The Existence of Nitrate Radicals in Irradiated TiO2 Aqueous Suspensions in the Presence of Nitrate Ions

Evidence of the existence of nitrate radical in irradiated aqueous TiO₂ suspensions in the presence of nitrate ions are reported for the first time. The joint use of UV/Vis and EPR spectroscopy showed that nitrate radicals are formed by hole induced oxidation of nitrate ions. Photocatalytic degradation of a model alkene compound allowed to highlight the presence of an intermediate organic nitrate deriving from nitrate radical attack to the double bond of the substrate. These results not only allow deeper understanding of photocatalytic processes, but open the route to new green photocatalytic syntheses initiated by nitrate radicals and to new insights in the field of atmospheric chemistry.     

Two Different Models to Predict Ionic‐Liquid Diffraction Patterns: Fixed‐Charge versus Polarizable Potentials

This study reports the performance of classical molecular dynamics (MD) in predicting the X‐ray diffraction patterns of butylammonium nitrate (BAN) and two derivatives, 4‐hydroxybutan‐1‐ammonium nitrate (4‐HOBAN) and 4‐methoxybutan‐1‐ammonium nitrate (4‐MeOBAN). The structure functions and radial distribution functions obtained from energy‐dispersive X‐ray diffraction spectra, recorded newly for BAN and for the first time for 4‐MeOBAN and 4‐HOBAN, are compared with the corresponding quantities calculated from MD trajectories, to access information on the morphology of these liquids. The different behavior of two force fields, a polarizable multipole force field and a fixed‐charge one supplemented by an explicit three‐body term, is shown. The three‐body force field proves to be superior in reproducing the intermediate q range, for which the polarizable force field gives the wrong peak position and intensities. In addition, both models can correctly account for the presence or absence of a low q peak in the scattering patterns.     

Chemometric approach to the optimisation of LC-FL and GC-MS methods for the determination of nitrite and nitrate in some biological,food and environmental samples

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method and a liquid chromatography–fluorescence (LC-FL) detection method using experimental design and optimisation approach were improved for the quantitative determination of nitrite and nitrate in biological, food and environmental samples. The obtained recoveries of nitrite and nitrate ions from samples based on both GC-MS and LC-FL results ranged from 98.5% to 98.9% for nitrite and 97.9% to 98.4% for nitrate. The precision of these methods, as indicated by the relative standard deviations (RSDs), was within the range from 2.4% to 3.6% for nitrite and 2.5% to 3.8% for nitrate, respectively. The limits of detection of nitrite and nitrate ions from samples based on GC-MS and LC-FL results ranged from 0.01 to 0.14 ng L^?1 for nitrite and 0.02 to 0.71 ng L^?1 for nitrate, respectively. The optimised isolation procedure by central composite design was successfully applied to real samples. The results revealed that the proposed procedure combined with GC-MS and LC-FL techniques is more sensitive, reliable and selective compared to the other methods available for the precise determination of trace levels of nitrite and nitrate in biological, food and environmental samples.     

The effect of arsenate,and of transitioń-metal ions,on the precipitation of phosphate as ammonium 12-molybdophosphate

The radionuclides phosphorus-32, arsenic-74, iron-59 and molybdenum-99 were used to determine the effect-of arsenate and some transition-metal ions on the precipitation of phosphorus as ammonium 12-molybdophosphate. Under the conditions necessary for the quantitative precipitation of phosphorus, arsenic is also precipitated by ammonium molybdate. The presence of iron(III) nitrate inhibits the precipitation of phosphorus and, particularly, arsenic, although the precipitates contain more molybdenum, and are heavier, than when iron is absent. Chromium (111) nitrate, nickel(II) nitrate and manganese(II) nitrate do not inhibit the precipitation of phosphorus and arsenic to the same extent as iron (III) nitrate.     

Synthesis,characterization, and applications with the manifestation of antifungal activity and seed germination properties of nickel doped zinc oxide nano platform by biochemical contrivance

In the recent era, nanotechnology, a rapidly emerging field, has been explored as the most studied field worldwide. The goal of this study is to use neem leaves extract as an effective ‘reducing agent’ and ‘stabilizing agent’ in the green synthesis of bio-medically important Zn_1-XNi_XO (X = 0.00, 0.04, 0.08, 0.12) nanoparticles. The molar concentrations of nickel nitrate and zinc nitrate are varied to produce nickel-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Color change is the first indicator of nanoparticle formation during this biosynthesis. The hexagonal wurtzite structure with good crystallinity is confirmed by X-ray diffraction. FTIR analysis reveals the fact that the Zn–O stretching vibration shifts with the introduction of impurities into the ZnO matrix. UV–Vis spectra show the typical surface plasma resonance around 370 nm and the hydrodynamic diameter is larger than the size calculated from the XRD value, according to DLS. The main finding of this study is that Ni_0.12Zn_0.88O has a strong antifungal activity against and a significant growth rate after treating wheat seeds with biologically synthesized Ni_0.12Zn_0.88O nanoparticles.     

Spectrophotometric field monitor for the determination of nitrate in river water : Statistical analysis of the results from a nine-month field trial

The results from a 9-month field trial with a spectrophotometric nitrate monitor on the River Frome in Dorset are presented. River water was analysed every 30 min throughout the 273 days of the trial and at least one valid result was obtained on 92% of the days. A complete 30-min interval sampling record was obtained on 34% of the days. The reliability of the monitor and the reasons for failure are discussed. The advantages of this approach to nitrate monitoring over a manual sampling programme are also considered.     

FTIR spectroscopy combined with quantum chemical calculations to investigate adsorbed nitrate on aluminium oxide surfaces in the presence and absence of co-adsorbed water

Surface reactions of nitrogen oxides with aluminium oxide particles result in the formation of adsorbed nitrate. Specifically, when alpha-Al(2)O(3) and gamma-Al(2)O(3) particles are exposed to gas-phase NO(2) and HNO(3) adsorbed nitrate forms on the surface. In this study, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is combined with quantum chemical calculations to further our understanding of the adsorbed nitrate product on aluminium oxide particle surfaces in the presence and absence of co-adsorbed water at 296 K. FTIR spectra of adsorbed nitrate on alpha-Al(2)O(3) and gamma-Al(2)O(3) particles are interpreted using calculated vibrational frequencies of nitrate coordinated to binuclear Al oxide cluster models. Comparison of the calculated and experimental vibrational frequencies of adsorbed nitrate establishes different modes of coordination (monodentate, bidentate and bridging) of the nitrate ion to the surface in the absence of adsorbed water. In the presence of co-adsorbed water, the nitrate ion becomes fully solvated, as shown by a comparison of the experimental nitrate infrared spectra as a function of relative humidity with the calculated nitrate vibrational frequencies for binuclear Al cluster compounds which contain both coordinated nitrate ions and water molecules. These calculations also suggest that adsorbed water can displace nitrate from direct coordination to the surface, leading to an outer-sphere nitrate adsorption complex as well as an inner-sphere complex. Furthermore, the relative humidity dependence of the spectra suggest that water does not evenly wet the surface even at high relative humidity, as there are open or bare surface sites where nitrate ions are not solvated. Besides adsorbed mondendate, bidendate, bridging and solvated nitrate, the presence of ion bound nitrate ion, partially solvated nitrate, molecular nitric acid, hydronium ion and H(3)O(+):NO(3)(-) ion pairs on the oxide surface are also discussed.     

Determination of nitrite, nitrate, and glucose-6-phosphate in muscle tissues and cured meat by IC/MS

The endogenous nitrate concentration in fresh meat and the residual nitrate and nitrite contents after curing are related to food quality and safety. Most ion chromatography (IC) methods suffer from interferences, especially in fresh meat samples, in which the endogenous nitrate content is low, and in cured meat products, in which other nitrogenous compounds can interfere with the separation of inorganic anions. One of the major classes of interfering compounds in fresh meat are sugar phosphates, which originate from glycolysis during the conversion of muscle glycogen to lactic acid. Nitrate can be separated from interfering compounds with a high-capacity anion-exchange column that was manufactured for use with hydroxide eluents (i.e., hydroxide-selective). This column has a different selectivity than traditional IC columns that use carbonate eluents and facilitates the determination of nitrate in both fresh and cured meats. Nitrate was detected by both suppressed conductivity measurement and mass spectrometry (MS). The identifications of nitrate and glucose-6-phosphate were confirmed by MS detection. The described IC/MS method is robust, sensitive to nitrate concentrations as low as 0.10 mg/kg, and can determine sugar phosphates that are useful for monitoring meat freshness. We successfully used this method to determine nitrate in nearly 100 muscle tissues and cured meat samples.     

Phase stabilization of ammonium nitrate by double addition of potassium nitrate and melamine

Methods for providing stabilization of ammonium nitrate and expanding the application field of this oxidizing agent in gas-generating compositions used for various purposes were sought for. The results of a study of the physicochemical properties of ammonium nitrate with a melamine–potassium nitrate double additive introduced by mechanical mixing and crystallization from an aqueous (nonaqueous) solution at the boiling point are presented. The phase diagrams of the ammonium nitrate–melamine and ammonium nitrate–melamine–potassium nitrate systems, based on the results of a differential-thermal analysis, demonstrated that a phase-stable ammonium nitrate can be formed by using the method of crystallization from an aqueous (nonaqueous) solution at the boiling point. The resulting samples were examined by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis, and a conclusion was made that a new thermodynamically stable phase can be formed in the system with individual additives, and the introduction of a double additive leads to a combined effect: a thermodynamically stable crystal structure is formed, with the simultaneous slowing down of the nucleation and growth of a new phase in the course of a phase transformation.     

Synthesis, mesomorphism, and unusual magnetic behaviour of lanthanide complexes with perfluorinated counterions

Lanthanide complexes of the Schiff base ligand 4-dodecyloxy-N-hexadecyl-2-hydroxybenzaldimine and with perfluorinated alkyl sulfate counterions were synthesised. All of the metal complexes show a smectic A mesophase. The viscosity of this mesophase is much lower than that of analogous compounds with nitrate or alkyl sulfate counterions. The behaviour of these new highly anisotropic molecular magnetic materials was studied using high-temperature X-ray measurements in an external magnetic field and temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility measurements. The mu(eff)-versus-temperature curve is more comparable with those expected for nematic phases than for smectic phases. The luminescence spectrum of a EuIII compound shows that the values of the second rank crystal field parameters are very large. The huge magnetic anisotropy can be related to this strong crystal-field perturbation.     

Electrochemical detection of nitrate,nitrite and ammonium for on-site water quality monitoring

This review examines the most recent electrochemical developments for nitrate, nitrite and ammonium detection for on-site water monitoring. There remains a high demand for effective field-based detection of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) analytes to aid in mitigating nitrogen loading. Electrochemical approaches show increasing potential to fill this role as advancements in nanotechnology continually improve analytical performance and on-site applicability. However, translating these improvements into the field still faces the resonating challenges of reaching analytical proficiency (selectivity, sensitivity, robustness, stability), practical end-user functionality, minimal matrix interferences and cost effectiveness. Herein, we elaborate on these challenges via a critical evaluation of current studies and examine how realistic the prospects of on-site nitrate, nitrite and ammonium are. We also present recommendations in addressing these gaps to conclude the review.     

A new mathematical approach for calculating the contribution of anammox, denitrification and atmosphere to an N2 mixture based on a 15N tracer technique

Denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) have been identified as biotic key processes of N2 formation during global nitrogen cycling. Based on the principle of a 15N tracer technique, new analytical expressions have been derived for a calculation of the fractions of N2 simultaneously released by anammox and denitrification. An omnipresent contamination with atmospheric N2 is also taken into account and is furthermore calculable in terms of a fraction. Two different mathematical approaches are presented which permit a precise calculation of the contribution of anammox, denitrification, and atmosphere to a combined N2 mixture. The calculation is based on a single isotopic analysis of a sampled N2 mixture and the determination of the 15N abundance of nitrite and nitrate (simplified approach) or of ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate (comprehensive approach). Calculations are even processable under conditions where all basal educts of anammox and denitrification (ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate) are differently enriched in 15N. An additional determination of concentrations of dissolved N compounds is unnecessary. Finally, the presented approach is transferable to studies focused on terrestrial environments where N2 is formed by denitrification and simultaneously by codenitrification or chemodenitrification.     

31P,89Y shift correlation. Application to the speciation of yttrium complexes with triphenylphosphine oxide

Correlation experiments between (89)Y and (31)P nuclei through scalar coupling using (31)P detection are described for the first time. The utility of the new method of characterizing (89)Y is demonstrated by identifying the species formed in the reaction of yttrium nitrate with triphenylphosphine oxide in THF solution.     

Potentiometric determination of the protonation constants of 1,3-propanediamine-N,N'-diacetate-N,N'-di-3-propionate

The protonation constants of 1,3-propanediamine-N,N'-diacetate-N,N'-di-3-propionate (1,3-pddadp) were determined in sodium nitrate solution of various concentrations and in 0.1M potassium nitrate medium. The values of the thermodynamic functions (DeltaG, DeltaH and DeltaS) for the successive protonation equilibria, in 0.1M (Na)NO(3) medium, at 25 degrees , are also reported.     

Laser Raman and infrared spectral studies of dl-phenylalaninium nitrate

The vibrational band assignments of dl-phenylalaninium nitrate in the crystalline state are made by recording the infrared and Raman spectra at room temperature. The presence of carbonyl (C=O) group has been identified. The prominent marker bands of the aromatic amino acid phenylalanine have been observed and the various modes of vibration have been assigned. The extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonding in the crystal has been identified by the shifting of bands due to the stretching and bending modes of the various functional groups. The nitrate group forms the anion. The stretching and bending wave numbers of the NO(3)(-) anion are different from those observed for free ion state and the degenerating mode of vibrations is also lifted. These reveal that the crystalline field has influenced the symmetry of the nitrate ion.     

Solid-liquid equilibrium diagrams of common ion binary salt hydrate mixtures involving nitrates and chlorides of magnesium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, and iron(III)

The solid-liquid equilibrium diagrams of binary mixtures involving magnesium nitrate hexahydrate with cobalt nitrate hexahydrate, nickel nitrate hexahydrate (partly), manganese nitrate tetrahydrate, and iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate and of magnesium chloride hexahydrate with cobalt and nickel chlorides hexahydrates and manganese chloride tetrahydrate, and the of two manganese salts were determined. Those diagrams that showed a simple eutectic were fitted by the Ott equation and where the required BET parameters were available, the magnesium salt rich parts of the liquidus were modeled by means of this method.     

DFT calculation of the chromyl nitrate, CrO2(NO3)2 The molecular force field

We have carried out a structural and vibrational theoretical study for chromyl nitrate. The density functional theory has been used to study its structure and vibrational properties. The geometries were fully optimised at the B3LYP/Lanl2DZ, B3LYP/6-31G* and B3LYP/6-311++G levels of theory and the harmonic vibrational frequencies were evaluated at the same levels. The calculated harmonic vibrational frequencies for chromyl nitrate are consistent with the experimental IR and Raman spectra in the solid and liquid phases. These calculations gave us a precise knowledge of the normal modes of vibration taking into account the type of coordination adopted by nitrate groups of this compound as monodentate and bidentate. We have also made the assignment of all the observed bands in the vibrational spectra for chromyl nitrate. The nature of the Cr-O and Cr<--O bonds in the compound were quantitatively investigated by means of Natural Bond Order (NBO) analysis. The topological properties of electronic charge density are analysed employing Bader's Atoms in Molecules theory (AIM).     

Development of a pH titration method for the simultaneous determination of uranium,nitrate and free-acid in the feed solution of the sol-gel process of nuclear fuel fabrication

pH titration curves generated by slow addition of alkali to solutions containing varying concentrations of uranyl nitrate and nitric acid were studied using an autotitrator linked to a personal computer. A procedure with multiple choice of equations has been developed for the estimation of free acid, nitrate and uranium in pure uranyl nitrate solution by a single titration. The technique provides a simple single-step method with required accuracy and precision for the simultaneous estimation of the three quantities in the uranyl nitrate feed solution of the sol-gel process for making UO₃ microspheres. The relative standard deviations in the determination of uranium and nitrate were ±0.82% and ±1.52%, respectively, in 15 determinations.     

Source identification of nitrate by means of stable nitrogen isotopes in the river Daugava and loads of nitrogen to the Gulf of Riga

Nitrogen isotope ratio of nitrate provides a powerful tool to investigate nitrate sources and cycling mechanisms. Although the use of an isotope ratio method for ¹⁵N/¹⁴N allows identifying the nitrate sources in rivers by estimating a seasonal variation of N-NO₃ concentration, however, there are some restrictions. Nitrification, the conversion of NH₄⁺ to NO₃-, can proceed with significant nitrogen isotope fractionation, preferentially accumulating ¹⁴N in the produced NO₃-, and can make it difficult to identify the nitrate source with a high proportion of the isotope δ¹⁵N. However, the uptake and assimilation of NH₄⁺ and NO₃- have the capability of affecting isotopic compositions of riverine nitrogen compounds, and this may hinder the determination of whether the impact of the nitrate source with a high proportion of the isotope δ¹⁵N reduces. In addition, this study demonstrates that nitrate nitrogen concentration may correlate with δ¹⁵N_NO3 values both positively and negatively. Such correlations are the result of isotope effects during nitrogen transformation processes (e.g. nitrification and assimilation) and isotopic variability in the various nitrate sources. A comparison of NO₃- concentration and δ¹⁵N_NO3 can be used to further distinguish mixing from biological processing. However, in order to get a more precise answer regarding the nitrate sources, it would be useful to take both the data of nitrogen isotopes and data of oxygen isotopes present in nitrates.     

Understanding the Anion-Templated,OSDA-Free,Interzeolite Conversion Synthesis of High Silica Zeolite ZK-5**

High silica zeolite ZK-5 (framework Si/Al=4.8) has been prepared by interzeolite conversion from ultrastable zeolite Y via a co-templating route using alkali metal cations and nitrate anions but without organic structure directing agents. The mechanism, which involves zeolite framework – alkali metal cation – nitrate anion ordering, has been established by a combination of chemical and thermal analyses, Raman spectroscopy, computational modelling, and X-ray powder diffraction. Ammonium exchange gives ZK-5 with occluded ammonium nitrate and subsequent heating gives microporous zeolite ZK-5.