On-line preconcentration method for the determination of trace metals in water samples using a fully automated pretreatment system coupled with ICP-AES.

An automated on-line sample-preparation method using a computer-controlled pretreatment system (Auto-Pret AES system) coupled with ICP-AES was developed. In this work, an iminodiacetate chelating resin, packed in a mini-column and installed in the system was employed for the collection/concentration of 13 trace metals, including such toxic metals as Be, Cd, Cr, Cu and Pb. The limits of detection of the proposed method for trace metals were in the range of 0.001 (Be) -0.18 (Pb) ng mL-1. The enrichment factors for metal ions were about 19 times, when 5 mL of samples were used. The sample throughput was 11 h-1. The accuracy and the precision of the method were evaluated using river-water reference materials, SLRS-4 from NRCC, JSAC 0301-1 and JSAC 0302 from the Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. The proposed method can be favorably applied to the collection/concentration of trace metals in natural water samples.     

Determination of total chromium in fresh water by atomic absorption spectrometry following flotation preconcentration

A flotation method is proposed for the quantitative preconcentration and determination of total chromium by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry in fresh water samples, without previous reduction or oxidation of the chromium ion state. Hydrated iron(III) oxide and iron(III) tetramethylenedithiocarbamate were used as precipitating collectors. The detection limit of the method is 0.01 g/L.     

Detection of processed genetically modified food using CIM monolithic columns for DNA isolation

The availability of sufficient quantities of DNA of adequate quality is crucial in polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods for genetically modified food detection. In this work, the suitability of anion-exchange CIM (Convective Interaction Media; BIA Separations, Ljubljana, Slovenia) monolithic columns for isolation of DNA from food was studied. Maize and its derivates corn meal and thermally pretreated corn meal were chosen as model food. Two commercially available CIM disk columns were tested: DEAE (diethylaminoethyl) and QA (quaternary amine). Preliminary separations were performed with standard solution of salmon DNA at different pH values and different NaCl concentrations in mobile phase. DEAE groups and pH 8 were chosen for further isolations of DNA from a complex matrix-food extract. The quality and quantity of isolated DNA were tested on agarose gel electrophoresis, with UV-scanning spectrophotometry, and by amplification with real-time PCR. DNA isolated in this way was of suitable quality for further PCR analyses. The described method is also applicable for DNA isolation from processed foods with decreased DNA content. Furthermore, it is more effective and less time-consuming in comparison with the existing proposed methods for isolation of DNA from plant-derived foods.     

The Influence of pH and Temperature on the Equilibrium and Dynamic Surface Tension of Aqueous Solutions of Sodium Oleate

For aqueous solutions of sodium oleate, the dynamic surface tension (using the maximum bubble pressure technique) and the equilibrium surface tensions (using the du Noüy ring method) were studied. Experiments were carried out within the pH range 7 to 13 and at temperatures from 20 to 60 degrees C. From the equilibrium surface tension studies at 25 degrees C, a wide variation in surface activity was found to occur in the premicellar concentration range, depending on pH and oleate concentration, and this was explained on the basis of the formation of strongly surface-active premicellar species. It was also shown that the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of the system increased with pH within the pH range 7-12. Dynamic surface tension experiments were carried out from 20 to 60 degrees C at concentrations beyond the cmc in alkaline solutions, and the adsorption kinetics at the air/solution interface were analyzed using established theoretical diffusion models. From these data, the effective diffusion coefficients (D(eff)) for the oleate species were determined and the presence of an interfacial activation barrier in the diffusion process was confirmed. It was found that the D(eff) values obtained within the temperature range from 40 to 60 degrees C at 2-3 mM were in general agreement with previously reported values for the oleate dimer obtained by pulse-gradient FT-NMR. Furthermore, D(eff) significantly increased with temperature and also increased with concentration at higher temperatures (>40 degrees C). Copyright 2001 Academic Press.     

Selective enzyme amplification of NAD/NADH using coimmobilized glycerol dehydrogenase and diaphorase with amperometric detection

A flow system for substrate recycling of NAD⁺/NADH was set up with an enzyme reactor containing coimmobilized glycerol dehydrogenase (GDH) and diaphorase. The product from the diaphorase catalysis, hexacyanoferrate(II), aws detected amperometrically at a glassy carbon electrode. The amplification factor was 150 for a reactor volume of 100 μ l at a flow-rate of 0.5 ml/min. With a stopped flow of four minutes, the signal increased another 88 times, resulting in a signal amplification of 13 300 times. Equations are derived for the amplification factor and used for a discussion of the optimization of amplification systems. The K_m for GDH with glycerol as a substrate was found to be 5 × 10⁻³ M at pH 8.0. GDH from Cellulomonas sp. was purified on a gel filtration column and the purified enzyme showed a specificity toward NAD⁺, compared to NADP⁺, that was higher than 99.9%. Due to the NAD⁺ specificity of the purified GDH, the enzyme amplification system reported here could be used in detection systems for enzyme immunoassays when using alkaline phosphatase as a label and NADP⁺ as a substrate. The stability of immobilized GDH and diaphorase is several orders of magnitude better than that of alcohol dehydrogenase, which is the enzyme commonly used for NAD⁺-specific detection in these applications.     

Stoffwechselprodukte von Mikroorganismen. 211. Milteilung. Röntgenstrukturanalyse von Elaiophylin

The X-ray crystal structure analysis of the antibiotic elaiophylin ( 1 ), monoclinic, a = 9.927, b = 10.105, c = 31.183 Å, β = 93.20°, space group P2₁, confirms the constitution elucidated by spectroscopic methods and chemical degradation. In the crystal the two chemically equivalent halves of the molecule are related by an approximate twofold rotation axis.     

Novel Lewis-base ionic liquids replacing typical anions

We have synthesized two kinds of new Lewis-base ionic liquids (ILs); one is based on the relatively strong Lewis basic acetate anion, and the other is a salt composed of a mono-alkylated diamine such that the Lewis base site is incorporated in the cation. 1-Octyl-4-aza-1-azonia-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, [C₈dabco]TFSA, and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium acetate, [p_1,4]OAc, melted into fluid liquids at 26 and 81 °C, respectively. The thermal decomposition of [p_1,4]OAc started at around 150 °C, whereas the thermal stability of [C₈dabco]TFSA was almost equal to that of typical TFSA-based ILs in spite of the Lewis base site. This suggests that if the Lewis base site is incorporated into the cation the IL can maintain higher thermal stability. In addition, as a further result of the presence of the basic nitrogen, [C₈dabco]TFSA can dissolve hydrated Cu(NO₃)₂ whereas the other TFSA-based ILs cannot.     

Effects of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers on structure and stability of liposomal dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine

The effects caused by poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO; Pluronic) copolymers on the structure and stability of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) liposomes were studied by means of turbidity, leakage, and cryo-transmission electron microscopy investigations. The results show that by inclusion of Pluronics in the DOPE dispersion it is possible to stabilize the lamellar Lalpha phase and to produce liposomes that are stable and nonleaky at low pH (pH 5). The stabilizing capacity was observed to depend critically on the molecular composition of the Pluronics. Block copolymers with comparably long PPO and PEO segment lengths, such as F127 and F108, most effectively protected DOPE liposomes prepared at high pH from aggregation and subsequent structural rearrangements induced by acidification. A sufficiently long PPO block was found to be the most decisive parameter in order to obtain adequate coverage of the liposome surface at low Pluronic concentrations. Upon increasing the copolymer concentration, however, Pluronics with comparably short PPO and PEO segment lengths, such as F87 and P85, could also be used to stabilize the DOPE liposomes. Essentially the same trends were observed when the Pluronics were added to preformed DOPE liposomes instead of being included in the preparation mixture. In this case the least effective copolymers failed, however, to completely prevent the DOPE liposomes from releasing encapsulated hydrophilic markers.     

Determination of acidic constants of some phenyl-hydroxyiminoethyl quinolinium compounds

Mixed acidic constants (pK _a ) of quinolinium oximes [1-(2-phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-quinolinium chloride (F-1), 1-(2-phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-isoquinolinium chloride (F-2), 1-(2-phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-(4-methyl)-quinolinium chloride (F-3), and 1-(2-phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-(6-methyl)-quinolinium chloride (F-4)] have been determined via their UV absorption spectra recorded in the series ofBritton-Robinson's buffer solutions in thepH region 8.74–11.28 (t=25±0.5°C, =0.2). The obtainedpK _a values are in good agreement with those achieved by applying graphical methods. The followingpK _a values have been obtained: 9.93 forF-1, 9.90 forF-2, and 10.02 forF-3 andF-4.On the basis of potentiometric titrations thermodynamic acidic constants (pK _a ) of compoundsF-1,F-2,F-3, andF-4 have been determined and they were found to be 9.82, 9.71, 9.91, and 9.86, respectively. The values obtained by transferringpK _a intopK _a are in good agreement with the values obtained spectrophotometrically.

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Bestimmung der Aciditätskonstanten einiger Phenyl-hydroxyiminoethylchinolin-Verbindungen

Zusammenfassung Die Mischaciditätskonstanten (pK _a ) der Chinolin-Oxime 1-(2-Phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-chinolinium chlorid (F-1), 1-(2-Phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-isochinolium chlorid (F-2), 1-(2-Phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-(4-methyl)-chinolinium chlorid (F-3) und 1-(2-Phenyl-2-hydroxyiminoethyl)-1-(6-methyl)-chinolinium chlorid (F-4) wurden durch ihre UV-Absorptionspektren in einer Reihe vonBritton-Robinson-Pufferlösungen impH-Intervall 8.74–11.28 (t=25±0.5°C; =0.2) bestimmt. Die berechnetenpK _a -Werte stimmen mit den über graphische Methoden erhaltenen Ergebnissen überein. DerpK _a -Wert beträgt 9.93 für die VerbindungF-1 und 9.90 fürF-2, sowie 10.02 fürF-3 andF-4.Auf Grund der potentiometrischen Titration wurden auch die thermodynamischen Aciditätskonstanten (pK _a ) berechnet: 9.82 fürF-1, 9.71 fürF-2, 9.91 fürF-3 und 9.86 fürF-4. Wenn man diese Konstanten in Mischaciditätskonstanten überträgt, erhält man Werte, die mit den durch spektrophotometrischen Bestimmungen erhaltenen Werten gut übereinstimmen.