分析测试中数据统计处理综合程序系统

近年来,分析测试数据已广泛应用计算机进行统计处理,文献报道的多是针对特定任务的单元程序,远不能适应分析测试数据统计处理多样性的要求。本文研究和开发了分析测试中常用数据统计处理的通用综合程序系统,操作方便,调用灵活,在单元程序的基础上,可以组合成各种综合程序,以满足不同分析测试数据统计处理的需要。     

苯甲醇和苯甲酸制备实验的改进与创新设计

以苯甲醛为原料,通过Cannizarro反应制备苯甲醇和苯甲酸是有机化学实验教学中的经典内容。鉴于现有实验方案已难满足日益提升的教学要求,对其进行了改进与创新设计:采用微波辐射法合成,引入正交设计优化条件;采用紫外分光光度法定量测定粗产品中苯甲醇的含量;采用柱层析法分离得到苯甲醇。改进结果表明:KOH溶液浓度50%(质量百分比),微波功率500 W时,反应15 min完成。光度法定量显示苯甲醇产率可达82.0%。萃取分离后的粗产品用50:1和15:1石油醚/乙酸乙酯(体积比)梯度洗脱,柱层析分离后可得苯甲醇纯品,水相酸化重结晶后得到苯甲酸。产物的相关测试与表征结果与文献吻合良好。与传统方案相比,新方案时间锐减99%,产率提高约15%,萃取剂更安全,产率测定快速准确,产物纯化方法优化。将之用于教学,可通过各要点功能的分别承载,综合实现研究性思维与方法的培养目标。     

A spot test for ammonium ion by the color band formation method

Removing nutrients from wastewaters is important in controlling eutrophication. Processes for removing nutrients require accurate control of operational conditions, and it is necessary to monitor nutrient concentrations during the removal process. For this purpose, a simple and accurate analytical method is especially important for small-scale wastewater treatment facilities. Here, we report a simple colorimetric method for determining NH₄⁺-N in wastewater. The method is to detect NH₄⁺-N by a color band length formed in a minicolumn, and similar methods for heavy metals detection were reported by Morosanova et al. In this study, the length of the color band of indonaphthol dye trapped on an adsorbent in a minicolumn was linearly correlated with NH₄⁺-N concentration in the range 1-10 mg NH₄⁺-N l⁻¹ under optimized conditions. This methods was developed on the basis of our previously reported color band methods for orthophosphate and nitrite determination, but the adsorbent used in this work consisted of an admixture of synthetic hydrotalcite particles and poly(vinyl chloride) particles coated with equal amounts of benzylcetyldimethylammonium chloride and biphenyl. When the method was applied to actual wastewaters, the results corresponded well with the results obtained by the standard method, and suspended solids (SS) and dissolved organic pollutants did not interfere with detection.     

Interpretation of interlaboratory comparison results to evaluate laboratory proficiency

Guidelines are given for the evaluation of proficiency test (PT) results in order to increase the effectivity of PT participation. For better understanding, some statistical background is given along with some examples to show the effects of the choices made by the PT provider. The calculation method of the assigned value and the selection of the standard deviation both affect the z-score that is used by the participating laboratory to judge the quality of its performance in the PT. Therefore, the participating laboratory is advised to use the PT results with care and, if necessary, to recalculate the z-scores. Finally, advice is given on how not to follow up bad PT results along with some valuable steps that could be part of an effective follow-up procedure.     

Proficiency tests for pharmaceuticals in different waters

To date there are no German or international standards for the analysis of pharmaceuticals in waters. The efficiency of the analytical methods—predominantly LC-MS/MS and GC-MS—used for trace analysis of pharmaceuticals is proved for the first time by proficiency tests using natural waters.Two proficiency tests for up to 11 different groups of pharmaceuticals in river water and waste water were carried out in 2000 (28 participants) and 2002 (20 participants). The spiking concentrations were 60–800 ng/L for surface water and 80–1280 ng/L for waste water. For most determinants good recovery rates (80–120%) and variations (around 35% for surface water and 50% for waste water) were reported.     

Ignition characteristics of forest species in relation to thermal analysis data

The ignitability of various forest species was measured with a specifically designed apparatus, under precisely controlled temperature and airflow conditions. The ignitability tests were based on ignition delay time versus temperature measurements using five different forest species: Pinus halepensis, Pistacia lentiscus, Cupressus sempervirens, Olea europaea, Cistus incanus. These species are common in the Mediterranean region and frequently devastated by forest fires. The ignition characteristics of the forest fuels examined were related to thermogravimetric analysis data. The DTG curves showed that the mass changes related to cellulose decomposition in the temperature range of 320–370 °C are greatly responsible for the ignition behavior of the species tested. In addition, the mass of volatiles evolving between 120–160 °C has a significant effect on the ignitability. On the contrary, the inorganic ash content of forest fuels, measured by atomic absorption spectroscopy, seems to play an insignificant role on the ignitability characteristics of the forest fuels examined.     

Proficiency test exercise on the determination of natural levels of radionuclides in mushroom reference material

The results from a proficiency test exercise for the determination of natural levels of radionuclides in mushroom reference material carried out by laboratories in six different countries are discussed. These laboratories submitted data on seven radionuclides, namely ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁴⁰K, ⁹⁰Sr, ²⁴¹Am, ²²⁶Ra, and ²¹⁰Po. However, only the data received for three of these radionuclides could be statistically evaluated to obtain consensus mean values and confidence intervals (at a significance level of 0.05). The contents of ¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K were quantified as 4.4, 2,899 and 1,136 Bq/kg, respectively.     

Current trends in lead discovery: are we looking for the appropriate properties?

The new drug discovery paradigm is based on high-throughput technologies, both with respect to synthesis and screening. The progression HTS hits lead series candidate drug marketed drug appears to indicate that the probability of reaching launched status is one in a million. This has shifted the focus from good quality candidate drugs to good quality leads. We examined the current trends in lead discovery by comparing MW (molecular weight), LogP (octanol/water partition coefficient, estimated by Kowwin [17]) and LogSw (intrinsic water solubility, estimated by Wskowwin [18]) for the following categories: 62 leads and 75 drugs [11]; compounds in the development phase (I, II, III and launched), as indexed in MDDR; and compounds indexed in medicinal chemistry journals [ref. 20], categorized according to their biological activity. Comparing the distribution of the above properties, the 62 lead structures show the lowest median with respect to MW (smaller) and LogP (less hydrophobic), and the highest median with respect to LogSw (more soluble). By contrast, over 50% of the medicinal chemistry compounds with activities above 1 nanomolar have MW > 425, LogP > 4.25 and LogSw < -4.75, indicating that the reported active compounds are larger, more hydrophobic and less soluble when compared to time-tested quality leads. In the MDDR set, a progressive constraint to reduce MW and LogP, and to increase LogSw, can be observed when examining trends in the developmental sequence: phase I, II, III and launched drugs. These trends indicate that other properties besides binding affinity, e.g., solubility and hydrophobicity, need to be considered when choosing the appropriate leads.     

Reflections regarding uncertainty of measurement, on the results of a Nordic fatigue test interlaboratory comparison

This paper presents the experiences of calculation and reporting uncertainty of measurement in fatigue testing. Six Nordic laboratories performed fatigue tests on steel specimens. The laboratories also reported their results concerning uncertainty of measurement and how they calculated it. The results show large differences in the way the uncertainties of measurement were calculated and reported. No laboratory included the most significant uncertainty source, bending stress (due to misalignment of the testing machine, incorrect specimens and/or incorrectly mounted specimens), when calculating the uncertainty of measurement. Several laboratories did not calculate the uncertainty of measurement in accordance with the Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) [1].     

Poly(urethane-oxazolidone): Synthesis, characterisation and shape memory properties

Poly(urethane-oxazolidone) were synthesized by reacting isocyanate-terminated oxazolidone with hydroxy-telechelic poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO). The molar ratios of the reactants were varied to get polymers of varying oxazolidone and urethane compositons. The polymers were characterized by DSC, FTIR, XRD, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and chemical analyses. An increase in the concentration of urethane and oxazolidone groups caused a decrease in tensile strength and elongation of the poly(urethane-oxazolidone). The polymers possessed crystallites of PTMO whose melting transition temperature decreased on enhancing the oxazolidone concentration. The polymers exhibited thermo-responsive shape memory properties, which was confirmed and quantified by cyclic tensile tests. The influence of oxazolidone modification and the consequent soft/hard segment variation on the thermal, mechanical, dynamic-mechanical and shape recovery properties of the resultant polymers was investigated. The oxazolidone moities conferred enhanced shape recovery and shape fixity to the polyurethane.