Potentiodynamic and cyclic voltammetric behaviour of a lead electrode in NaOH solution

Summary The electrochemical behaviour of lead in NaOH solution was studied by potentiodynamic and cyclic voltammetric techniques in combination with X-ray diffraction analysis. The active dissolution of lead involves a small shoulderA1 followed by a peakA1 prior to a passive region. The shoulderA1 is assigned to the electroformation of a Pb(OH)₂ film, whereas peakA1 is due to the formation of PbO. Beyond the passive region, the current density increases again, forming a small shoulderA2 and a peakA2 prior to the oxygen evolution potential. The shoulderA2 and the peakA2 are correlated to the electrooxidation of PbO to Pb₃O₄ and PbO₂, respectively. The intensity of the anodic peaks increases with increasing alkali concentration, temperature and scan rate. In cyclic voltammetry, the reverse scan shows two cathodic peaksC1 andC2 which are correlated to the electroreduction of PbO and PbO₂ respectively, to Pb.

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Potentiodynamisches und cyclovoltammetrisches Verhalten einer Bleielektrode in NaOH-Lösung

Zusammenfassung Das elektrochemische Verhalten von Blei in NaOH wurde mittels potentiodynamischer und cyclovoltammetrischer Techniken unter Zuhilfenahme der Röntgenbeugungsanalyse untersucht. Die aktive Auflösung von Blei verläuft über eine SchulterA1, die von einem einer passiven Region vorgelagerten PeakA1 gefolgt wird. Die SchulterA1 wird der elektrochemischen Bildung eines Pb(OH)₂-Films, der PeakA1 der Bildung von PbO zugeschrieben. Jenseits der passiven Region steigt die Stromdichte wieder an, und vor Erreichen des Sauerstoffpotentials treten eine kleine SchulterA2 und ein PeakA2 auf, die mit der Elektrooxidation von PbO zu Pb₃O₄ und PbO₂ korrelieren. Analog dazu beobachtet man in der cyclischen Voltammetrie zwei kathodische PeaksC1 undC2, die der Elektroreduktion von PbO und PbO₂ zu Pb entsprechen. Die Intensität der anodischen Peaks steigt mit steigender Alkalikonzentration, Temperatur und Scangeschwindigkeit.

     

Cyclic PNA-based compound directed against HIV-1 TAR RNA: modelling, liquid-phase synthesis and TAR binding

A cyclic molecule including a hexameric PNA sequence has been designed and synthesized in order to target the TAR RNA loop of HIV-1 through the formation of a "kissing complex". For comparison, its linear analogue has also been investigated. The synthesis of the cyclic and linear PNA has been accomplished following a liquid-phase strategy using mixed PNA and fully N-protected (aminoethylglycinamide) fragments. The interactions of this cyclic PNA and its linear analogue with TAR RNA have been studied and the results indicate clearly that no interaction occurs between the cyclic antisense PNA and TAR RNA, whereas a tenuous interaction has been detected with its linear PNA analogue.     

Activity concentrations of 210Po in the soft parts of cockle (Anadara granosa)at Kuala Selangor, Malaysia

Polonium-210 has been measured in the soft parts of Anadara granosa purchased at Kuala Selangor, West Coast of Malaysia in August 2001, April 2002 and September 2002. It is shown that ²¹⁰Po is non-uniformly distributed within cockles of various sizes (i.e., 2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 cm of shell length) and the concentration of ²¹⁰Po in the soft parts of cockle was significantly different (p<0.05) due to sampling date. The highest value was observed in the smallest cockle with a shell length of 2.5 cm (411.6±26.16 Bq/g dry wt.). It is clear that there is an allometric relationship between ²¹⁰Po activity concentration and individual cockle weight. This may reflect on the differences of metabolic rate and growth age of cockles. The mean activity concentration of ²¹⁰Po measured in Kuala Selangor filtered water were 1.75±0.17, 0.79±0.08 and 1.13±0.20 Bq/kg for August 2001, April 2002 and September 2002, respectively. The yield concentration factors for ²¹⁰Po in the soft parts of cockles varies from 27.3^. 10³ to 106.9^. 10³. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation and dual competitive binding assay of corrinoids in biological material

Corrinoids were extracted with hot ethanol from human plasma and faeces and separated by high-performance liquid chromatography. The corrinoids (cobalamin and cobalamin analogues) were quantified in the eluted fractions by a dual radioisotope assay using as binders intrinsic factor and haptocorrin to detect cobalamin and total corrinoids, respectively. Recoveries ranged from 37.7 +/- 5.1% for hydroxycobalamin to 75.0 +/- 9.1% for cyanocobalamin. In plasma, the main forms of cobalamin were the coenzymes methylcobalamin and 5'-deoxyadenosylcobalamin (32.1 +/- 13.4 and 28.4 +/- 12.3%, respectively, of total corrinoids). The cobalamin analogue fraction of plasma was eluted with a retention time close to that of cobinamide and of deoxyadenosylcobalamin. In the faeces, most of the corrinoids separated were detected better by the haptocorrin assay than by the intrinsic factor assay. One corrinoid peak was eluted with the same retention time as cobinamide. This peak was detected by haptocorrin assay but not by intrinsic factor assay. It could therefore correspond to cobinamide.     

Thermodynamic analysis of the province of Ravenna (Italy)

This is a thermodynamic analysis of the Province of Ravenna (Italy) and its districts (Ravenna, Faenza and Lugo) and an evaluation of entropy waste production based on a balance sheet of greenhouse gases. The method used is energy analysis. The results show that the Province and Ravenna are characterized by a heavy exploitation of local non renewable resources, Faenza strikes a good balance between economic development and environment conservation and Lugo is less sustainable than the others. The greenhouse gas balance shows that the Province emits 10.5 times the quantity of greenhouse gases that it adsorbs and that the emissions reduction is required in the energy sector, which is responsible for 92% of the total.     

Chemical waves and pattern formation in the 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/water lamellar system

The present work deals with the spatially extended oscillatory Belousov Zhabotinsky reaction-diffusion system carried out in an anisotropic environment of phosphatidylcholines/water binary system, which presents layered aqueous domains separated by lipid bilayers. We report the occurrence of stable Turing patterns, spiral waves, and other exotic structures in phospholipids bilayers that are generally used as a models for cell plasma membranes.     

High-performances membranes for pervaporation I. Poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) blends

Dense membranes were prepared from poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVA–PVP) blends of different compositions and studied in swelling and dehydration by pervaporation of three organic solvents contaminated by 5 wt% water. The swelling generally increases with the PVP content. No extraction occurs in water–tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water–methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) mixtures. In ethanol containing 10 wt% of water, there is no extraction for blends containing less than 40 wt% PVP and an increasing extraction beyond this PVP content. The pervaporation flux of the water–ethanol mixture increases drastically at the same threshold whereas the water permselectivity falls to a low level. The values of the diffusion and permeability coefficients determined from transient permeation of the test water–ethanol mixture exhibit a similar sudden increase at the same PVP content threshold. This singular behavior of the blend membranes is interpreted by a strong affinity of the PVP component to ethanol, combined with a disappearance of crystallites in the blend at this threshold. Consequently the amorphous membrane can swell freely according to the affinity of the PVP component, leading to the observed behavior.     

Challenges in validating the sterilisation dose for processed human amniotic membranes

Most of the tissue banks in the Asia Pacific region have been using ionising radiation at 25 kGy to sterilise human tissues for save clinical usage. Under tissue banking quality system, any dose employed for sterilisation has to be validated and the validation exercise has to be a part of quality document. Tissue grafts, unlike medical items, are not produced in large number per each processing batch and tissues relatively have a different microbial population. A Code of Practice established by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2004 offers several validation methods using smaller number of samples compared to ISO 11137 (1995), which is meant for medical products. The methods emphasise on bioburden determination, followed by sterility test on samples after they were exposed to verification dose for attaining of sterility assurance level (SAL) of 10⁻¹. This paper describes our experience in using the IAEA Code of Practice in conducting the validation exercise for substantiating 25 kGy as sterilisation dose for both air-dried amnion and those preserved in 99% glycerol.     

Visual detection of cysteine and homocysteine

The determination of cysteine and homocysteine levels is of great current interest for the monitoring of desease states. A new colorimetric method for the simultaneous detection of l-cysteine and l-homocysteine has been developed. A fluorescein derivative reacts with the above amino acids, producing their respective thiazolidines resulting in color changes. Interference from other amino acids and proteins is minimal.     

Viscoelasticity,mechanical properties,and in vivo biocompatibility of injectable polyvinyl alcohol/bioactive glass composite hydrogels as potential bone tissue scaffolds

Abstract

An injectable composite hydrogel composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and bioactive glass (BG) particles were synthesized by a physical crosslinking approach. The morphology, mechanical properties, and viscoelasticity of the PVA/BG composite hydrogel were characterized. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) showed uniform and homogeneous distribution of BG particles throughout the composite hydrogel. The incorporation of 2.5?wt% of BG particles in the composite hydrogel formulations, enhanced the static compressive strength and static elastic modulus by 325% and 150%, respectively. The storage molds (G′) was greater than the loss modules (G′′) at all the frequency range studied, which revealed a self-standing elastic composite hydrogel with a smooth injectability. The PVA/BG composite hydrogel was also implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal region of adult male rats. After 4?weeks of implantation, no inflammatory cells were seen within and around the implant, which indicated that the composite hydrogel was biocompatible. The properties of the synthesized injectable PVA/BG composite hydrogel demonstrate its capability toward bone regeneration.