Designing of energetic miktoarm A2B2 star‐shaped polymer by means of click chemistry and ROP techniques

Novel A₂B₂‐type energetic miktoarm star‐shaped copolymers composed of two PGN arms and two PCL arms was synthesized by the combination of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and “click” chemistry. Initially, diazido end‐functionalized two‐arm PGN, (PGN)₂‐(N₃)₂, was synthesized by ROP of glycidyl nitrate monomers. Subsequently, (PGN)₂‐(PCL)₂ was obtained from the click reaction between diazido end‐functionalized (PGN)₂‐(N₃)₂ polymers and propargyl‐terminated poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PTPCL). This star copolymer solves problems of PCL (lake of energy) and PGN (low T_g). The Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR), ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) studies revealed that (PGN)₂‐(PCL)₂ was successfully obtained. The thermal behavior of star polymer was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetry. The results show that (PGN)₂‐(PCL)₂ decomposed at two stages. The first stage is seen at 212.6°C which related to degradation of –ONO₂ group and second stage attributed to degradation of PCL group which is seen at 346.1°C.     

Single and double electron capture associated with target K-shell ionization for F7 + ,8 + ,9++Ar

Ratios for target Ar K-shell ionization associated with single and double electron capture, as well as the ratios corresponding to total capture and the projectile K x rays, were determined for 1.8- to 2.2-MeV/u F^{7 + ,8 + ,9+} projectiles. This work was performed at Western Michigan University with the tandem Van de Graaff accelerator. Coincidences between emitted K-shell X-rays (both target and projectile) and the corresponding charge-changed particles were observed. The F⁹⁺ Ar K X-ray coincidence ratios for double to single capture are found to well exceed unity over the limited energy range of the measurements. Possible explanations for this anomalous behavior are discussed.     

Human Health Risk Surveillance Through the Determination of Organochlorine Pesticides by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography in Water,Sediments, and Fish from the Chenab River,Pakistan

The current study assessed the spatiotemporal variations and human health surveillance associated with organochlorine pesticide (OCP) contamination in water, sediments, and fish from Chenab River, Pakistan. The OCP determinations were performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with a reverse-phase C18 column. The total OCP levels ranged from 13.33 to 274.59?ng/L in water, 4.63 to 239.11?ng/g in sediments, and 23.79 to 387.12?ng/g in fish species. The overall pattern of mean OCP concentrations followed the order as ΣDDTs?>?Σendosulfan?>?aldrin and OCP pollution pattern among the headworks were Khanki Barrage?>?Qadirabad Barrage?>?Trimmu Barrage?>?Marala Barrage in all three environmental matrixes during both seasons. The estimated daily intake (EDI) for ∑OCPs was found to be 22.44?ng/kg/day. The hazard ratios calculated to assess the carcinogenic risk indicated that the values for ∑DDT and aldrin at the 95th percentile concentrations were greater than one, indicating the probability of carcinogenic risk occurrence of one in million populations due to fish consumption. Therefore, these high levels of OCPs and carcinogenic risk through fish consumption highlight the needs of immediate elimination of OCPs from riverine environment of Chenab River and we recommend long-term monitoring-based freshwater ecological studies to be conducted in the study area.     

Enhancing of asphaltene adsorption onto Fe3O4 nanoparticles coated with metal-organic framework Mil-101 (Cr) for the inhibition of asphaltene precipitation

In this study, the potential of MOF (Mil-101-Cr)-coated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs) for asphaltene adsorption was investigated for the first time and the results were compared with magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ MNPs). The coprecipitation method was used for the synthesis of both nanoparticles and were verified using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The initial asphaltene concentration, nanoparticles concentration, and temperature were the investigated parameters that influenced the adsorption capacity. Increasing the asphaltene concentration, decreasing the mass of nanoparticles, and reducing the temperature could enhance the maximum asphaltene adsorption capacities of 0.79 for Fe₃O₄ MNPs and 0.98?mg?m^?2 for Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs. Adsorption isotherms tests showed that the Langmuir model was in agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the evaluation of adsorption kinetics demonstrated that the pseudo-second-order Lagergren model predicted the results more precisely. The amount of asphaltene adsorption for Fe₃O₄-MOF MNPs was higher than that for Fe₃O₄ MNPs. These results recommend the application of MOF as an appropriate and effective coating for enhancing asphaltene adsorption.     

Multi elemental neutron activation analysis of popular medicinal plants used to prevent blood lipid disorders

In this study, five of popularly used medicinal plants as Cichorium intybus, Anethum graveolens seed, Thymus vulgaris, Fumaria officinalis and Hibiscus sabdariffa Syn: Hibiscus gossypifolius were prepared from Herbal Pharmacies in Tehran. The amounts of Al, Br, Ca, Cl, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, V and Zn in samples were determined using instrumental neutron activation analysis. In this method, Tehran research reactor as a neutron source and relative INAA have been used as the analysis procedure. Highest levels of Cr (5 mg/kg), Ca (28316 mg/kg) and Mg (4134 mg/kg) were detected in Thymus vulgaris and F1umaria officinalis, respectively.     

Scattering of a spherical wave from the coupling of two half-planes

Summary  The diffraction of a spherical acoustic wave from the juncture of pressure release (soft) and locally reacting (absorbing) half-planes in a fluid moving at subsonic velocity is examined. This consideration is important because the point sources are regarded as better substitutes for real sources than line sources/plane waves. The integral representation of the field is obtained using integral transforms and the Wiener-Hopf technique. The factorization of the kernel function in the Wiener-Hopf functional equation is accomplished. The analytic solution of the integrals is obtained by employing asymptotic methods and the far field is presented. The effect of the Mach number is shown explicitly on the diffracted field.     

Essential oil composition of Valeriana officinalis L. roots cultivated in Iran. Comparative analysis between supercritical CO2 extraction and hydrodistillation

The composition of essential oil extracted from Valeriana officinalis L. roots growing wild in Iran was studied by hydrodistillation and supercritical CO2 extraction. Forty-seven components representing 89.3% and 35 constituents varying from 86.1% to 95.1% of the oil obtained by hydrodistillation and supercritical CO2 were identified, respectively. The major components in the extracted oil from supercritical CO2 were isovaleric acid (18.7-41.8%), valerenic acid (8.2-11.8%), acetoxyvaleranone (5.6-9.6%), (Z)-valernyl acetate (4.5-6.5%), bornyl acetate (2.3-7.7%) and valerenol (3.7-5.2%), whereas by hydrodistillation were bornyl acetate (11.6%), valerenic acid (8.0%), (Z)-valernyl acetate (7.9%) and acetoxyvaleranone (7.6%). The analysis of the extracts was performed by capillary GC and GC/MS.