Temperature-programmed synthesis of micron-sized multi-responsive microgels

A new synthetic protocol for the synthesis of large diameter (2.5 to 5 μm), temperature-, and pH-responsive microgels via aqueous surfactant-free radical precipitation copolymerization is presented. We have found that in this size range, which is not typically attainable using traditional dispersion polymerization approaches, excellent monodispersity and size control are achieved when the synthesis employs a programmed temperature ramp from 45 to 65 °C during the nucleation stage of the polymerization. A combined kinetic and thermodynamic hypothesis for large particle formation under these conditions is described. Particle sizes, volume phase transition temperatures, and pH responsivity were characterized by particle tracking and photon correlation spectroscopy to illustrate their similar behavior to particles made via more traditional routes. These particles have been enabling for various studies in our group where microscopic visualization of the particles is required.     

大孔吸附树脂对款冬花总黄酮的吸附分离特性

选择6种大孔吸附树脂,比较其对款冬花总黄酮的吸附量,解吸率及吸附动力学特性,筛选出较优的款冬花黄酮吸附树脂.结果表明：在静态吸附和动态吸附实验中均以SP825具有较优的吸附和解吸效果.     

氧化型谷胱甘肽对还原型谷胱甘肽清除自由基的协同作用

利用分光光度法和基质辅助飞行质谱法研究了谷胱甘肽对1,1-二苯基-2-苦肼基(DPPH)自由基的清除作用.通过比较不同浓度和不同配比的还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)和氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSG)以及Na2SeO3混合溶液的自由基清除率,发现GSH/GSSG的配比对自由基清除率有明显影响.当GSH/GSSG的配比大于50∶ 1时,自由基清除率比同浓度的GSH大,且自由基清除率随GSH和GSSG的绝对浓度的增加而明显增加,说明适量的GSSG可协同催化GSH清除自由基过程.质谱测定结果表明: 此协同作用与GSSG 参与自由基清除过程中的自由基反应有关.Na2SeO3对GSH的清除自由基的影响主要是通过与GSH反应生成GSSG来调控GSH/GSSG配比的结果.通过测定和分析一定配比的GSH+GSSG混合溶液与DPPH作用前后的质谱图,提出了少量的GSSG共存下,GSH催化清除DPPH自由基的作用机理.     

Comparison of different calibration approaches in the application of thermal desorption technique: A test on gaseous reduced sulfur compounds

In this study, the reliability of thermal desorbing technique was investigated using the gaseous standards of five reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs: hydrogen sulfide, methane thiol, dimethyl sulfide, carbon disulfide, and dimethyl disulfide). A series of calibration experiments for RSCs were performed using gas chromatography (GC) with pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) that is interfaced with a thermal desorber (TD) unit. These calibration data were evaluated by means of two contrasting concepts: fixed standard concentration method (FSC: variable volumetric injection of standard gases prepared at a given concentration) and fixed standard volume method (FSV: injection of multiple standards with varying concentrations at a given volume). When the results of both methods were compared, RSCs generally showed enhanced sensitivity with increasing concentration (FSC) and sample loading volume (FSV). This study highlights that TD-based calibration properties are practically undistinguishable between different sample transfer approaches (e.g., FSV and FSC). As a result, the calibration properties of RSCs derived by thermal desorption technique are greatly distinguished from those of direct injection into GC.     

Quantification of fructo-oligosaccharides based on the evaluation of oligomer ratios using an artificial neural network

The application of an internal standard in quantitative analysis is desirable in order to correct for variations in sample preparation and instrumental response. In mass spectrometry of organic compounds, the internal standard is preferably labelled with a stable isotope, such as ¹⁸O, ¹⁵N or ¹³C. In this study, a method for the quantification of fructo-oligosaccharides using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) was proposed and tested on raftilose, a partially hydrolysed inulin with a degree of polymeration 2-7. A tetraoligosaccharide nystose, which is chemically identical to the raftilose tetramer, was used as an internal standard rather than an isotope-labelled analyte. Two mathematical approaches used for data processing, conventional calculations and artificial neural networks (ANN), were compared. The conventional data processing relies on the assumption that a constant oligomer dispersion profile will change after the addition of the internal standard and some simple numerical calculations. On the other hand, ANN was found to compensate for a non-linear MALDI response and variations in the oligomer dispersion profile with raftilose concentration. As a result, the application of ANN led to lower quantification errors and excellent day-to-day repeatability compared to the conventional data analysis. The developed method is feasible for MS quantification of raftilose in the range of 10-750 pg with errors below 7%. The content of raftilose was determined in dietary cream; application can be extended to other similar polymers. It should be stressed that no special optimisation of the MALDI process was carried out. A common MALDI matrix and sample preparation were used and only the basic parameters, such as sampling and laser energy, were optimised prior to quantification.     

N-硫代酰基硫乙酸功能化三乙撑四胺交联PVC树脂的制备及对Hg~(2+)的吸附

以聚氯乙烯为原料依次与四乙烯五胺、CS_2和ClCH_2COONa反应合成了一种新的含N、O、S的N-硫代酰基硫乙酸功能化三乙撑四胺交联聚氯乙烯螯合树脂,树脂结构经红外分析和元素分析表征. 探讨了在不同pH值、Hg~(2+)初始浓度、吸附温度和时间等条件下合成树脂对Hg~(2+)的吸附性能. 结果表明,螯合树脂对Hg~(2+)有较快的吸附速率,pH值约为2.0时,树脂对Hg~(2+)的吸附效果最好,随温度升高吸附量逐渐增大. 温度在35 ℃、Hg~(2+)起始浓度为17.66 mmol/L时,树脂对Hg~(2+)的吸附量可达3.330 mmol/g. 树脂对Hg~(2+)的吸附符合Langmuir和Freundlich等温式. 用0.2 mol/L HNO3-10%硫脲对吸附后的树脂进行洗脱,脱附率达99.20%.     

Headspace stir bar sorptive extraction followed by thermal desorption and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry to determine musk fragrances in sludge samples without sample pretreatment

A direct, simple and solvent‐free method based on headspace stir bar sorptive extraction and thermal desorption gas chromatography with mass spectroscopy was developed to determine 13 musk fragrances (six polycyclic musks, three nitro musks and four macrocyclic musks) in sludge without sample treatment. The optimal headspace stir bar sorptive extraction conditions were achieved when a polydimethylsiloxane stir bar was exposed for 45 min in the headspace of a 10 mL vial filled with 100 mg of sludge mixed with 0.2 mL of water stirred at 750 rpm at 80°C. The stir bar was then desorbed in the thermal desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry system, obtaining limits of detection between 5 and 30 ng/g. The method applicability was tested with sewage sludge from two urban wastewater treatment plants and from a potable water treatment plant. Results showed galaxolide and tonalide to be the most abundant musk fragrances found in wastewater treatment plants with maximal concentrations of 9240 and 7500 ng/g, respectively. Maximum concentration levels between 35 and 635 ng/g were found for musk ketone, musk moskene, traseolide, phantolide and celestolide in this kind of samples. Concentrations below the limits of quantitation of phantolide, galaxolide, tonalide and musk ketone were found in sludge from a potable water treatment plant.     

Simultaneous effect of carbon and water on NOx adsorption on a stabilized Pt–Ba/Al2O3 catalyst

The influence of the presence of H₂O on the contact between carbon, used as model soot, and a model four-way catalyst (1% Pt–10% BaO/Al₂O₃) was investigated. NO_x adsorption/TPD cycles at 300 °C together with XRD, XPS and DRIFTS characterizations showed that only surface nitrate species are destabilized by the carbon present in the catalytic bed, leading to a decrease of the NO_x storage capacity and carbonate species formation. In another way, injection of water in the reactive gas flow decreases also the NO_x storage capacity of the catalyst, but promotes the formation of stable nitrate species. A non-cumulative effect of carbon and water was observed. It was proposed that a competition between the destabilization, by carbon, of weakly bonded surface nitrate species and the enhancement of bulk nitrate species formation in the presence of water occurs.     

Critical Evaluation of Adsorption–Desorption Hysteresis of Heavy Metal Ions from Carbon Nanotubes: Influence of Wall Number and Surface Functionalization

Single‐, double‐, and multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs, DWCNTs, and MWCNTs), and two oxidized MWCNTs with different oxygen contents (2.51 wt % and 3.5 wt %) were used to study the effect of the wall number and surface functionalization of CNTs on their adsorption capacity and adsorption–desorption hysteresis for heavy metal ions (Ni^II, Cd^II, and Pb^II). Metal ions adsorbed on CNTs could be desorbed by lowering the solution pH. Adsoprtion of heavy metal ions was not completely reversible when the supernatant was replaced with metal ion‐free electrolyte solution. With increasing wall number and amount of surface functional groups, CNTs had more surface defects and exhibited higher adsorption capacity and higher adsorption–desorption hysteresis index (HI) values. The coverage of heavy metal ions on the surface of CNTs, solution pH, and temperature affect the metal ion adsorption–desorption hysteresis. A possible shift in the adsorption mechanism from mainly irreversible to largely reversible processes may take place, as the amount of metal ions adsorbed on CNTs increases. Heavy metal ions may be irreversibly adsorbed on defect sites.     

Desorption/ionization efficiencies of triacylglycerols and phospholipids via EASI‐MS

Knowledge of the major effects governing desorption/ionization efficiency is required for the development and application of ambient mass spectrometry. Although all triacylglycerols (TAG) have the same favorable protonation and cationization sites, their desorption/ionization efficiencies can vary dramatically during easy ambient sonic‐spray ionization because of structural differences in the carbon chain. To quantify this somewhat surprising and drastic effect, we have performed a systematic investigation of desorption/ionization efficiencies as a function of unsaturation and length for TAG as well as for diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols and several phospholipids (PL). Affinities for Na⁺ as a function of unsaturation level have also been assayed via comprehensive metadynamics calculations to understand the influence of this phenomenon on the ionization efficiency. The results suggest that dipole–dipole interactions within a carbon chain tuned by unsaturation sites govern ionization efficiency of TAG and PL. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.