Determination of BTEX Compounds by Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction with GC–FID

Rapid, inexpensive, and efficient sample-preparation by dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) then gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC–FID) have been used for extraction and analysis of BTEX compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes) in water samples. In this extraction method, a mixture of 25.0 μL carbon disulfide (extraction solvent) and 1.00 mL acetonitrile (disperser solvent) is rapidly injected, by means of a syringe, into a 5.00-mL water sample in a conical test tube. A cloudy solution is formed by dispersion of fine droplets of carbon disulfide in the sample solution. During subsequent centrifugation (5,000 rpm for 2.0 min) the fine droplets of carbon disulfide settle at the bottom of the tube. The effect of several conditions (type and volume of disperser solvent, type of extraction solvent, extraction time, etc.) on the performance of the sample-preparation step was carefully evaluated. Under the optimum conditions the enrichment factors and extraction recoveries were high, and ranged from 122–311 to 24.5–66.7%, respectively. A good linear range (0.2–100 μg L⁻¹, i.e., three orders of magnitude; r ² = 0.9991–0.9999) and good limits of detection (0.1–0.2 μg L⁻¹) were obtained for most of the analytes. Relative standard deviations (RSD, %) for analysis of 5.0 μg L⁻¹ BTEX compounds in water were in the range 0.9–6.4% (n = 5). Relative recovery from well and wastewater at spiked levels of 5.0 μg L⁻¹ was 89–101% and 76–98%, respectively. Finally, the method was successfully used for preconcentration and analysis of BTEX compounds in different real water samples.

     

A posteriori error analysis for a continuous space-time finite element method for a hyperbolic integro-differential equation

An integro-differential equation of hyperbolic type, with mixed boundary conditions, is considered. A continuous space-time finite element method of degree one is formulated. A posteriori error representations based on space-time cells is presented such that it can be used for adaptive strategies based on dual weighted residual methods. A posteriori error estimates based on weighted global projections and local projections are also proved.     

Mild and highly efficient method for the synthesis of 2-arylbenzimidazoles and 2-arylbenzothiazoles

A new, convenient method for the syntheses of 2-substituted benzimidazole and benzothizole is described. Short reaction times, large-scale synthesis, easy and quick isolation of the products, excellent chemoselectivity, and excellent yields are the main advantages of this procedure.     

修饰的多壁碳纳米管糊电极用于生物与制药样品中苄丙酮香豆素电催化氧化和测定

采用一种简单灵敏的方法开发了在多壁碳纳米管修饰的ZnCrFeO4糊电极(MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO4/CPE)表面测定苄丙酮香豆素的新型传感器.运用循环伏安法、差示脉冲伏安法、计时电流法和电化学阻抗谱考察了该化学修饰电极上苄丙酮香豆素的电化学性能.结果表明,MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO4/CPE电极对苄丙酮香豆素氧化表现出较高的电催化活性,在pH=4时,产生峰值氧化电流约0.97 vs Ag/AgCl参比电极.当苄丙酮香豆素浓度在0.02-920.0 μmol/L范围内,该峰电流与其呈线性关系,检测极限(3σ)为0.003 μmol/L.另外,运用差示脉冲伏安法测定了MWCNTs/ZnCrFeO/CPE电极上苄丙酮香豆素的催化反应速率常数和扩散系数.     

Performance evaluation of Alizarin extraction from aqueous solutions in a microfluidic system

This research has been conducted to study extraction of an anionic dye, Alizarin Red S (ARS), from the aqueous phase into the organic phase in a T-junction microchannel. The organic phase included Aliquat 336 and 1-octanol. Equal volumetric flow rates of aqueous and organic phases were adjusted in all the experiments. Designing the experiments and analyzing of the parameters that affect the extraction percentage of ARS were carried out using response surface methodology. The parameters were feed pH, feed concentration, extractant concentration and flow rate of aqueous and organic phases. The maximum extraction percentage of 98.7 was obtained at the feed pH of 3, feed concentration of 5000 mg L^?1, extractant concentration of 4 vol.% and flow rate of 2.5 mL min^?1. Under the optimum conditions obtained from the experimental design analysis, ARS extraction was performed in a batch system, too. The two-phase contact times to reach the extraction percentage of 98.7 in the microchannel and batch system were 2.4 s and 5.5 min, respectively.     

Separation characteristics of fatty acid methyl esters using SLB-IL111, a new ionic liquid coated capillary gas chromatographic column

The ionic liquid SLB-IL111 column, available from Supelco Inc., is a novel fused capillary gas chromatography (GC) column capable of providing enhanced separations of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) compared to the highly polar cyanopropyl siloxane columns currently recommended for the separation of cis- and trans isomers of fatty acids (FAs), and marketed as SP-2560 and CP-Sil 88. The SLB-IL111 column was operated isothermal at 168°C, with hydrogen as carrier gas at 1.0 mL/min, and the elution profile was characterized using authentic GC standards and synthetic mono-unsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers as test mixtures. The SLB-IL111 column provided an improved separation of cis- and trans-18:1 and cis/trans CLA isomers. This is the first direct GC separation of c9,t11- from t7,c9-CLA, and t15-18:1 from c9-18:1, both of which previously required complimentary techniques for their analysis using cyanopropyl siloxane columns. The SLB-IL111 column also provided partial resolution of t13/t14-18:1, c8- from c6/c7-18:1, and for several t,t-CLA isomer pairs. This column also provided elution profiles of the geometric and positional isomers of the 16:1, 20:1 and 18:3 FAMEs that were complementary to those obtained using the cyanopropyl siloxane columns. However, on the SLB-IL111 column the saturated FAs eluted between the cis- and trans MUFAs unlike cyanopropyl siloxane columns that gave a clear separation of most saturated FAs. These differences in elution pattern can be exploited to obtain a more complete analysis of complex lipid mixtures present in ruminant fats.     

Bi-criteria single machine scheduling with a time-dependent learning effect and release times

This paper deals with a bi-criteria single machine scheduling problem with a time-dependent learning effect and release times. The objective is to minimize the weighted sum of the makespan and the total completion time. The problem is NP-hard, thus a mixed integer non-linear programming formulation is presented, and a set of dominance properties are developed. To solve the problem efficiently, a procedure is then proposed by incorporating the dominance properties with an ant colony optimization algorithm. In the proposed algorithm, artificial ants construct solutions as orders of jobs based on the heuristic information as well as pheromone trails. Then, the dominance properties are added to obtain better solutions. To evaluate the algorithm performance, computational experiments are conducted.     

Exact density matrix of an oscillator-bath system: Alternative derivation

Starting from a total Lagrangian describing an oscillator-bath system, an alternative derivation of exact quantum propagator is presented. Having the quantum propagator, the exact density matrix, reduced density matrix of the main oscillator and thermal equilibrium fixed point are obtained. The modified quantum propagator is obtained in the generalised case where the main oscillator is under the influence of a classical external force. By introducing auxiliary classical external fields, the generalised quantum propagator or generating functional of position correlation functions is obtained.     

Synthesis of polysubstituted pyridines via reactions of chalcones and malononitrile in alcohols using Amberlite IRA-400 (OH)

Polysubstituted pyridine derivatives were synthesized through economical one-pot multicomponent reactions of different α,β-unsaturated ketones, malononitrile, and ethanol or methanol in the presence of Amberlite IRA-400 (OH⁻) at room temperature. The catalyst is recyclable several times without substantial loss of activity. Other valuable features include the wide range of functional group tolerance, easy and clean synthesis with a simple work-up procedure, and excellent yields under mild conditions.