A study on the evaporation of cadmium for the recovery of actinides from a liquid cathode

The distillation behaviour of cadmium at a reduced pressure was investigated to develop an actinide recovery process from a liquid cadmium cathode in a laboratory scale cadmium distiller. The apparent evaporation rate of cadmium increased with an increasing temperature whereas the rate decreased with an increasing vacuum pressure. The evaporation rate of cadmium varied within 9.7–40 g/cm²/h in the temperature range of 500–650 °C and pressure range of 0.5–10 Torr (0.0667–1.33 kPa). The theoretical values calculated by the Hertz–Langmuir relation were much higher than experimentally measured values. The deviation was compensated by an evaporation coefficient (α) obtained empirically. About 0.02–0.20 wt% of residue was left in the crucible after distillation and found to be CdO. It could be concluded that the temperature range of 500–650 °C is favourable for the cadmium distillation process if residual eutectic salt does not exist in the cadmium alloy surface.     

Determination of perfluorinated compounds in mollusks by matrix solid-phase dispersion and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been used for over 40 years in different commercial and industrial applications mainly as surfactants and surface protectors and have become an important class of marine emerging pollutants. This study presents the development and validation of a new analytical method to determine the simultaneous presence of eight PFCs in different kinds of mollusks using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Simplicity of the analytical procedure, low volume of solvent and quantity of sample required, low global price, and integration of extraction and clean-up into a single step, are the most important advantages of the developed methodology. Solvent, solid support (dispersing agent), clean-up sorbent, and their amounts were optimized by means of an experimental design. In the final method, 0.5 g of sample are dispersed with 0.2 g of diatomaceous earth and transferred into a polypropylene syringe containing 4 g of silica as clean-up sorbent. Then, analytes are eluted with 20 mL of acetonitrile. The extract is finally concentrated to a final volume of 0.5 mL in methanol, avoiding extract dryness in order to prevent evaporation losses and injected in the LC-MS/MS. The combination of this MSPD protocol with LC-MS/MS afforded detection limits from 0.05 to 0.3 ng g⁻¹. Also, a good linearity was established for the eight PFCs in the range from limit of quantification (LOQ) to 500 ng mL⁻¹ with R ² > 0.9917. The recovery of the method was studied with three types of spiked mollusk and was in the 64–126% range. Moreover, a mussel sample was spiked and aged for more than 1 month and analyzed by the developed method and a reference method, ion-pair extraction, for comparison, producing both methods statistically equal concentration values. The method was finally applied to the determination of PFCs in different kinds of mollusks revealing concentrations up to 8.3 ng g⁻¹ for perfluoroundecanoic acid.     

A rapid method for the determination of methoprene in tobacco by high performance liquid chromatography

Summary A rapid sample preparation procedure combined with a short reversed-phase HPLC separation for the quantitation of methoprene residue in tobacco samples is described. A ground tobacco sample of 0.5 g is mixed with 3 mL of 2-propanol. The mixture is extracted for twelve minutes with the aid of sonication at an elevated temperature (45–55°C) and then filtered through a 0.45 m disposable filter prior to injection on HPLC. No sample cleanup or solvent evaporation step is required. Chromatographic analysis is performed on a C-18 column and the analysis time is 12.5 minutes. The detection limit for methoprene in tobacco samples is one part per million (g/g).     

Investigation of thermal behavior of nicotinic acid

The thermal behavior of nicotinic acid under inert conditions was investigated by TG, FTIR and TG/DSC-FTIR. The results of TG/DSC-FTIR and FTIR indicated that the thermal behavior of nicotinic acid can be divided into four stages: a solid-solid phase transition (176–198°C), the process of sublimation (198–232°C), melting (232–263°C) and evaporation (263–325°C) when experiment was performed at the heating rate of 20 K min⁻¹. The thermal analysis kinetic calculation of the second stage (sublimation) and the fourth stage (evaporation) were carried out respectively. Heating rates of 1, 1.5, 2 and 3 K min⁻¹ were used to determine the sublimation kinetics. The apparent activation energy, pre-exponential factor and the most probable model function were obtained by using the master plots method. The results indicated that sublimation process can be described by one-dimensional phase boundary reaction, g(α)=α. And the ‘kinetic triplet’ of evaporation process was also given at higher heating rates of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 K min⁻¹. Evaporation process can be described by model of nucleation and nucleus growing, .     

A method for investigating size distributions of aqueous droplets in the range 0.5–10 μm produced by pneumatic nebulizers

A novel method is described for the measurement of the droplet size distributions produced by nebulizers commonly employed in analytical atomic spectroscopy. It is shown theoretically that, at sufficiently high concentrations of dissolved sodium chloride, the evaporation of water from droplets as small as 0.5 μm in diameter may be reduced to a negligible level. When evaporation is reduced by the presence of a dissolved salt, a conventional cascade impactor may be used to elucidate the droplet size distribution. Empirical observations confirm that, at a sodium concentration of 10,000 μg ml^?1, evaporation is negligible: the method may be used to study particle size distributions over the size range 0.5–10 μm.     

Optimization of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method for the Analysis of Major Anthocyanin Content in Erica australis Flowers

Erica australis plants have been used in infusions and folk medicine for years for its diuretic and antiseptic properties and even for the treatment of infections. In addition, a recently published thorough study on this species has demonstrated its antioxidant, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic and even antitumoral activities. These properties have been associated with the high content of anthocyanins in E. australis leaves and flowers. The aim of the present research is to optimize an ultrasound-assisted extraction methodology for the recovery of the anthocyanins present in E. australis flowers. For that purpose, a Box Behnken design with response surface methodology was employed, and the influence of four variables at different values was determined: namely, the composition of the extraction solvents (0–50% MeOH in water), the pH level of those solvents (3–7), the extraction temperature (10–70 °C), and the sample:solvent ratio (0.5 g:10 mL–0.5 g:20 mL). UHPLC-UV-vis has been employed to quantify the two major anthocyanins detected in the samples. The extraction optimum conditions for 0.5 g samples were: 20 mL of solvent (50% MeOH:H₂O) at 5 pH, with a 15 min extraction time at 70 °C. A precision study was performed and the intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) obtained were 3.31% and 3.52%, respectively. The developed methodology has been successfully applied to other Erica species to validate the suitability of the method for anthocyanin extraction.     

Radioisotope excited EDXRF analysis of sediment core samples from the southern part of the Black Sea +

In all 43 sediment samples were collected as gravity cores in depthfrom 70 to 150 cm, from the 20 sampling sites of the continental slope ofthe southern part of the Black Sea, during 1978. The samples were quantitativelyanalyzed by radioisotope excited energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry(EDXRF) using fundamental parameter technique (FTP). The investigated sedimentsamples were the organic rich-mud components of the core samples, which wereknown as rich in metals. The metal concentration ranges were as follows: Ca(3.1–12.9%), Ti (1000–2000 µg/g), V (40–150 µg/g),Cr (30–200 µg/g), Mn (200–1500 µg/g), Ni (25–100µg/g), Cu (20–70 µg/g), Zn (20–50 µg/g), Br(15–670 µg/g), Rb (5–90 µg/g), Sr (80–700 µg/g),Y (10–20 µg/g), Mo (10–111 µg/g), Zr (20–190µg/g), Cd ( <1–5 µg/g), Sb ( <1–5 µg/g),I (10–430 µg/g), Ba (100–1650 µg/g), La (5–18µg/g), Ce (12–38 µg/g) and Nd (6–17 µg/g). Thesediment cores systematically collected in 1978 by Mineral Research and ExplorationInstitute of Turkey (MTA) are the oldest available sediment samples from theTurkish coastline of the Black Sea. Therefore, the results may be used asreferences for monitoring possible future metal pollution.     

Ordered mesoporous carbon film as an effective solid-phase microextraction coating for determination of benzene series from aqueous media

The present work reports preparation of ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) film supported on a graphite fiber as a new type of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber for determination of benzene series from aqueous media. The strategy for the supported OMC film preparation was combined dip-coating technology with solvent evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) approach. A graphite fiber was immersed in an ethanol solution containing phenolic resin and Pluronic triblock copolymer. Upon solvent evaporation and subsequent pyrolysis under 700 °C, the phenolic resin and the surfactant self-assembled on the surface of the graphite fiber to form smooth OMC film. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nitrogen isothermal adsorption results indicate that the resultant OMC film possesses well-ordered two dimensional hexagonal mesostructure with pore diameters of 4.5 nm and BET surfaces of 630 m²/g. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies show the supported OMC film with thickness at 8.5 μm is continuous and defect-free. The SPME efficiency of the OMC fiber was evaluated by analysis of five benzene series (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-xylene and m-xylene) from water samples by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID). The analysis results indicate that the prepared OMC fiber has wide linear ranges (0.5–500 μg/L), low detection limits (0.01–0.05 μg/L) and good repeatabilities (4.0–5.8% for one fiber, 2.9–8.7% for fiber-to-fiber). Compared with commercial counterparts, the OMC fiber exhibits improved extraction efficiency for benzene series and PAHs.     

Microwave assisted extraction of soy isoflavones

A fast and reliable analytical method using microwave assisted extraction has been developed. Several extraction solvents (methanol (MeOH) and ethanol (EtOH), 30-70% in water and water), temperatures (50-150 °C), extraction solvent volume, as well as the sample size (1.0-0.1 g) and extraction time (5-30 min) were studied for the optimization of the extraction protocol. The optimized extraction conditions for quantitative recoveries were: 0.5 g of sample, 50 °C, 20 min and 50% ethanol as extracting solvent. No degradation of the isoflavones was observed using the developed extraction protocol and a high reproducibility was achieved (>95%).     

Effect of removing silica in rice husk for the preparation of activated carbon for supercapacitor applications

The significant influence of silica inside rice husk in the preparation and electrochemical performances of activated carbon are investigated. The removing of silica results in high mesoporous ratio and good rate capability.     

Analysis of brazilin and protosappanin B in sappan lignum by capillary zone electrophoresis with acid barrage stacking

A method was developed to determine brazilin and protosappanin B in natural products by CE after acid barrage stacking. The optimum conditions were as follows: a BGE of 20 mM sodium tetraborate (pH 9.2) containing 6% v/v of methanol, hydrodynamic injection (0.5 psi, 65 s) followed by hydrodynamic injection of 150 mM citric acid (pH 2.3; 0.5 psi, 22 s), and separated with +25 kV. Under these conditions, brazilin and protosappanin B were separated with a sample‐to‐sample time less than 13 min and detection limits of 0.28 μg/mL and 0.15 μg/mL, respectively. The applicability of the developed method was demonstrated by the detection of brazilin and protosappanin in methanol extract of sappan lignum.     

Precursor-Boosted Production of Metabolites in Nasturtium officinale Microshoots Grown in Plantform Bioreactors,and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Biomass Extracts

The study demonstrated the effects of precursor feeding on the production of glucosinolates (GSLs), flavonoids, polyphenols, saccharides, and photosynthetic pigments in Nasturtium officinale microshoot cultures grown in Plantform bioreactors. It also evaluated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of extracts. L-phenylalanine (Phe) and L-tryptophan (Trp) as precursors were tested at 0.05, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mM. They were added at the beginning (day 0) or on day 10 of the culture. Microshoots were harvested after 20 days. Microshoots treated with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0) had the highest total GSL content (269.20 mg/100 g DW). The qualitative and quantitative profiles of the GSLs (UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS) were influenced by precursor feeding. Phe at 3.0 mM stimulated the best production of 4-methoxyglucobrassicin (149.99 mg/100 g DW) and gluconasturtiin (36.17 mg/100 g DW). Total flavonoids increased to a maximum of 1364.38 mg/100 g DW with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0), and polyphenols to a maximum of 1062.76 mg/100 g DW with 3.0 mM Trp (day 0). The precursors also increased the amounts of p-coumaric and ferulic acids, and rutoside, and generally increased the production of active photosynthetic pigments. Antioxidant potential increased the most with 0.1 mM Phe (day 0) (CUPRAC, FRAP), and with 0.5 mM Trp (day 10) (DPPH). The extracts of microshoots treated with 3.0 mM Phe (day 0) showed the most promising bacteriostatic activity against microaerobic Gram-positive acne strains (MIC 250–500 µg/mL, 20–21 mm inhibition zones). No extract was cytotoxic to normal human fibroblasts over the tested concentration range (up to 250 μg/mL).     

Effect of Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Carotenoids from Papaya (Carica papaya L. cv. Sweet Mary) Using Vegetable Oils

By-products from fruits and are of great interest for their potential use in the food industry due to their high content of bioactive compounds. Herein, we examined the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of carotenoid and carotenoid esters from papaya pulp and peel using soybean oil and sunflower oil as alternative green solvents. Response surface methodology (RSM) was established to optimize the UAE process. Three independent variables, ultrasonic amplitude (20–60%), time (10–60 min), and co-solvent percentage (ethanol) (5–20%, v/v), were applied. The highest total carotenoid content in the UAE extracts was obtained from papaya pulp extracts (58.7 ± 1.6 and 56.0 ± 1.5 μg carotenoids/g oil) using soybean oil and sunflower oil, respectively (60% amplitude/ 10 min/ 20% ethanol). On the other hand, the highest carotenoid content (52.0 ± 0.9 μg carotenoids/g oil) was obtained from papaya peel using soybean oil applying the UAE process (20% amplitude/ 77 min/ 20% ethanol); a minor content of 39.3 ± 0.5 μg carotenoids/g oil was obtained from papaya peel using sunflower oil at 60% amplitude/ 60 min/ 5% ethanol. Lycopene was the most abundant carotenoid among all individual carotenoids observed in papaya oil extracts, obtaining the highest yields of this carotenoid when papaya pulp and peel were extracted using soybean oil (94% and 81%, respectively) and sunflower oil (95% and 82%, respectively). Great extraction of xanthophyll esters was detected using 20% of ethanol in the vegetable oil extraction solvent (v/v). High correlations (>0.85) was obtained between total carotenoid content and color determination in the UAE oil extracts. UAE vegetable oil extracts enriched with carotenoids from papaya by-products could be useful to formulate new food ingredients based on emulsions with interesting potential health benefits.     

The Determination of a New Trifluorinated Quinolone,Fleroxacin, Its N-Demethyl,and N-Oxide Metabolites in Plasma and Urine by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection

Abstract

A liquid chromatographic method is described for the determination of the new fluoroquinolone Ro 23–6240 and its N-demethyl and N-oxide metabolites in plasma and urine. The three substances were extracted from aqueous solution with dichloromethane/isopropanol containing sodium dodecyl sulphate. After evaporation and reconstitution, samples were analysed on a reversed-phase column using ion pair chromatography and fluorescence detection. The limit of quantification was 10–20 ng/ml (RSD 4%) using a 0.5 ml plasma sample, and the inter assay precision was 3–10% over the concentration range 50 ng/ml to 20 μg/ml. Recovery from plasma was 81% (RSD 10%) over the range 10 ng/ml to 5 μg/ml. The method has been applied successfully to the analysis of several thousand samples from human pharmacokinetic studies. Care has to be taken to avoid exposure of samples to direct sunlight, and the use of opaque vessels for sample storage and handling is recommended.     

Separation of traces of manganese,cobalt, nickel and copper from gram amounts of tellurium by cation-exchange chromatography in hydrochloric acid/acetone media

Traces of Mn(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) and minor amounts (up to 20 mg of these elements are separated from gram amounts of tellurium by cation-exchange chromatography on small columns (3 g) of macroporous AG MP-50 resin or larger colunns (5 g) of microporous AG 50W-X8 resin. The trace elements are retained from 0.5 M HCl containing 70% acetone while tellurium passes through and is eluted completely with this solution. The trace elements are then eluted with 3.0 M HCl and can be determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. Copper (II) can also be separated but requires a 10-g column of AG MP-50 resin. Separations are sharp and quantitative and only microgram amounts of tellurium remain in the trace element fraction when a 3-g sample of tellurium dioxide is taken; 10-μg amounts of the trace elements were separated from such samples and determined with standard deviations of <1%. Relevant elution curves and results for the analysis of synthetic mixtures are presented.     

Temperature and structural changes of water clusters in vacuum due to evaporation

This paper presents a study on evaporation of pure water clusters. Molecular dynamics simulations between 20 ns and 3 micros of clusters ranging from 125 to 4096 molecules in vacuum were performed. Three different models (SPC, TIP4P, and TIP5P) were used to simulate water, starting at temperatures of 250, 275, and 300 K. We monitored the temperature, the number of hydrogen bonds, the tetrahedral order, the evaporation, the radial distribution functions, and the diffusion coefficients. The three models behave very similarly as far as temperature and evaporation are concerned. Clusters starting at a higher temperature show a higher initial evaporation rate and therefore reach the point where evaporation stop (around 240 K) sooner. The radius of the clusters is decreased by 0.16-0.22 nm after 0.5 micros (larger clusters tend to decrease their radius slightly more), which corresponds to around one evaporated molecule per nm(2). The cluster temperature seems to converge towards 215 K independent of cluster size, when starting at 275 K. We observe only small structural changes, but the clusters modeled by TIP5P show a larger percentage of molecules with low diffusion coefficient as t-->infinity, than those using the two other water models. TIP4P seems to be more structured and more hydrogen bonds are formed than in the other models as the temperature falls. The cooling rates are in good agreement with experimental results, and evaporation rates agree well with a phenomenological expression based on experimental observations.     

Chitosan Elicitation Impacts Flavonolignan Biosynthesis in Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn Cell Suspension and Enhances Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Cell Extracts

Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavonolignans with great potential for use in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products. Its biotechnological production using in vitro culture system has been proposed. Chitosan is a well-known elicitor that strongly affects both secondary metabolites and biomass production by plants. The effect of chitosan on S. marianum cell suspension is not known yet. In the present study, suspension cultures of S. marianum were exploited for their in vitro potential to produce bioactive flavonolignans in the presence of chitosan. Established cell suspension cultures were maintained on the same hormonal media supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP (6-benzylaminopurine) and 1.0 mg/L NAA (α-naphthalene acetic acid) under photoperiod 16/8 h (light/dark) and exposed to various treatments of chitosan (ranging from 0.5 to 50.0 mg/L). The highest biomass production was observed for cell suspension treated with 5.0 mg/L chitosan, resulting in 123.3 ± 1.7 g/L fresh weight (FW) and 17.7 ± 0.5 g/L dry weight (DW) productions. All chitosan treatments resulted in an overall increase in the accumulation of total flavonoids (5.0 ± 0.1 mg/g DW for 5.0 mg/L chitosan), total phenolic compounds (11.0 ± 0.2 mg/g DW for 0.5 mg/L chitosan) and silymarin (9.9 ± 0.5 mg/g DW for 0.5 mg/L chitosan). In particular, higher accumulation levels of silybin B (6.3 ± 0.2 mg/g DW), silybin A (1.2 ± 0.1 mg/g DW) and silydianin (1.0 ± 0.0 mg/g DW) were recorded for 0.5 mg/L chitosan. The corresponding extracts displayed enhanced antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacities: in particular, high ABTS antioxidant activity (741.5 ± 4.4 μM Trolox C equivalent antioxidant capacity) was recorded in extracts obtained in presence of 0.5 mg/L of chitosan, whereas highest inhibitions of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2, 30.5 ± 1.3 %), secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2, 33.9 ± 1.3 %) and 15-lipoxygenase (15-LOX-2, 31.6 ± 1.2 %) enzymes involved in inflammation process were measured in extracts obtained in the presence of 5.0 mg/L of chitosan. Taken together, these results highlight the high potential of the chitosan elicitation in the S. marianum cell suspension for enhanced production of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory silymarin-rich extracts.     

Thermodynamic equilibrium study of mineral elements evaporation in O2/CO2 recycle combustion

The facility for the analysis of chemical thermodynamics method (F*A*C*T) based on the Gibbs energy minimization principle, was used to characterize the evaporation of mineral elements of coal in O₂/CO₂ recycle combustion. The effects of atmosphere and temperature on the speciation of mineral species were discussed. The results show that Na(K)Cl(g), FeO(g), and SiO(g) are the dominant gaseous species of the mineral elements. The dominant species of mineral elements in flue gases depend on both the combustion conditions (reducing or oxidizing) and the atmosphere. In O₂/CO₂ mixture combustion, the evaporation rate of mineral elements is much lower than that in air combustion, especially under reducing atmosphere. The total evaporation of mineral elements in O₂/CO₂ atmosphere and air combustion under reducing conditions is 4.46% and 9.65% respectively, up to the temperature of 2400 K. The calculation values are consistent with the experiment values. The decrease in the mineral element evaporation is helpful to suppress the tendency to form fine particle matter and the tendency of initial ash deposition.     

超高效液相色谱法测定婴幼儿配方奶粉中的叶黄素

建立了采用超高效液相色谱测定婴幼儿配方奶粉中叶黄素的检测方法。样品经丙酮溶液提取,离心分层,冷冻离心去脂,YMC Carotenoid C30色谱柱（150 mm×4.6 mm,3 μm）分离。以甲醇-甲基叔丁基醚（70：30,v/v）为流动相等度洗脱,流速为0.5 mL/min,进样量5 μL,柱温25 ℃,二极管阵列检测器检测,检测波长445 nm。方法在20~500 μg/L范围内线性关系良好;相关系数为0.999 9;定量限为20 μg/L。添加量在50、250、2000 μg/kg时,叶黄素的回收率为97.9%~104.4%。本方法操作简便,结果准确,灵敏度高,适用于婴幼儿奶粉中叶黄素的测定。     

Water determination in composite PEO-based polymer electrolytes by volumetric Karl Fischer titration method

The determination of water in composite poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based polymer electrolytes by volumetric Karl Fischer (KF) titration is described. The measurements have been carried out on specimens (up to 10 g) of polymer electrolytes (as single components, their mixture and thin film) in a dry-room (relative humidity, RH, <0.2% at 20 °C). The use of a dry-room allowed to obtain a baseline drift (defined as the titration rate necessary to keep dry the cell) as low as 0.5 μg H₂O min⁻¹. Working range is 0.001-0.5 wt.% H₂O and precision, expressed as relative standard deviation of seven replicates, is 5 at 0.5 wt.% level. Comparison of the gathered results with those obtained by oven methods are provided. Uptake water from surrounding environment can be detected at a level as low as 0.001 wt.%.