Assesment of dimethyl phthalate removal from aqueous phase using barium hexaferrite containing magnetic beads

The barium hexaferrite (BaFe(12)O(19)) containing magnetic poly (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate-vinyl pyridine; mag-poly [EGDMA-VP]) beads (average diameter=53-212 μm) were synthesized and characterized. Their use as an adsorbent in the removal of dimethyl phthalate (DMP) from an aqueous solution was investigated. The mag-poly (EGDMA-VP) beads were prepared by copolymerizing of 4-vinyl pyridine (VP) with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA). The mag-poly (EGDMA-VP) beads were characterized by N(2) adsorption/desorption isotherms (BET), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis, scanning electron microscope (SEM), and swelling studies. At a fixed solid/solution ratio, the various factors affecting the adsorption of DMP from aqueous solutions such as pH, initial concentration, contact time, and temperature were analyzed. The maximum DMP adsorption capacity of the mag-poly (EGDMA-VP) beads was determined as 96.2 mg/g at pH 3.0, 25 °C. All the isotherm data can be fitted with both the Langmuir and the Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Ritch-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion models were used to describe the adsorption kinetics. The thermodynamic parameters obtained indicated the exothermic nature of the adsorption. The DMP adsorption capacity did not change after 10 batch successive reactions, demonstrating the usefulness of the magnetic beads in applications.     

A symmetry analysis of some classes of evolutionary nonlinear (2+1)-diffusion equations with variable diffusivity

In this paper the (2+1)-nonlinear diffusion equation u _t ?div(f(u)grad u)=0 with variable diffusivity is considered. Using the Lie method, a complete symmetry classification of the equation is presented. Reductions, via two-dimensional Lie subalgebras of the equation, to first- or second-order ordinary differential equations are given. In a few interesting cases exact solutions are presented.     

Electrochemical DNA biosensor for the determination of benzo[a]pyrene–DNA adducts

The metabolites of the environmental pollutant, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are carcinogenic and mutagenic agents. Thus, the determination of additional products (adducts) of the interaction between DNA and BaP, attracts great interest in cancer research.

In this study, the determination of interaction between BaP and calf thymus double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) was performed by using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and constant current chronopotentiometric stripping analysis (PSA) in connection with carbon paste electrode (CPE) or glassy carbon electrode (GCE). As a result of interaction of BaP with dsDNA, the signal obtained from the oxidation of guanine decreased and a new adduct signal at a more positive potential appeared. This new peak is attributed to the formation of an adduct from the interaction of guanine with BaP. The chemically prepared anti-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[a]pyrene-7,8-diol-9,10-epoxide (BPDE) adduct by using iodine oxidation was analyzed and the electrochemical signal of the adduct was observed. When the dsDNA modified GCE was immersed into various concentrations of BaP solution, the oxidation peak of guanine decreased and the adduct peak increased with the increasing BaP concentration. The partition coefficient was also obtained from the peak of BaP with dsDNA. The results revealed that the formation of adducts could be determined by using electrochemical DNA biosensors, which are fast, simple and cost-effective devices. Furthermore, this study promises that the analysis of other important adducts would benefit from the introduction of electrochemical methods.     

Lipids and essential oil ofOriganum onites

Neutral lipids, glycolipids, phospholipids, pigments, and essential oil of the above-ground part ofOriganum onites L. (Lamiaceae) are isolated and characterized for the first time. The fatty-acid composition of the lipids and the components of the hydrocarbons, sterols, and essential oil are determined by GC/MS. Linolenic and palmitic acids dominate in the acids of the lipids. The main components of the hydrocarbons are nonacosane; of the sterols, \-sitosterol; of the pigments, chlorophylls a and b. A total of 54 components are identified in the essential oil.Presented at the IIIrd International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Compounds, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 19–22 December, 1998.Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 106–109, March–April, 2000.     

Matching extension in the powers of n-connected graphs

Let G be a graph on p vertices. Then for a positive integer n₁ G is said to be n-extendible if (i) n < p/2, (ii) G has a set of n independent edges, and (iii) every such set is contained in a perfect matching of G. In this paper we will show that if p is even and G is n-connected, then G^k is -extendible for every integer k ≥ 2 such that . © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Properties of Total Polyphenols of Anchusa italica Retz

Anchusa italica Retz has been used for a long time in phytotherapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of extracts from the leaves and roots of Anchusa italica Retz. We first determined the content of phenolic compounds and flavonoids using Folin–Ciocalteu reagents and aluminum chloride (AlCl₃). The antioxidant activity was determined using three methods: reducing power (FRAP), 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The antimicrobial activity was investigated against four strains of Escherichia coli, two strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, and one fungal strain of Candida albicans. The results showed that the root extract was rich in polyphenols (43.29 mg GAE/g extract), while the leave extract was rich in flavonoids (28.88 mg QE/g extract). The FRAP assay showed a strong iron reduction capacity for the root extract (IC₅₀ of 0.11 µg/mL) in comparison to ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ of 0.121 µg/mL). The DPPH test determined an IC₅₀ of 0.11 µg/mL for the root extract and an IC₅₀ of 0.14 µg/mL for the leaf extract. These values are low compared to those for ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ of 0.16 µg/mL) and BHT (IC₅₀ 0.20 µg/mL). The TAC values of the leaf and root extracts were 0.51 and 0.98 mg AAE/g extract, respectively. In vitro, the extract showed inhibitory activity against all strains studied, with diameters of zones of inhibition in the range of 11.00–16.00 mm for the root extract and 11.67–14.33 mm for the leaf extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration was recorded for the leaf extract against E. coli (ATB:57), corresponding to 5 mg/mL. Overall, this research indicates that the extracts of Anchusa italica Retz roots and leaves exert significant antioxidant and antibacterial activities, probably because of the high content of flavonoids and polyphenols.     

Computational study of linear and nonlinear optical properties of substituted thiophene imino dyes using long-range corrected hybrid DFT methods

The molecular structures, linear and nonlinear optical properties of a series constituted by four R-substituted thiophene imino dyes, namely A(R?=?SO₂Me), B(R?=?SO₂Ph), C(R?=?NO₂), and D(R?=?C₂(CN)₃) were analysed using CAM-B3LYP, ωB97XD and LC-ωPBE hybrid DFT functionals in combination of the 6-311++G(d,p) standard basis set. The dipole moments, polarisabilities, HOMO-LUMO energy gaps, maximum absorption wavelengths and first hyperpolarisabilities were calculated in the gas phase and the obtained results are in good agreement with experimental NLO activity order A?<?B?<?C. Compared to synthesised dyes A-C, the designed dye D presents a longer maximum absorption wavelength and a lower HOMO-LUMO gap because of the appreciable stabilisation of its LUMO energy. These results were confirmed by the calculation of the total second-order stabilisation energy E⁽²⁾ defined in the context of the NBO population analysis. Consequently, dye D is predicted to exhibit a higher first hyperpolarisability in comparison with dyes A-C. This result can be justified by the enhanced intramolecular charge transfer in dye D due to the stronger electron-withdrawing ability and the cumulative action of the long π-conjugation of the tricyanovinyl moiety. The very high total hyperpolarisability (27 times greater than that of para-nitroaniline) of the designed dye D suggests its promising use in organic NLO devices.