Improved drawing conditions for very low loss 1.55-μm dispersion-shifted fiber

Fiber drawing conditions (temperature, speed, tension) have been investigated to reach very low losses (0.20 dB/km at 1.55 μm) with MCVD triangular core-profile preforms. Such dispersion-shifted fibers exhibit good mechanical, splicing, cabling, and ageing properties.     

Improving the accuracy of carbon-to-hydrogen ratio determination for P,N, S,O, Cl,and Br-containing organic compounds using atomic emission detection

The objective of this work was to investigate the dependence of atomic emission detector C and H response on microwave-induced plasma conditions and to improve the accuracy of carbon-to-hydrogen ratio determination for trialkylphosphates, herbicides, chlorophenols, and sulfur-containing organic compounds. Compounds which differed structurally from the analytes were used as reference compounds. It was found that when the oxygen concentration in the helium was the maximum for the instrument (9%) relative errors in carbon-to-hydrogen ratio determination were 3–8%, irrespective of analyte and reference compound structure, whereas when working in the mode of operation recommended by the manufacturer of the instrument (1.5% oxygen in helium) the respective errors were 10–20% or higher. This improvement in the accuracy of carbon-to-hydrogen ratio determination was accompanied by a factor of ten decrease in sensitivity.     

Quantification of proteins in dairy products using an optical biosensor

Two recent techniques using optical immunosensor technology were developed for the quantification of milk proteins in dairy products. The first application is the simultaneous quantification of the 3 major caseins (alpha(s1), beta, and kappa). This assay consists of a 2-step sandwich strategy, with 2 monoclonal antibodies directed against the N- and C-terminal extremities of each of the caseins, respectively. This strategy permits only intact caseins to be quantified, and not their degradation products. The technique is fast (10 min), sensitive (detection limit about 0.87 microg/mL), and has been applied successfully to raw and drinking milks. In the second application, the severity of the heat treatment sustained by a milk of unknown origin is determined by quantifying separately the native and heat-denatured forms of alpha-lactalbumin with specific monoclonal antibodies. The technique allows discrimination of the different heat treatments studied (pasteurization, direct and indirect ultra-high temperature, sterilization), is fast (4 min), repeatable, fully automated, and requires no pretreatment of the milk sample.     

Tandem isomerisation-metathesis catalytic processes of linear olefins in ionic liquid biphasic system

trans-3-Hexene is converted to heavier linear olefins by a tandem Ru-catalysed biphasic isomerisation/metathesis sequence. The difference in olefin metathesis and isomerisation rates is modulated by keeping the ionophilic metathesis catalyst in an ionic phase whilst the isomerisation catalyst is in another organic non-polar phase.     

Metal ions binding onto a lignocellulosic substrate extracted from wheat bran: a NICA-Donnan approach

In this study ion binding to solid organic matter was investigated. We used the NICA-Donnan model to describe the interaction between Cu(II), Pb(II), and Cd(II) ions and a lignocellulosic substrate extracted from wheat bran. Such a material represents a very cheap and flexible substrate, which can be used as a natural filter to remove toxic metal ions from industrial effluents or applied in the decontamination and rehabilitation of abandoned industrial sites. Moreover, such a material also represents a very simple model of natural organic matter derived from lignin and cellulose, for which there is now a lack of thermodynamic data as far as their interaction with toxic metal ions is concerned. Experimental results were obtained in various conditions of pH and ionic strength. In our modeling, we used the acidity constants and the concentration of sites that were determined in a previous work. The parameters deduced from the NICA-Donnan model were also compared to thermodynamic data available for other cases of natural organic matter, mainly humic substances.     

Study of the degradation of gelatin in paper upon aging using aqueous size-exclusion chromatography

We studied the aging behaviour of gelatin used to size paper. Thus far, research on the aging of paper has largely ignored the sizing agent. Degradation of the protein was characterised and the impact of paper components, such as cellulose, and aluminium potassium sulphate was evaluated. Whatman No. 1 filter papers sized with two types of gelatins (A and B) were prepared as model samples. Commercially sized modern papers (Arches) were also studied in order to compare laboratory samples with real artist papers. Both types of papers were artificially aged (80 °C, 50% relative humidity for 35 and 94 days). Historic papers were included in the study in order to compare artificially aged with naturally aged gelatin. The aqueous extracts from the papers were characterised by aqueous size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) using four PL-Aquagel-OH columns and UV photodiode array detection at 220, 254 and 280 nm. Results showed that gelatin undergoes hydrolysis upon aging, type A gelatin showing a faster degradation rate than type B. The result was an increase in the lower-molar-mass fractions, under 50 000 g mol⁻¹, and especially in a characteristic fraction with a peak molecular mass (M_p) of 14 000 g mol⁻¹. A significant decrease in the extraction yields of -, β- and γ-chains occurred after aging. This was attributed to crosslinking, leading to the formation of less-soluble polypeptides with very high molar mass (>800 000 g mol⁻¹). Less than 10% alum had no impact on the degradation rate; higher alum contents accelerated hydrolysis reactions.