)‐2‐naphthol, were employed to form neutral metal‐chelate complexes with copper ions so that copper ions were extracted from aqueous solution into [C₄mim][PF₆]. The parameters that affect the extraction of copper ions with this biphasic system were investigated. The extraction behavior in this novel biphasic system is shown to be consistent with that of traditional solvents. For example, the extraction with this biphasic system is strongly pH dependent. So, the extraction efficiency of coppers ion from an aqueous phase can be manipulated by tailoring the pH value of the extraction system. Hence, the extraction, separation and preconcentraction of copper ions can be accomplished by controlling the pH value of the extraction system. It appears that the use of ionic liquid as an alternate solvent system in liquid/liquid extraction of copper ions is very promising.     

Synthesis and properties of aromatic poly(ester amide)s with pendant phosphorus groups

Two series of phosphorus‐containing aromatic poly(ester amide)s with inherent viscosities of 0.46–3.20 dL/g were prepared by low‐temperature solution polycondensation from 1,4‐bis(3‐aminobenzoyloxy)‐2‐(6‐oxido‐6H‐dibenz〈c,e〉〈1,2〉oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl)naphthalene and 1,4‐bis(4‐aminobenzoyloxy)‐2‐(6‐oxido‐6H‐dibenz〈c,e〉〈1,2〉oxaphosphorin‐6‐yl)naphthalene with various aromatic diacid chlorides. All the poly(ester amide)s were amorphous and readily soluble in many organic solvents, such as N,N‐dimethylformamide, N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP). Transparent, tough, and flexible films of these polymers were cast from DMAc and NMP solutions. Their casting films had tensile strengths of 71–214 MPa, elongations to break of 5–10%, and initial moduli of 2.3–6.0 GPa. These poly(ester amide)s had glass‐transition temperatures of 209–239 °C (m‐series) and 222–267 °C (p‐series). The degradation temperatures at 10% weight loss in nitrogen for these polymers ranged from 462 to 489 °C, and the char yields at 800 °C were 55–63%. Most of the poly(ester amide)s also showed a high char yield of 35–45%, even at 800 °C under a flow of air. The limited oxygen indices of these poly(ester amide)s were 35–46. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 459–470, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10129     

Synthesis and characterization of temperature‐ and pH‐sensitive hydrogels based on poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) and poly(D,L‐lactide)

A novel series of temperature‐ and pH‐sensitive hydrogels based on poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) and three‐arm poly(D,L ‐lactide) were synthesized via photocopolymerization. For the creation of polymeric networks, two types of macromers terminated with methacrylate groups were prepared: poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) dimethacrylate and three‐arm poly(D,L ‐lactide) trimethacrylate. The chemical structures were analyzed with ¹H NMR and Fourier transform infrared techniques. The thermal behaviors, morphologies, and swelling properties were measured for the characterization of the polymeric networks. All the poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline)/three‐arm poly(D,L ‐lactide)hydrogels provided high water retention capacity and exhibited reversible swelling–shrinking behavior in response to temperature and pH variations. The hydrogels with higher poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline) dimethacrylate contents were more effective in raising the swelling ratio and temperature and pH sensitivity. However, higher contents of three‐arm poly(D,L ‐lactide) trimethacrylate produced larger particles and pore sizes in the hydrogels. This study effectively proves that this unique combination of water swellability and biodegradability provides hydrogels with a much wider range of applications in biomedical fields. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1112–1121, 2002     

Modeling the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrones to vinylboranes in competition with boration, cyclization, and oxidation reactions

Structures and energetics of reactants, reactant complexes, concerted transition structures, and products of the cycloaddition of the prototypical nitrone with vinylborane have been produced and discussed. Structure optimizations have been performed at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) and B3LYP/AUG-cc-pVDZ levels of approximation, and single-point calculations on the B3LYP geometries have been carried out at the MP4(SDTQ) level with the same basis sets. Kinetic contributions to standard enthalpies, entropies, and free enthalpies have been computed at the same levels of geometry optimizations. The effects of methyl and chloro substitution on the BH2 group and of methyl substitution on the vinyl moiety has been also explicitly considered. The most striking theoretical features of this cycloaddition are (i) the formation of reactant complexes where the nitrone oxygen is strictly bound up to the boron atom (B...O interactions), (ii) their persistence in the endo/exo transition structures, and (iii) energy profiles suggesting very high reaction rates, regiospecificity (5-borylisoxazolidines) and complete endo-stereoselectivity. The BH2 (BX2) substituent appears to induce a sort of intramolecular catalysis which is also largely selective in favor of the endo reaction path. Possible competitive reaction paths such as cyclization, organoboration, and oxidation have equally been investigated, on the same grounds, both with prototypical reagents and with dimethylvinylborane, dichlorovinylborane, 2-methyl-1-propenylborane, and 2-methyl-1-propenyldichloroborane. The transition structures for these reaction paths are significantly higher in energy than those of the corresponding 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions in the sequence oxidation > cyclization > boration > cycloaddition, whereas the resulting reaction products show the reversed sequence. Polar solvents appear to increase the competition of boration although maintaining its character of secondary reaction. As expected, the reaction rate of 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition is lowered by dimethyl substitution on the vinyl CH2 reacting center (i.e., for the reaction of 2-methyl-1-propenylborane and 2-methyl-1-propenyldichloroborane) whereas the reaction rate of boration is increased, the boration results being significantly competitive even in the gas phase. Experiments for the control of the above predictions are not yet available.     

Reagentless biosensor for isocitrate using one step modified Pt-Ir microelectrode

The Pt-Ir microelectrode modified through one step electropolymerization is proposed for the isocitrate amperometric biosensor construction. The enzyme (isocitrate dehydrogenase-ICDH), coenzyme (NADP(+)) and mediator (Meldola's Blue) were immobilized onto the microelectrode surface in one step from a PIPES buffer solution containing pyrrole. The optimized experimental conditions were 25 cycles of cyclic voltammetric in a solution containing 3.58 10(-5) mol l(-1) of mediator, 3.51 10(-4) mol l(-1) of coenzyme and 2.68 U ml(-1) of enzyme. In contrast to the biosensor for isocitrate reported in literature, just one enzyme was immobilized and no coenzyme addition in the solution of analysis was necessary. Catalytic currents were proportional to the isocitrate concentration between 7.7 10(-6) and 1.04 10(-4) mol l(-1), showing good repeatability. The detection limit of the proposed biosensor was 3.50 10(-6) mol l(-1), the response time was lower than 20 s, the lifetime was about 30 determinations and no significant interference of sugars and citric acid was verified. Orange juice samples were analysed by both methodology biosensor and spectrophotometric commercial kit, and the obtained results presented a good correlation. The data demonstrated that the developed biosensor is suitable for isocitrate determination in orange juice without matrix interferences.     

Synthesis of amberlite XAD-2-PC resin for preconcentration and determination of trace elements in food samples by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A new chelating sorbent has been developed using Amberlite XAD-2 resin anchored with pyrocatechol through –N=C– group. This sorbent, characterised by elemental analysis and infrared (IR) spectra, was used as packing for the minicolumn in an on-line system preconcentration system for cadmium, cobalt, copper and nickel determination. Metal ions were sorbed in the minicolumn, from which it could be eluted directly to the nebulizer–burner system of the flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS). Elution of all metals from minicolumn can be made with 0.50 mol L^− 1 HCl or HNO₃. The enrichment factors obtained were 16 (Cd), 24 (Co), 15 (Cu) and 19 (Ni), for 60 s preconcentration time, and 39 (Cd), 69 (Co), 36 (Cu) and 41 (Ni), if used 180 s preconcentration time. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed procedure allowed the determination of cadmium, cobalt, copper and nickel with detection limits of 0.31, 0.32, 0.39 and 1.64 μg L^− 1, respectively, when used preconcentration periods of 180 s. The accuracy of the developed procedure was sufficient and evaluated by the analysis of the certified reference materials NIST 1515 apple leaves and NIST 1570a spinach leaves. The method was applied to the analysis of food samples (spinach, black tea and rice flour).