Sample preparation,instrumental analysis,and natural distribution of complex organic pollutants in the wastewater from unconventional gas production

Large amounts of flowback and produced water (FPW) have been generated from hydraulic fracturing process for the production of unconventional gas such as shale gas. Complex organic pollutants are abundantly present in FPW with revealed toxicity to aquatic organisms and these contaminants may transfer into surrounding aquatic environment. Characterization and determination of complicated organic pollutants in FPW remains a challenge due to its complex composition and high salinity matrix. This review article covers the progress of recent 5 years regarding the sample preparation and instrumental analysis methods and thus summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of these methods for critical analysis of organic contaminants in FPW samples. Furthermore, the natural distribution of detected organic compounds and their transformation were reviewed and discussed to enhance the understanding of spatial and temporal behaviors of these organic pollutants in natural environment, paving the way for future development of pollution control policies and strategies. Enlightened by the studies of FPW contamination in the US, the investigations of FPW contamination in China continued to grow due to rapidly growing production of shale gas in China and resulted pollution.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of Acyclic Stereotriads Featuring Fluorinated Tetrasubstituted Stereocenters

Elaboration of enantioenriched complex acyclic stereotriads represents a challenge for modern synthesis even more when fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenters are targeted. We have been able to develop a simple strategy in a sequence of two unprecedented steps combining a diastereoselective aldol-Tishchenko reaction and an enantioselective organocatalyzed kinetic resolution. The aldol-Tishchenko reaction directly generates a large panel of acyclic 1,3-diols possessing a fluorinated tetrasubstituted stereocenter by condensation of fluorinated ketones with aldehydes under very mild basic conditions. The anti 1,3-diols featuring three contiguous stereogenic centers are generated with excellent diastereocontrol (typically >99 : 1 dr). Depending upon the precursors both diastereomers of stereotriads are accessible through this flexible reaction. Furthermore, from the obtained racemic scaffolds, development of an organocatalyzed kinetic resolution enabled to generate the desired enantioenriched stereotriads with excellent selectivity (typically er >95 : 5).     

The production of enantiomerically pure 1-phenylethanol by enzymatic kinetic resolution method using response surface methodology

As the enantiomers of 1-phenylethanol are valuable intermediates in several industries, the lipase catalyzed kinetic resolution of (R,S) -1-phenylethanol is a relevant research topic. In this study, the goal was to determine the optimum reaction parameters to produce enantiomerically pure 1-phenylethanol by lipase (Novozyme 435) catalyzed kinetic resolution using response surface methodology (RSM). Reactions were performed with 40–400 mM (R,S)-1-phenylethanol, 120–1200 mM vinyl acetate and 2–22 mg/mL biocatalyst concentrations (BC _L ), at 20–60 °C and with a stirring rate of 50–400 rpm for 5–120 min. The samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a Chiralcel OB column. Optimum reaction parameters to reach 100% enantiomeric excess for the substrate ( ee _s ) were determined as follows: substrate concentration (C _s ): 240 mM, BC _L : 11 mg/mL, at 42 °C with a reaction time of 75 min. Model validation was performed using these conditions and ee _s was calculated as 100%, which indicates the predicted model was efficient and accurate. When compared to the literature, it was observed that the reaction time decreased significantly. This is an important result considering the industrial scale perspective.     

Determination of nitrofuran and chloramphenicol residues by high resolution mass spectrometry versus tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography based method, coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC–HRMS), was developed to permit the detection and quantification of various nitrofuran and chloramphenicol residues in a number of animal based food products. This method is based on the hydrolysis of covalently bound metabolites and derivatization with 2-nitrobenzaldehyde. Clean-up is achieved by a liquid/liquid and a reversed phase/solid phase extraction. Not only are the four conventional nitrofurans (nitrofurantoin, furazolidone, nitrofurazone and furaltadone) detected, but also nifursol, nitrovin and nifuroxazide. Furthermore, an underivatizable nitrofuran (nifurpirinol) and another banned drug (chloramphenicol) can be quantified as well. The compounds are detected in the form of their precursor ions, [M + H]⁺ and [M − H]⁻, respectively. The mass resolving power of 70,000 FWHM, and the applied mass window ensure sufficient selectivity and sensitivity. Confirmation is obtained by monitoring the HRMS resolved product ions which were derived from the unit-mass resolved precursor ions. The multiplexing capability of the utilized Orbitrap instrument provides not only highly selective, but also sensitive confirmatory signals. This method has been validated according to the CD 2002/657/EC for the following matrices: muscle, liver, kidney, fish, honey, eggs and milk.     

Definition and detection of data-based uniqueness in evaluating bilinear (two-way) chemical measurements

Multivariate curve resolution methods, frequently used in analyzing bilinear data sets, result in ambiguous decomposition in general. Implementing the adequate constraints may lead to reduce the so-called rotational ambiguity drastically, and in the most favorable cases to the unique solution. However, in some special cases, non-negativity constraint as minimal information of the system is a sufficient condition to resolve profiles uniquely. Although, several studies on exploring the uniqueness of the bilinear non-negatively constrained multivariate curve resolution methods have been made in the literature, it has still remained a mysterious question. In 1995, Manne published his profile-based theorems giving the necessary and sufficient conditions of the unique resolution. In this study, a new term, i.e., data-based uniqueness is defined and investigated in details, and a general procedure is suggested for detection of uniquely recovered profile(s) on the basis of data set structure in the abstract space. Close inspection of Borgen plots of these data sets leads to realize the comprehensive information of local rank, and these argumentations furnish a basis for data-based uniqueness theorem. The reported phenomenon and its exploration is a new stage (it can be said fundament) in understanding and describing the bilinear (matrix-type) chemical data in general.     

基于横向莫尔条纹的自准直测角方法

本文提出了基于横向莫尔条纹的自准直测角方法,用遮光原理分析了莫尔条纹的位移放大作用.并基于该方法搭建了原理光路,得到的莫尔条纹信号稳定且能够满足测量需求.在此基础上对系统进行了定量标定,简化了数据处理步骤,实现了动态测量,系统分辨率达到10″,进一步明确将该方法应用到自准直仪中可以有效提高仪器分辨率.     

Thermally induced solid-state transformation of cimetidine. A multi-spectroscopic/chemometrics determination of the kinetics of the process and structural elucidation of one of the products as a stable N3-enamino tautomer

Exposure of cimetidine (CIM) to dry heat (160–180 °C) afforded, upon cooling, a glassy solid containing new and hitherto unknown products. The kinetics of this process was studied by a second order chemometrics-assisted multi-spectroscopic approach. Proton and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), as well as ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopic data were jointly used, whereas multivariate curve resolution with alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) was employed as the chemometrics method to extract process information. It was established that drug degradation follows a first order kinetics.     

Te溶剂Bridgman法CdMnTe晶体核辐射探测器的制备和表征

碲锰镉(CdMnTe)作为性能优异的室温核辐射探测器材料,可用于环境监测和工业无损检测领域。本文中采用Te溶剂Bridgman法生长In掺杂Cd_0.9Mn_0.1Te晶体,制备成10 mm×10 mm×2 mm大小的室温单平面探测器,研究了该探测器对²⁴¹Am@59.5 keV γ射线源的能谱响应。通过表征红外透过率、电阻率以及探测器能谱响应等参数,综合评定了探测器用CdMnTe晶体的质量、电学和探测器性能。结果表明,晶片的红外透过率均在55%以上,最好可达到60%。采用湿法钝化,100 V偏压下的漏电流由钝化前的9.48 nA降为钝化后的7.90 nA,钝化后的电阻率为2.832×10¹⁰ Ω·cm。在-400 V反向偏压下,CdMnTe探测器对²⁴¹Am@59.5 keV γ射线源的能量分辨率在钝化前后分别为13.53%和12.51%,钝化后的电子迁移率寿命积为1.049×10^-3 cm²/V。研究了探测器的能量分辨率随电压的变化特性,当偏压≤400 V时,探测器的能量分辨率主要由载流子的收集效率决定,而当偏压>400 V时,能量分辨率由漏电流决定。本文研究结果表明,Te溶剂Bridgman法生长的CdMnTe晶体质量较好,电阻率和电子迁移率寿命积满足探测器制备需求。     

On the Effect of Secondary Nucleation on Deracemization through Temperature Cycles

Herein, the pivotal role of secondary nucleation in a crystallization-enhanced deracemization process is reported. During this process, complete and rapid deracemization of chiral conglomerate crystals of an isoindolinone is attained through fast microwave-assisted temperature cycling. A parametric study of the main factors that affect the occurrence of secondary nucleation in this process, namely agitation rate, suspension density, and solute supersaturation, confirms that an enhanced stereoselective secondary nucleation rate maximizes the deracemization rate. Analysis of the system during a single temperature cycle showed that, although stereoselective particle production during the crystallization stage leads to enantiomeric enrichment, undesired kinetic dissolution of smaller particles of the preferred enantiomer occurs during the dissolution step. Therefore, secondary nucleation is crucial for the enhancement of deracemization through temperature cycles and as such should be considered in further design and optimization of this process, as well as in other temperature cycling processes commonly applied in particle engineering.     

Enantioselective Synthesis of α-Thiocarboxylic Acids by Nitrilase Biocatalysed Dynamic Kinetic Resolution of α-Thionitriles

The enantioselective synthesis of α-thiocarboxylic acids by biocatalytic dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of nitrile precursors exploiting nitrilase enzymes is described. A panel of 35 nitrilase biocatalysts were screened and enzymes Nit27 and Nit34 were found to catalyse the DKR of racemic α-thionitriles under mild conditions, affording the corresponding carboxylic acids with high conversions and good-to-excellent ee. The ammonia produced in situ during the biocatalytic transformation favours the racemization of the nitrile enantiomers and, in turn, the DKR without the need of any external additive base.