Optimisation of the headspace-solid phase microextraction for organomercury and organotin compound determination in sediment and biota

Headspace solid-phase microextraction was optimised for the simultaneous preconcentration of methylmercury (MeHg+), monobutyltin, dibutyltin, tributyltin, monophenyltin (MPhT), diphenyltin (DPhT), and triphenyltin (TPhT) from sediments and biota. Extraction time (3-24 min), extraction temperature (20-90 degrees C), desorption time (1-10.4 min), desorption temperature (152-260 degrees C), and sample volume (5-22 mL) were simultaneously optimised, while variables such as fibre type (30 microm polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS), pH (acetic acid/sodium acetate, HOAc/NaOAc, 2 mol/L, pH approximately 4.8), the concentration of the derivatisation agent (sodium tetraethylborate, NaBEt4, 0.1% m/v), and the ionic strength (fixed by the buffer solution) were kept constant. The variables were optimised according to the experiments proposed by the MultiSimplex program and the responses were considered in order to establish the optimum conditions. The repeatability (relative standard deviation, RSD, 5-20.6%) and limits of detection (LODs, 0.05-0.97 ng/g) of the overall method were also estimated. The lowest precisions were obtained for DPhT and TPhT. The optimised preconcentration method was applied to the determination of MeHg+), butyl- and phenyltins in certified reference materials (IAEA-405 MeHg+) in estuarine sediment, BCR-646 butyl- and phenyltins in marine sediment, BCR-463 MeHg+ in tuna fish, DOLT-2 MeHg+ in dogfish liver, and BCR-477 butyltins in mussel tissue) by GC with microwave-induced plasma/atomic-emission detection.     

Combined effects of solar ultraviolet radiation and nutrients addition on growth, biomass and taxonomic composition of coastal marine phytoplankton communities of Patagonia

Experiments (6-8 days) were conducted during late summer, late fall and late winter, 2003 with waters collected off Bahía Nueva, Chubut, Argentina (42.7 degrees S, 65 degrees W) to determine the combined effects of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) and nutrient addition on phytoplankton communities. Samples were put in UVR-transparent containers and incubated under two radiation treatments: (a) Samples exposed to full solar radiation (PAB treatment, 280-400 nm) and (b) Samples exposed only to PAR (PAR treatment, 400-700 nm). At the beginning of the experiments, nutrients (i.e., NaPO(4)H(2) and NaNO(3)) were added to one set of samples from each radiation treatment (N cultures) whereas in the other set, nutrients remained at the concentration of the seawater. Chlorophyll a, biomass, UV-absorbing compounds and taxonomic composition were recorded throughout the experiments. N cultures always had significantly higher growth rates (P<0.05) than that in non-enriched cultures. At the beginning of experiments, phytoplankton communities were generally dominated by monads and flagellates but by the end, diatoms comprised the bulk of biomass, with only one to four taxa dominating, suggesting a selection towards more tolerant/less sensitive species. Over the experimental time frame, the observed taxonomic changes were mostly due to nutrient availability, and to a lesser extent to solar UVR exposure. Overall, the results indicate that environmental conditions (i.e., light history, nutrient concentration) together with the physiological status of the cells play a very important role at the time to assess the combined effect of nutrient addition and solar radiation on coastal phytoplankton assemblages from Patagonia.     

Efficient synthesis of pseudopeptidic molecular cages

Pseudopeptidic cages have been efficiently prepared by combining a dynamic covalent procedure with the suitable preorganization of the building blocks by a conformational bias or an anion templation.     

Synthesis of Tri-O-acetyl-d-allal from Levoglucosenone

Tri-O-acetyl-d-allal has been enantiospecifically synthesized in six steps from levoglucosenone in 55% overall yield. A key step in the synthesis is the anhydro bridge ring-opening with concomitant formation of a 1,3-oxathiolane-2-thione ring.     

Cu2+ and AMP complexation of enlarged tripodal polyamines

The synthesis, characterization, Cu2+ coordination and interaction with AMP of three tripodal polyamines are reported. The polyamines are based on the structure of the tetraamine (tren) which has been enlarged with three propylamino functionalities (), with a further anthrylmethyl fragment at one of its terminal primary nitrogens () or with naphthylmethyl fragments at its three ends (). The protonation constants of all three polyamines show that at pH 6, all six primary and secondary nitrogen atoms in the arms are protonated. The interaction with Cu2+ and AMP (adenosine-5'-monophosphate) has been studied by potentiometric, UV-Vis, ESI-MS spectroscopy and NMR techniques. pH-Metric, NMR and ESI/MS techniques indicate that and form with AMP adducts of 1:1, 2:1 and 3:1 AMP:L stoichiometries in water. This is one of the first examples for the formation of such complexes in aqueous solution. Formation of ternary complexes between , , , Cu2+ and AMP is observed. Paramagnetic NMR techniques have been used to obtain structural information on the binding mode of AMP to the Cu2+- binuclear complexes.     

Viscosities for Binary Mixtures of 1-Decanol, Hexane, and Diethylamine at 10, 25, and 40°C

Experimental viscosities provide information on the structure of liquids and are required in the design of processes, which involve fluid flow, mass transfer, or heat transfer calculations. This work reports experimental viscosity data of the binary mixtures: 1-decanol + hexane, 1-decanol + diethylamine, and hexane + diethylamine at 10, 25, and 40°C and atmospheric pressure for the whole range of compositions. The viscosities of the pure liquids and their mixtures were determined using Cannon Fenske viscometers thermostated at ±0.01°C. The estimated error in the measured viscosities was less than ±0.005 mPa-s. The dynamic viscosity and the excess energy of activation for viscous flow were also calculated. The equation of Redlich–Kister was used for fitting the excess properties of the binary mixtures. The excess viscosity shows positive deviations from ideal behavior for the mixtures 1- decanol + hexane and 1-decanol + diethylamine and a small negative deviation for the binary system hexane + diethylamine. The experimental results have been also used to test some empirical and semiempirical equations adopted previously to correlate viscosity composition data.     

Intervalence electron transfer through a thiolate bridge ligand: a Fe–S–R–Fe mixed valence complex

The reaction of Cp(dppe)FeI with the ligands 2,2′- and 4,4′-dithiobispyridine (S₂(Py)₂) give the mononuclear or binuclear complexes of the type [Cp(dppe)Fe-S₂(Py)₂]PF₆, [Cp(dppe)Fe---SPy]PF₆ or [{Cp(dppe)Fe}₂-μ-SPy](PF₆)₂ depending on the reaction condition. Reaction of Cp(dppe)FeI with dithiobispyridines in presence of TlPF₆ as halide abstractor and using CH₂Cl₂ as a solvent gives the complexes [Cp(dppe)Fe-4,4′-S₂(Py)₂)₂]PF₆ (1) and [CpFe(dppe)-2,2′-S₂(Py)₂]PF₆ (2) whereas the same reaction using CH₃OH as a solvent and NH₄PF₆ as the halide abstractor leads to the formation of the Fe^III–thiolate complex [Cp(dppe)Fe-2,2′-SPy]PF₆ (3) and the mixed-valence complex [Cp(dppe)Fe^III-μSPy-Fe^II(dppe)Cp](PF₆)₂ (4). Magnetic and ESR measurements are in agreement with one unpaired electron delocalized between them. Mössbauer data indicate clearly the presence of two different iron sites, each one of the N-bonded and S-bonded iron atoms, with intermediate oxidation state Fe^II---Fe^III. An electron transfer intervalence absorption was observed for this complex at 780 nm (in CH₂Cl₂). By applying the Hush theory the intervalence parameters were obtained; =0.028, H_ab=361 cm⁻¹ which indicate Class II Robin–Day. Estimation of the rate electron transfer affords a value k_th=6.5×10⁶ s⁻¹. Solvent effect on the intervalence transition follow the Hush prediction for high dielectric constants solvents which permit the evaluation of the outer and inner-sphere reorganizational parameters, which were analyzed and discussed. The electronic interaction parameters compare well with those found for electron transfer in metalloproteins.     

Are Point Mutations in HMG-CoA Reductases (Hmg1 and Hmg2) a Step towards Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus?

Invasive aspergillosis, mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus, can lead to severe clinical outcomes in immunocompromised individuals. Antifungal treatment, based on the use of azoles, is crucial to increase survival rates. However, the recent emergence of azole-resistant A. fumigatus isolates is affecting the efficacy of the clinical therapy and lowering the success rate of azole strategies against aspergillosis. Azole resistance mechanisms described to date are mainly associated with mutations in the azole target gene cyp51A that entail structural changes in Cyp51A or overexpression of the gene. However, strains lacking cyp51A modifications but resistant to clinical azoles have recently been detected. Some genes have been proposed as new players in azole resistance. In this study, the gene hmg1, recently related to azole resistance, and its paralogue hmg2 were studied in a collection of fifteen azole-resistant strains without cyp51A modifications. Both genes encode HMG-CoA reductases and are involved in the ergosterol biosynthesis. Several mutations located in the sterol sensing domain (SSD) of Hmg1 (D242Y, G307D/S, P309L, K319Q, Y368H, F390L and I412T) and Hmg2 (I235S, V303A, I312S, I360F and V397C) were detected. The role of these mutations in conferring azole resistance is discussed in this work.     

Chemical Diversity and Antimicrobial Potential of Cultivable Fungi from Deep-Sea Sediments of the Gulf of Mexico

A collection of 29 cultivable fungal strains isolated from deep-sea sediments of the Gulf of Mexico were cultivated under the “one strain, many compounds” approach to explore their chemical diversity and antimicrobial potential. From the 87 extracts tested, over 50% showed antimicrobial activity, and the most active ones were those from cultures grown at 4 °C in darkness for 60 days (resembling deep-sea temperature). PCA analysis of the LC-MS data of all the extracts confirmed that culture temperature is the primary factor in the variation of the 4462 metabolite features, accounting for 21.3% of the variation. The bioactivity-guided and conventional chemical studies of selected fungal strains allowed the identification of several active and specialized metabolites. Finally, metabolomics analysis by GNPS molecular networking and manual dereplication revealed the biosynthetic potential of these species to produce interesting chemistry. This work uncovers the chemical and biological study of marine-derived fungal strains from deep-sea sediments of the Gulf of Mexico.