Janus Emulsions from a One-Step Process; Optical Microscopy Images

The optical microscopy images of an emulsion are commonly distorted when viewed between a cover glass and a planar microscopy slide. An alternative method is to place the sample on a slide with a cavity, which in turn suffers from incomplete information for high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsions, due to the inevitable crowding of the drops. This problem is particularly acute for more complex emulsions, such as those with Janus drops, for which a detailed image of the drop is essential. A number of publications have recently described Janus emulsions prepared by a one-step high energy emulsification process with microscopy images obtained by the sample between a planar slide and a cover glass. The correlation to the morphology of emulsions in bulk of these images is critical, but, so far, a potential equivalence has not been established. Since the images are central in order to understand why Janus emulsions should form under such conditions, the need to ascertain any such association is urgent. With this contribution, we compare images from different microscopy methods to those of gently diluted HIPR emulsions. The results reveal that the images of the emulsion samples between a cover glass and a planar microscope slide actually present a realistic representation of the drop topology in bulk emulsions.     

Effects of intra- and extracellular space properties on diffusion and T(2) relaxation in a tissue model

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of biophysical factors on the diffusion and the relaxation time T(2) independently. Certain properties of the extracellular and the intracellular space may change radically in pathological conditions resulting in water diffusion changes. A tissue model consisting of red blood cells was studied. The extra- and intracellular spaces were modified osmotically and by suspending medium concentration. Diffusion measurements were evaluated with regard to the effective medium theory. Neither the nature of the protein in the extracellular space nor an increased level of intracellular hydration caused a significant net water diffusion change in the cell suspension. The relaxation time T(2) exhibited very little dependence on the extracellular volume fraction or the concentration or the nature of the protein in the extracellular space. An increased level of intracellular hydration resulted in systematically larger T(2) values. It seems probable that increases in extracellular protein concentrations or in the extent of intracellular hydration do not play a significant role in the diffusion changes detected in pathological conditions. T(2) appears to depend on the level of hydration or the total water content but is seemingly less dependent of the concentration and the nature of the extracellular protein in our model solutions.     

Removal of Lead(II), Cadmium(II), and Arsenic(III) from Aqueous Solution Using Magnetite Nanoparticles Prepared by Green Synthesis with Box–Behnken Design

Two types of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles were investigated as adsorbents for the simultaneous removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and As(III) metal ions from aqueous solution. Magnetite nanoparticles were prepared by two synthesis procedures, both using water as solvent, and are referred to as conventional Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and green Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles. The latter used Citrus limon (lemon) aqueous peel extract as the surfactant. Box–Behnken experimental design was used to investigate the effects of parameters such as initial concentration (20–150?mg?L^?1), pH (2–9), and biomass dosage (1–5?g?L^?1) on the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and As(III) ions. The optimum parameters for removal of the studied metal ions from aqueous solutions, including the initial ion concentration (20?mg?L^?1), pH (5.5) and adsorbent dose (5?g?L^?1), were determined. The pseudosecond-order model exhibited the best fit for the kinetic studies, while adsorption equilibrium isotherms were best described by Langmuir and Freundlich models. The optimum conditions were applied for the treatment wastewater. The removal efficiencies of Pb(II), Cd(II), and As(III) using the conventional and green synthesized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles were 59.4?±?4.3, 18.7?±?1.9 and 17.5?±?1.6, and 98.8?±?5.6, 46.0?±?1.3, and 48.2?±?2.6%, respectively. These results demonstrate the potential of magnetite nanoparticles synthesized using C. limon peel extract as highly efficient adsorbents for the removal of Pb(II), Cd(II), and As(III) ions from aqueous solution.     

pH-driven physicochemical conformational changes of single-layer graphene oxide

Single-layer graphene oxides (SLGOs) undergo morphological changes depending on the pH of the system and may account for restricted chemical reactivity. Herein, SLGO may also capture nanoparticles through layering and enveloping when the pH is changed, demonstrating potential usefulness in drug delivery or waste material capture.