Experimental study for adsorption and photocatalytic reaction of ethyl methylphosphonate molecule as organophosphorus compound adsorbed at surface of titanium dioxide under UV irradiation in ambient condition

The adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of Ethyl methylphosphonate (EMPA) on powdery TiO₂ film has experimentally investigated using attenuated total reflection-infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) in ambient condition. Characteristic IR frequency as P-O-C vibration mode as EtO was observed by EMPA adsorbed at the surface of TiO₂. By TiO₂ photocatalysis, the adsorbed EMPA was decomposed to methyl phosphonic acid and phosphoric acid. The increment of IR intensity of which is assigned to Ti–O-P-O-Ti of EMPA was accompanied with increasing the IR peak intensity assigned to MPA. About that, we suggest that the appearance of the Ti–O-P-O-Ti of EMPA by the TiO₂ photocatalysis is regarded as acceleration of the hydrolysis of EMPA by the surface OH groups of TiO₂. The plausible adsorption structure and the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of EMPA at the surface of TiO₂ photocatalyst were elucidated.

     

Preparation of benzoylchitosans and their chiroptical properties in dilute solutions

Two benzoyl substituted chitosan derivatives, 3,6‐O‐dibenzoylchitosan (DBC) and 2‐N‐3,6‐O‐tribenzoylchitosan (TBC), were prepared, and their optical activities in organic solvent were investigated by circular dichroism (CD). For TBC, two splitting bands (a negative one at 288 nm and a positive one at 274 nm) corresponding to the ¹L_b transition of the benzoyl group were observed in chloroform and dichloromethane, while only a negative CD band was recorded in N, N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). These results indicated that the transition moments of benzoyl groups were orderly arranged along the helical polymer chain when TBC was dissolved in a solvent with low polarity, but the same ordered structure did not appear in a polar solvent of DMF. For DBC, only negative CD signals corresponding to the ¹L_b transition of the benzoyl group were observed, regardless of the solvent property, which indicated that the chromophores were not arranged in an ordered fashion with appropriate geometry to interact with one another to induce bi‐signate CD signals. Adding methanol or DMF to the solution of TBC/chloroform resulted in a progressive decrease of the intensity of the positive split band at 274 nm. The intensity of the positive band was weakened upon heating a solution of TBC/chloroform from 20 to 60 °C. The results suggested that the ordered arrangement of the chromophores in the TBC system was dependent on solvent and sensitive to temperature. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4107–4115, 2004     

Divergence-free WKB theory

We present a divergence-free WKB theory, which is a new semiclassical theory modified by nonperturbative quantum corrections. Conventionally, the WKB theory is constructed upon a trajectory that obeys the bare classical dynamics expressed by a quadratic equation in momentum space. Contrary to this, the divergence-free WKB theory is based on a higher-order algebraic equation in momentum space, which represents a dressed classical dynamics. More precisely, this higher-order algebraic equation is obtained by including quantum corrections to the quadratic equation, which is the bare classical limit. An additional solution of the higher-order algebraic equation enables us to construct a uniformly converging perturbative expansion of the wavefunction. Namely, our theory removes the notorious divergence of wavefunction at a turning point from the WKB theory. Moreover, our theory is able to produce wavefunctions and eigenenergies more accurate than those given by the traditional WKB method. In addition, the divergence-free WKB theory that is based on the cubic equation allows us to construct a uniformly valid wavefunction for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE). A recent short letter [T. Hyouguchi, S. Adachi, M. Ueda, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88 (2002) 170404] is the opening of the divergence-free WKB theory. This paper presents full formalism of this theory and its several applications concerning wavefunction and eigenenergy to show that our theory is a natural extension of the traditional WKB theory that incorporates nonperturbative quantum corrections.     

Uptake and excretion of total inorganic arsenic by the freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris

Arsenic-tolerant freshwater alga Chlorella vulgaris which had been collected from an arsenicpolluted environment were tested for uptake and excretion of inorganic arsenic. Approximately half the quantity of arsenic taken up by C. vulgaris was estimated to be adhered to the extraneous coat (10 wt %) of the cell. The remainder was bioaccumulated by the cell. Both adhered and accumulated arsenic concentrations increased with an increase in arsenic(V) concentration of the aqueous phase. Arsenic(V) accumulation was affected by the growth phse: arsenic was most actively accumulated when the cell was exposed to arsenic during the early exponential phase and then accumulation decreased with an increase in culture time exposed to arsenic. The alga grew well in the modified Detmer (MD) medium containing 1 mg As(III) dm^?3 and the growth curve was approximated by a ‘logistic equation’. Arsenic(III) was accumulated up to the second day of the culture time and arsenic(III) accumulation decreased with an increase in the culture time after that. Arsenic accumulation was also largely affected by various nutrients, especially by managanese, iron and phosphorus compounds. A modified MD medium with the three nutrients was proposed for the purpose of effective removal of arsenic from the aqueous phase. Using radioactive arsenate (Na₂H⁷⁴AsO₄), the arsenic accumulated was found to be readily excreted under conditions which were unfavourable for the multiplication of C. vulgaris.     

Analysis of tetracycline antibiotics using HPLC with pulsed amperometric detection.

The analysis of tetracycline, oxytetracyline, chlortetracycline and doxycycline by high-performance liquid chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection using an anodized boron-doped diamond thin film (BDD) electrode is originally reported. The analyses were carried out using the mobile phase, phosphate buffer (0.01 M, pH 2.5)-acetonitrile (80:20; v/v), on a C18 column (250 x 4.6 mm i.d., 5 microm) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The optimal PAD waveform parameters at the anodized BDD were 1.5 V (versus Ag/AgCl) detection potential (E(det)) for 290 ms (200 ms delay time and 90 ms integration time), 2.0 V (versus Ag/AgCl) oxidation potential (E(oxd)) for 200 ms oxidation time (t(oxd)) and 0.4 V (versus Ag/AgCI) reduction potential (E(red)) for 200 ms reduction time (t(red)). The proposed method showed the simultaneous determination of tetracycline, oxytetracyline, chlortetracycline and doxycycline with a linear range of 0.1 - 100 microg/mL, detection limits of 0.05 - 0.1 microg/mL and recoveries of 70.8 - 96.0%. The application of this method to real samples was demonstrated and validated using a shrimp sample.     

Synthesis of poly(vinylene-arsine)s: alternating radical copolymerization of arsenic atomic biradical equivalent and phenylacetylene

Novel organoarsenic polymers, poly(vinylene-arsine)s, were synthesized by a free-radical alternating copolymerization of phenylacetylene with cyclooligoarsines as an atomic biradical equivalent. The polymerization between pentamethylpentacycloarsine (1a) or hexaphenylhexacycloarsine (1b) with phenylacetylene (2) in the presence of a catalytic amount of AIBN (in benzene; refluxing; for 12 h) gave the corresponding poly(vinylene-arsine)s. The obtained polymers were soluble in common organic solvents such as THF, chloroform, and benzene. From gel permeation chromatographic analysis (chloroform, PSt standards), the number-average molecular weights of the polymers from 1a and 1b were found to be 11500 and 3900, respectively. The structures of the polymers were supported by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies. The corresponding polymer was also obtained by irradiation of a benzene solution of 1a and 2 with xenon lamp at room temperature. After the polymer from 1a was stirred vigorously with 30% H2O2, the 1H NMR spectrum of the polymer showed the methyl proton that was assigned to As(III)-Me, suggesting the insensitivity of the trivalent state arsenic in the main chain to the oxidation. The structures and the molecular weights of the polymers were insensitive to the feed ratio of the monomers. This result indicates that the addition of the arsenic radical to phenylacetylene was a rate-determining step in the copolymerization.     

Study of a high-dimensional chaotic attractor

The nature of a very high-dimensional chaotic attractor in an infinite-dimensional phase space is examined for the purpose of studying the relationships between the physical processes occurring in the real space and the characteristics of high-dimensional attractor in the phase space. We introduce two complementary bases from which the attractor is observed, one the Lyapunov basis composed of the Lyapunov vectors and the another the Fourier basis composed of the Fourier modes. We introduce the exterior subspaces on the basis of the Lyapunov vectors and observe the chaotic motion projected onto these exteriors. It is shown that a certain statistical property of the projected motion changes markedly as the exterior subspace goes out of the attractor. The origin of such a phenomenon is attributed to more fundamental features of our attractor, which become manifest when the attractor is observed from the Lyapunov basis. A counterpart of the phenomenon can be observed also on the Fourier basis because there is a statistical one-to-one correspondence between the Lyapunov vectors and the Fourier modes. In particular, a statistical property of the high-pass filtered time series reflects clearly the difference between the interior and the exterior of the attractor.     

Inhibitory effects of 3-O-acyl-(+)-catechins on Epstein-Barr virus activation

In the course of an exploratory investigation of antitumor-promoting catechins, 3-O-acyl-(+)-catechins of varying carbon lengths from C(4) to C(18) were assessed for inhibitory effects on the activation of the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen. Like 3-O-acyl-(-)-epigallocatechins, the (+)-catechin derivatives showed promising effects with the C-3 acyl chain of C(8)-C(11) carbon atoms.     

Synthesis and thermal decomposition of lanthanide hexacyanochromate(iii) complexes,Ln[Cr(CN)6]·nH2O (Ln=La-Lu; n=3, 4)

New solid complex of nitrilotriacetic acid and bismuth trichloride was synthesized by a solid phase reaction of nitrilotriacetic acid and bismuth trichloride at room temperature. The composition of the sample is BiCl₃[N(CH₂COOH)₃]_2.5. The crystal structure of the complex belongs to triclinic system with the lattice parameters: α=0.7849 nm, β=0.9821 nm, χ=2.0021 nm, α=96.50°, β=98.76° and γ=90.49°. The far-infrared spectra show the bonding between the Bi ion and N atom of nitrilotriacetic acid. The thermal analysis also demonstrates the complex formation between the bismuth ion and nitrilotriacetic acid. The gaseous pyrolysis product and the final residue in the thermal decomposition process are determined to check the thermal decomposition reaction. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.