Certified reference materials for organic contaminants in sewage sludge: a feasibility study

As an answer to the re-evaluation of the European sludge directive, two novel reference materials for organic components in municipal sludge have been produced and test certified for AOX (absorbable organic halogens), PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), NPE (nonylphenol and nonylphenolethoxylates), DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), bisphenol A, and BFR (brominated flame retardants). The materials were prepared from raw sludge without spiking or mixing of different sludges. The study demonstrated that the technique for the preparation of a suitable reference material, sufficiently homogenous and stable, and with concentration levels that answer the needs of the laboratories and the relevant authorities, can now be presented in detail. The results, furthermore, show there is a need for method validation and standardisation of the measurements of NPEs and certain BFR congeners, and that the development of the laboratory structure in Europe, with fewer and more specialised laboratories, might become a major obstacle when trying to find a sufficient number of laboratories being appropriately proficient for this kind of study in the future.     

Completely J —positive linear systems of finite order

Completely J — positive linear systems of finite order are introduced as a generalization of completely symmetric linear systems. To any completely J — positive linear system of finite order there is associated a defining measure with respect to which the transfer function has a certain integral representation. It is proved that these systems are asymptotically stable. The observability and reachability operators obey a certain duality rule and the number of negative squares of the Hankel operator is estimated. The Hankel operator is bounded if and only if a certain measure associated with the defining measure is of Carleson type. We prove that a real symmetric operator valued function which is analytic outside the unit disk has a realization with a completely J — symmetric linear space which is reachable, observable and parbalanced. Uniqueness and spectral minimality of the completely J — symmetric realizations are discussed.     

The mutual effect of absorption of biologically active substances and microstructure of native cellulose matrix on the properties of resulting compounds

In order to obtain multicomponent polymer systems exhibiting biological activity microcrystalline cellulose was used as a matrix for biologically active compounds, such as dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride, poly-N-vinylpyrrolidone, copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and crotonic acid, and complex of dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride with copolymer of N-vinylpyrrolidone and crotonic acid. Adsorption interaction of microcrystalline cellulose with these was studied under various conditions. Adsorption isotherms of compounds of polymer nature are of similar character and are described by the Freundlich equation. The isotherms of dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride are described by the Langmuir equation. Characteristics of the resulting compounds were obtained using XPS and IR Fourier spectroscopy, WAXS, and SEM. Chemical interaction between microcrystalline cellulose and dimethylbenzylalkylammonium chloride takes place. This interaction leads to a new labile morphological cellulose structure accessible to penetration, which is confirmed at a morphological level by SEM.     

Transition between corrugated metal films and?split-ring-resonator arrays

We fabricate split-ring-resonator arrays via direct laser writing of polymers, followed by atomic-layer deposition of titania, chemical vapor deposition of silver, and focused-ion-beam milling. While structures like that have been fabricated previously by other means, our approach here allows for a direct comparison with the optical properties of corrugated metal surfaces, which are fabricated along the same lines. This comparison reveals substantial differences regarding the magnetic metamaterial properties. In particular, we find that the optical response of the corrugated metal surfaces is due to a higher-order magnetic resonance, whereas that of the split-ring resonators stems from their fundamental magnetic resonance.     

Numerical Simulations of Arterial Walls Based on IVUS-Data

Atherosclerosis has become one of the most frequent causes of death in the last decades. So the analysis and improvement of corresponding medical treatments, e.g., balloon-angioplasty or stenting, are significant tasks in the fields of biomechanics and biomedical engineering. One important component of the simulation of arterial walls, especially of atherosclerotically degenerated ones, is the knowledge of their anatomical and physiological composition. The intravascular ultrasound and the interpretation by the Virtual Histology provide cross-sectional images of the diseased arterial walls where the different components are characterized by color-coding. The topic of this contribution is the 3D reconstruction and discretization of the artery using these color-coded images and the biplane angiography. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Bioanalytik für Einsteiger.Diabetes,Drogen und DNA. Von Reinhard Renneberg.

Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg 2008. 284 S., geb., 34.95 €.—ISBN 978‐3827418319

     

Adsorption and fluctuations of giant liposomes studied by electrochemical impedance measurements

The present study describes a novel approach based on electrochemical impedance measurements to follow the adsorption of giant liposomes on protein-coated solid surfaces with a time resolution in the order of seconds. The technical key features are circular gold-film electrodes as small as a few hundred micrometers in diameter and measurements of the electrode capacitance using AC signals in the kilohertz regime. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we were able to support the experiments and extract the rate constant of liposome adsorption. Besides monitoring the adsorption of liposomes on protein-coated surfaces, we also applied this technique to study shape fluctuations of the adsorbed vesicles and compared the corresponding power spectra with those recorded for hard particles and living animal cells.     

3D-2D-3D photonic crystal heterostructures fabricated by direct laser writing

Using direct laser writing, we fabricate photoresist templates for 3D-2D-3D photonic crystal heterostructures for what we believe to be the first time. The optical properties of these structures are directly compared with the theoretical ideal, revealing good agreement and hence good sample quality. This provides an experimental starting point for the microfabrication and testing of broadband, 3D air-waveguide microcircuitry in photonic bandgap materials.