Determination of Chromium (VI) in Airborne Particulate Matter by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) is a well-established carcinogen associated with lung, nasal, and sinus cancer. Cr(VI) threshold limit values in workroom air have been recently lowered. Consequently, the currently available analytical methods are insufficiently sensitive or high cost. In this paper, a simple, cost-effective, sensitive, and reproducible method using solid-phase extraction with electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry for determination of hexavalent chromium in airborne samples is reported. The method validation included selectivity, linearity, accuracy, and precision. Interferences from other ions likely to be present in airborne samples, including trivalent chromium, were tested and selectivity was demonstrated. The detection and quantification limits were, respectively, as low as 0.1 and 0.4?µg?L^?1. The linearity ranged from 0.5 to 50.0?µg?L^?1, with a regression coefficients exceeding 0.998. The extraction recovery exceeded 98%. The developed method was successfully compared with a reference spectrophotometric method. The performances achieved were similar to ion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography approaches. The novel method was tested on airborne samples collected from the workplace. The method’s performance suggests that it may be an alternative to high-cost techniques for monitoring occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium.     

Measurement of the 85Rb(γ, n)84mRb cross-section in the energy range 10-19 MeV with bremsstrahlung photons

We study the charmonium 2S states ??? and ??? _c , and the bottomonium 2S states ???? and ??? _b , using the light-front quark model and the 2S state wave function of harmonic oscillator as the approximation of the 2S quarkonium wave function. The decay constants, transition form factors and masses of these mesons are calculated and compared with experimental data. Predictions of quantities such as Br(???????? _c ) are made. The 2S wave function may help us learn more about the structure of these heavy quarkonia.     

Coexisting oblate and strongly triaxial structures in <Superscript>191</Superscript>Pt

Excited states in ¹⁹¹Pt have been populated using the reaction ¹⁸⁶W + ¹¹B at 85MeV beam energy. Gamma-ray coincidences were measured using the EUROGAM-II spectrometer array. The level scheme has been extended considerably. Evidence for favoured structures of highly triaxial shape with -90^° coexisting with oblate structures has been obtained by comparison with total Routhian surface and cranked shell model calculations. The presence of proton excitations in both positive- and negative-parity states has been confirmed.     

Shape coexistence at high spin in187Au

High-spin states in¹⁸⁷Au have been populated in the¹⁷²Yb(¹⁹F, 4n) reaction and studied with in-beam spectroscopic techniques using the “Château de Cristal” 4π-multidetector array. A comprehensive level scheme of¹⁸⁷Au has been established. Experimental band crossing frequencies and gains in alignment were deduced. Shape coexistence in¹⁸⁷Au, well established at low spin, is found to survive up to spin 57/2, and manifests itself through well separated oblate and prolate structures.     

A combined spectroscopic and theoretical study of dibutyltin diacetate and dilaurate in supercritical CO2

Two organotin catalysts, namely, dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) and dibutyltin diacetate (DBTDA), commonly used in the synthesis of polyurethanes, have been investigated combining vibrational spectroscopic measurements with molecular modeling. The structure and vibrational spectra of the DBTDA molecule have been simulated using density functional theory. Thus, because of the Sn...O interactions, the lowest energy conformer reveals an asymmetrically chelated structure of the acetate groups with a C2v symmetry. The experimental IR spectra of DBTDA and DBTDL diluted in carbon tetrachloride and in supercritical CO2 show unambiguously that these molecules adopt the asymmetrically chelated conformation in the solvent. A new attribution of the main peaks constituting the respective IR spectra of the catalysts could be carried out. Finally, from the IR spectra of the two catalysts diluted in supercritical CO2 reported as a function of time, it was found that both molecules react slightly with CO2. However, their spectrum remains unchanged at the earliest stage of the polymerization, indicating that these molecules preserve a catalytic activity similar to that noted in conventional organic solvent.     

Transition quadrupole moments of superdeformed states in194Pb

Lifetimes of superdeformed states in¹⁹⁴Pb were measured by the Doppler-shift attenuation method. Quadrupole moments around 20 eb, that are constant over the observed frequency range, are derived. The results rule out large centrifugal stretching effects.     

Spectroscopic analysis of a laser-induced NaCl–water plasma. The influence of self-absorption

A spectroscopic study of the plasma plume created by a laser beam on the surface of NaCl aqueous solution is presented. Optical emission spectra are recorded and temporally analyzed; electron number density is determined from the Stark broadening of the NI nitrogen line, and temperature is obtained from relative intensity of OI oxygen lines. The intensity of an atomic line from sodium was used to quantitate its molar percentage in the Oceanic and Mediterranean sea, and calibration curves have been constructed for concentrations ranging up to 1.5%.     

Syntheses of new benzoxazole derivatives

2‐(Arylidene)cyanomethylbenzoxazoles have been prepared in water from benzoxazole‐2‐ylacetonitriles. Using multi‐component reactions, a variety of heterocycles containing benzoxazole and nitrile functionality has been prepared. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011).     

Configuration assignments and decay of 126La high-spin bands

High spin states of ¹²⁶La have been populated using the reaction ¹¹⁶Sn+¹⁴N at 68 MeV. γ-rays and conversion electrons were detected with the GAREL array. Multipolarities of the lowest-lying in-band dipole transitions have been determined from the deduced internal conversion coefficients. Experimental B(M1)/B(E2) ratios have been derived for the bands and compared with calculated values using the D?nau-Frauendorf geometrical model. Configurations are proposed for the bands comparing them with cranked shell model calculations and on the basis of the measured B(M1)/B(E2) ratios. The β-decay of ¹²⁶La has also been revisited. The population of the ¹²⁶Ba levels gives a probable spin value of five for the decaying high-spin ¹²⁶La state with T _1/2≈ 64 s which may indicate a signature inversion in the πh_11/2νh_11/2 band. Received: 12 October 1999