Exploring Little Higgs models with ATLAS at the LHC-

The European Physical Journal C - We discuss possible searches for the new particles predicted by Little Higgs Models at the LHC. By using a simulation of the ATLAS detector, we demonstrate how the...     

Determination of anions in rainwater by capillary electrophoresis with conductivity detection

A routine method for the determination of chloride, nitrate and sulfate anions in rainwater by capillary electrophoresis was developed. The system uses an end-column non-suppressed conductivity detector. Linear calibration plots were generated from 0.050 to 20 mg/l, which is the range generally found in wet depositions. Accuracy and precision were evaluated by analyzing certified standards of simulated rainwater and environmental samples, or by comparing CE results with those obtained by IC, the reference technique for anion analysis in wet deposition. The reproducibility of the method was satisfactory except at the lower and upper limits of the analytical range. Sensitivity lay in the range of few μg/l.     

Use of capillary gas chromatography/sensory analysis as an additional tool for sampling technique comparison in peach aroma analysis

Capillary GC/sensory analysis was used to judge if dynamic headspace on sliced pulp and on intact fruit, and solvent extraction could collect the “character impact” and the “contributory” aroma compounds in peaches. Capillary GC/sensory data showed that the headspace techniques selectively recovered the “contributory” volatile compounds, which are strictly related to the characteristic odor of the various peach cultivars, whereas solvent extraction better quantified the “character impact” compounds (lactones).     

Chromatographic determination of vitamins in foods.

Chromatographic methods for the determination of water- and fat-soluble vitamins in foods are reviewed. For each vitamin, sample preparation, detection problems and chromatographic conditions are presented and discussed. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is becoming a standard method in vitamin assay, especially for routine work. HPLC systems can be automated using in-line solid-phase extraction and column switchings, resulting in very sensitive methods, even when simple UV detection is employed.     

Use of headspace capillary GC to study the development of volatile compounds in fresh fruit

The composition of volatile compounds produced by fruit during growth and post-harvest storage and ripening has been studied and the different headspace methods compared. Static and dynamic headspace sampling have been compared and evaluated according to their capacity to collect and concentrate volatiles from the atmosphere surrounding the fruits, and FID, MSD, and organoleptic detection have been compared. The results emphasize that the headspace sampling procedure selected is crucial to the performance of subsequent analysis.     

Extraction of Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates from River Sediments: Comparison of Different Extraction Techniques

Summary Five different extraction techniques (Soxhlet, automated Randall, accelerated solvent extraction, microwave-assisted solvent extraction and extraction with a surfactant solution) have been evaluated for the determination of nonylphenol (NP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO) in river sediments. All the techniques were applied to the same three samples collected from northern Italian rivers. The analyses were performed with two RP columns, with different stationary reversed phases—a classical C₁₈ phase and a hexyl–phenyl phase. The recoveries and reproducibility of the different extraction techniques were comparable and all the methods gave reliable results. The variance of the results was dominated by the variance in sample homogeneity, sample preparation, and chromatographic analysis. A choice between the methods can be made on the basis of the cost and safety of each technique. Preliminary results obtained from use of a water-based extraction method with a surfactant solution (Tween-80), and its application to analysis of sediment and of worm tissue, are also presented.Presented at: Chemical Analysis and Risk Assessment of Emerging Contaminants, Barcelona, Spain, November 28–30, 2002     

Prospects for observing the Kaluza-Klein excitations of the W boson in the ATLAS detector at the LHC

The European Physical Journal C - Kaluza-Klein excitations of the gauge bosons are a notable feature of theories with “small” (~ 1 TeV) extra dimensions. The leptonic decays of...     

Metal-organic deposition of YBCO and BSCCO platelets,films and wires

Il Nuovo Cimento D - Metal-Organic Deposition (MOD) technique has been used for the first time, in the spray version, to obtain thin and thick films of BSCCO on substrates like MgO and Ag and, in...     

Chloride interference in the determination of bromate in drinking water by reagent free ion chromatography with mass spectrometry detection

Bromate, a well known by-product of the ozonation of drinking water, has been included among the substances which have to be monitored in the drinking water according to the last EC Directive 251/98 on potable water with a regulated limit of 10 microg l(-1). The need of performing routine analysis at this limit is a driving force for the developing of new simple and sensitive methods of detection, which should be also able to overcome the effect of matrix composition. This work explored the use of mass spectrometry detection with electrospray ionisation hyphenated to a reagent free ion chromatograph with hydroxide gradient elution for the determination of bromate in drinking water. The use of a high capacity hydroxide selective column operated in gradient mode allowed to avoid the interference by carbonate peak, which moved to longer retention times. The effect of increasing chloride concentrations from 0 to 250 mg l(-1), which is the guideline limit for drinking water in Directive 251/98/EC, was to decrease absolute mass spectrometric response and chromatographic efficiency and, on the consequence, to increase the effective detection limits. The effect of the chloride concentration on the detection of bromate is discussed.