Research Progress and Application of Ion Funnel Technique

Ion funnel is a new-style ion guider which can reduce spatial divergence and energy dispersity of the transmission ions by using radio frequency (RF) electric field to confine the ions radially and the direct current (DC) axial electric field to move the ions toward the exit, and thus it can greatly increase the ion transmission efficiency and improve the sensitivity of the mass spectrometry. Since ion funnel was invented in 1997, it has attracted a close attention of mass spectrometry scientists all over the world. Ion funnel has been used in various kinds of mass spectrometry, and built a bridge with high efficiency ion transmission between low vacuum ionization source and high vacuum mass analyzer. In this paper, the principle, technology development, and application progress of ion funnel are reviewed, and the future prospects are prospected.     

Determination of sugars and cyclitols isolated from various morphological parts of Medicago sativa L

Plant research interest has increased all over the world, and a large body of evidence has been collected to show the huge potential of medicinal plants in various disease treatments. Medicago sativa L., known as alfalfa, is a rich source of biologically active components and secondary metabolites and was frequently used from the ancient times both as fodder crop and as a traditional medicine in the treatment of various diseases. Cyclitols, naturally occurring in this plant, have a particular interest for us due to their significant anti‐diabetic, antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anti‐cancer properties. In the present study we revealed the isolation, the identification, and the quantification of some cyclitols and sugars extracted from different morphological parts of alfalfa plant. Soxhlet extraction and solid phase extraction were used as extraction and purification methods, while for the analyses derivatization followed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry was involved. The obtained results showed significant differences in the quantities of cyclitols and sugars found in the investigated morphological parts, ranging between 0.02 and 13.86 mg/g of plant in case of cyclitols, and in the range of 0.09 and 40.09 mg/g of plant for sugars. However, roots have the richest part of cyclitols and sugars in contrast to the leaves.     

常压下玉米秸秆液化工艺的优化及其生物油分析

随着化石能源的日益短缺，可再生木质生物质资源的利用越来越受到重视，常压液化技术是生物质资源高效利用的主要方式之一。利用单因素方法，探讨液化温度、复配液化剂二甘醇（DEG）与1,2-丙二醇（PG）的混合比、液固比、催化剂磷酸的用量、反应时间等因素对玉米秸秆液化得率的影响，以便优化其液化工艺；然后采用热重分析仪（TGA）、气相色谱-质谱技术（GC-MS）和核磁共振（NMR）技术对此优化条件下所得生物油的挥发降解特性和主要组成成分进行了检测探讨。分析表明，玉米秸秆液化时优化工艺参数为：液化温度170 ℃，液化剂DEG与PG混合比1∶2，液固比5∶1，H₃PO₄用量10%，反应时间45 min；此时玉米秸秆液化得率高至99.50%。TGA结果表明，此条件下所得生物油含有80%以上碳数小于25的化合物，热解后最终残炭量约为15%。GC-MS表明，可以检测出此生物油中含有的39种有机物，其中，醇类有机物的含量最多，酚类有机物的含量次之，它们相对含量依次是70.70%和25.63%，其还含有一定量的有机酸（2.80%）、醚类（0.64%）、酯类（0.10%）和酮类（0.13%）等有机物；其组分十分复杂，高含氧量，稳定性较差。1H-和13C-NMR分析表明，不同化学位移δ与生物油中不同类型的质子和碳原子相对应，明确生物油中不同类型H和C的分布，有利于对其分子结构进行深入探讨。这些研究为非木材生物质高效液化条件的选择及液化产物制备化学品和生物燃油给予理论基础与应用支持，促进了生物质资源的有效转化利用及其生物质基产品的开发。     

Theoretical Design of Biodegradable Phthalic Acid Ester Derivatives in Marine and Freshwater Environments

The biodegradability of phtalic acid esters in marine and freshwater environments was characterized by their binding free energy with corresponding degrading enzymes. According to comprehensive biodegradation effects weights, the binding free energy values were converted into dimensionless efficacy coefficient using ratio normalization method. Then, considering comprehensive dual biodegradation effects value and the structural parameters of PAEs in both marine and freshwater environments, a 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model was constructed, five PAE derivatives (DBP−COOH, DBP−CHO, DBP−OH, DINP−NH₂, and DINP−NO₂) were screened out based on their environmental friendliness, functionality and stability. The prediction of biodegradation effects on five PAE derivatives by biodegradation models in marine and freshwater environment increased by 15.90 %, 15.84 %, 27.21 %, 12.33 %, and 8.32 %, and 21.57 %, 15.21 %, 20.99 %, 15.10 %, and 9.74 %, respectively. By simulating the photodegradation path of the PAE derivative molecular, it was found that DBP−OH can generate ^.OH and provides free radicals for the photodegradation of microplastics in the environment.     

Mass spectrometry imaging of latent fingerprints using titanium oxide development powder as an existing matrix

Recent research has focused on increasing the evidentiary value of latent fingerprints through chemical analysis. Although researchers have optimized the use of organic and metal matrices for matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI‐MSI) of latent fingerprints, the use of development powders as matrices has not been fully investigated. Carbon forensic powder (CFP), a common nonporous development technique, was shown to be an efficient one‐step matrix; however, a high‐resolution mass spectrometer was required in the low mass range due to carbon clusters. Titanium oxide (TiO₂) is another commonly used development powder, especially for dark nonporous surfaces. Here, forensic TiO₂ powder is utilized as a single‐step development and matrix technique for chemical imaging of latent fingerprints without the requirement of a high‐resolution mass spectrometer. All studied compounds were successfully detected when TiO₂ was used as the matrix in positive mode, although, generally, the overall ion signals were lower than the previously studied CFP. TiO₂ provided quality mass spectrometry (MS) images of endogenous and exogenous latent fingerprint compounds. The subsequent addition of traditional matrices on top of the TiO₂ powder was ineffective for universal detection of latent fingerprint compounds. Forensic TiO₂ development powder works as an efficient single‐step development and matrix technique for MALDI‐MSI analysis of latent fingerprints in positive mode and does not require a high‐resolution mass spectrometer for analysis.     

Review of in situ X-ray fluorescence analysis technology in China

In the past two decades, the in situ X-ray fluorescence (XRF) technology has been developed rapidly in China, which is mainly due to the rapid development of China's economy and the great demand for rapid qualitative and quantitative analysis of elements in geological exploration, environmental protection, and industrial process analysis. In this article, the development of in situ XRF analysis technology in China is reviewed from three aspects, namely in situ XRF analyzers, in situ XRF analysis technology, and applications of in situ XRF analysis technology. The in situ XRF analyzers are divided into four generations, and the technical characteristics of each generation of analyzers are discussed from the perspectives of X-ray excitation source, detector, electronic circuit unit, and digital signal processing. The progress of X-ray spectrum analysis, matrix effect correction, and correction of uneven effect and humidity effect is reviewed. The representative applications of XRF analysis technology in geological and mineral survey, environmental pollution investigation, cultural relic identification, and alloy analysis are introduced.     

Octadecanuclear Gear Wheels by Self‐Assembly of Self‐Assembled “Double Saddle”‐Type Coordination Entities: Molecular “Rangoli”

A series of self‐assembled “double saddle”‐type trinuclear complexes of [Pd₃L′₃ L ₂] formulation have been synthesized by complexation of a series of cis‐protected palladium(II) components with a slightly divergent “E‐shaped” non‐chelating tridentate ligand, 1,1′‐(pyridine‐3,5‐diyl)bis(3‐(pyridin‐3‐yl)urea ( L ). The cis‐protecting agents L′ employed in the study are ethylenediamine (en), tetramethylethylenediamine (tmeda), 2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy), and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen), for 1 , 2 , 3 , and 4 , respectively. The crystal structures of [Pd₃(tmeda)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 2 ), [Pd₃(bpy)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 3 ), and [Pd₃(phen)₃( L )₂](NO₃)₆ ( 4 ) unequivocally support the new architecture. Two of the “double saddle”‐type complexes ( 3 and 4 ) are suitably crafted with π surfaces at the strategically located cis‐protecting sites to facilitate intermolecular π–π interactions in the solid state. As a consequence, six units of the 3 (or 4 ) are assembled, by means of six‐pairs of π–π stacking interactions, in a circular geometry to form an octadecanuclear molecular ring of [(Pd₃L′₃ L ₂)₆] composition. The overall arrangement of the rings in the crystal packing is equated with the traditional Indian art form rangoli.     

Synthesis,Electrochemistry, and Photophysics of Aza‐BODIPY Porphyrin Dyes

The synthesis of dyad and triad aza‐BODIPY‐porphyrin systems in two steps starting from an aryl‐substituted aza‐BODIPY chromophore is described. The properties of the resulting aza‐BODIPY‐porphyrin conjugates have been extensively investigated by means of electrochemistry, spectroelectrochemistry, and absorption/emission spectroscopy. Fluorescence measurements have revealed a dramatic loss of luminescence intensity, mainly due to competitive energy transfer and photoinduced electron transfer involving charge separation followed by recombination.     

Freezing the Dynamic Gap for Selectivity: Motion‐Based Design of Inhibitors of the Shikimate Kinase Enzyme

Shikimate kinase (SK), the fifth enzyme of the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, is a recognized target for antibiotic drug discovery. The potential of the distinct dynamic apolar gap, which isolates the natural substrate from the solvent environment for catalysis, and the motion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori SK enzymes, which was observed by molecular dynamics simulations, was explored for inhibition selectivity. The results of the biochemical and computational studies reveal that the incorporation of bulky groups at position C5 of 5‐aminoshikimic acid and the natural substrate enhances the selectivity for the H. pylori enzyme due to key motion differences in the shikimic acid binding domain (mainly helix α5). These studies show that the less‐exploited motion‐based design approach not only is an alternative strategy for the development of competitive inhibitors, but could also be a way to achieve selectivity against a particular enzyme among its homologues.