Homocysteine Voltammetry at a Mercury Electrode in the Presence of Nickel Ions

At a mercury electrode, Hcy and Cys yield similar cathodic stripping peaks connected to the reduction of the pertinent mercury thiolate. However, due the different behavior as a ligand for nickel ion, the above compounds perform very differently in the presence of this ion. Whereas the nickel ion at a high enough concentration suppresses the Cys peak, in the case of Hcy it causes the cathodic peak to shift to more negative potentials. The peculiar behavior of Hcy is due to the stabilization of the mercury thiolate surface layer by intermolecular Ni²⁺ bridges within the surface layer. Conversely, in the case of Cys, the nickel ion strongly competes with the mercury ion and leads to the formation of a surface adsorbed bis‐cysteinatonickelate complex, which prevents the formation of mercury cysteinate. Such a difference allows determining Hcy by cathodic stripping voltammetry in the presence of nickel ion with no Cys interference.     

Application of the modified polarographic Brdička method for cancer testing

This paper reviews the application of a modification of the polarographic Brdi?ka method for cancer testing. The modification comprises the catalytic electroreduction of metal ions (here called Brdi?ka method based on catalytic metal ion reduction for cancer testing—BMMCT) and/or the electrooxidation of proteins, instead of the classical approach based on the catalytic electroreduction of protons, i.e., hydrogen waves (here called Brdi?ka method based on catalytic hydrogen evolution for cancer testing—BMHCT). Further, in the modified method, the mercury electrode has been replaced by a nontoxic solid electrode and the entire measuring system has been automated. The modified method excels in improved testing rates and sensitivity of cancer testing. The cancer testing of vaginal secretions is characterized by high specificity as well.     

Advanced oxidation processes for decolorization of aqueous solution containing acid red G azo dye

Some investigations concerning the decolorization of Acid Red G azo dye by photooxidation with hydrogen peroxide were performed. The influences of pH, oxidant concentration, and the presence of Fe²⁺ or other metal ions (Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Mn²⁺) as potential catalysts, were investigated. The best results were obtained in the presence of ferrous ions in acid and neutral media. The other ions are not as effective as Fe²⁺ for dye decolorization. Co²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions have a catalytic action, at low concentration, within a wide range of pH. Ni²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions have no catalytic effect in photooxidation with hydrogen peroxide at acid Ni²⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions have no catalytic effect in photooxidation with hydrogen peroxide at acid pH values, but show a weak action in alkaline media.     

Schiff碱配合物的研究——Ⅸ.表面Schiff碱配合物对H2O2分解的催化作用

制备了两种表面Schiff碱及其Cu²⁺、Co²⁺、Ni²⁺、Zn²⁺配合物,考察了它们对H₂O₂分解的催化性能,其活性顺序为:Co²⁺>Cu²⁺>Ni²⁺>Zn²⁺,且与金属离子氧化还原电位有关。溶液的pH值增加有利于催化反应,有机配体的加入则对反应有所抑制。     

Enhanced Specificity and Sensitivity for the Determination of Nickel(II) by Square-wave Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry at Disposable Graphene-modified Pencil Graphite Electrodes

Chemical sensors relying on graphene-based materials have been widely used for electrochemical determination of metal ions and have demonstrated excellent signal amplification. This study reports an electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ERGO)/mercury film (HgF) nanocomposite-modified pencil graphite electrode (PGE) prepared through successive electrochemical reduction of graphene oxide (GO) sheets and an in situ plated HgF. The ERGO-PG-HgFE, in combination with dimethylglyoxime (DMG) and square-wave adsorptive cathodic stripping voltammetry (SW-AdCSV), was evaluated for the determination of Ni²⁺ in tap and natural river water samples. A single-step electrode pre-concentration approach was employed for the in situ Hg-film electroplating, metal-chelate complex formation, and non-electrolytic adsorption at –0.7 V. The current response due to nickel-dimethylglyoxime [Ni(II)-DMG₂] complex reduction was studied as a function of experimental paratmeters including the accumulation potential, accumulation time, rotation speed, frequency and amplitude, and carefully optimized for the determination of Ni²⁺ at low concentration levels (μg?L^?1) in pH 9.4 of 0.1 M NH₃–NH₄Cl buffer. The reduction peak currents were linear with the Ni²⁺ concentration between 2 and 16?μg?L^?1. The limits of detection and quantitation were 0.120?±?0.002?µg?L^?1 and 0.401?±?0.007?µg?L^?1 respectively, for the determination of Ni²⁺ at an accumulation time of 120?s. The ERGO-PG-HgFE further demonstrated a highly selective stripping response toward Ni²⁺ determination compared to Co²⁺. The electrode was found to be sufficiently sensitive to determine metal ions in water samples at 0.1?µg?L^?1, well below the World Health Organization standards.     

The molecular mechanism of low-temperature decomposition of hydrogen sulfide under conjugated chemisorption-catalysis conditions

The molecular mechanism of interaction of two hydrogen sulfide molecules with the (Co^III-H_o)₂S₂(SH₂)₄ model active center containing occluded hydrogen was studied by the density functional theory method with the B3P86 hybrid exchange-correlation functional. The reaction was found to occur in the following elementary steps: molecular adsorption of hydrogen sulfide ? dissociative chemisorption ? S-S bond formation in the surface intermediate {2Co^III ? (μ-S₂) + 2H(ads)} with the release of the first hydrogen molecule into the gas phase H₂(g) ? the release of the second hydrogen molecule into the gas phase H₂(g) ? the formation of cyclooctasulfur in the reaction 4S₂(ads) → S₈(ads). The first three steps occur spontaneously at room temperature, the thermodynamic driving force of the process being the stoichiometric reaction of S-S bond formation at the stage of conjugated chemisorption of two hydrogen sulfide molecules on two adjacent metal ions with the release of the first hydrogen molecule into the gas phase. The catalytic cycle is terminated by the recombination of molecular sulfur S₂ into cyclooctasulfur S₈ in the adsorption layer and the release of the second hydrogen molecule into the gas phase.     

Alkylsulfanylphenyl derivatives of cytosine and 7-deazaadenine nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleoside triphosphates: synthesis, polymerase incorporation to DNA and electrochemical study

Aqueous Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions of halogenated nucleosides, nucleotides and nucleoside triphosphates derived from 5‐iodocytosine and 7‐iodo‐7‐deazaadenine with methyl‐, benzyl‐ and tritylsufanylphenylboronic acids gave the corresponding alkylsulfanylphenyl derivatives of nucleosides and nucleotides. The modified nucleoside triphosphates were incorporated into DNA by primer extension by using Vent(exo‐) polymerase. The electrochemical behaviour of the alkylsulfanylphenyl nucleosides indicated formation of compact layers on the electrode. Modified nucleotides and DNA with incorporated benzyl‐ or tritylsulfanylphenyl moieties produced signals in [Co(NH₃)₆]³⁺ ammonium buffer, attributed to the Brdi?ka catalytic response, depending on the negative potential applied. Repeated constant current chronopotentiometric scans in this medium showed increased Brdi?ka catalytic response, which suggests the deprotection of the alkylsulfanyl derivatives to free thiols under the conditions.     

The nickel-sirohydrochlorin formation mechanism of the ancestral class II chelatase CfbA in coenzyme F430 biosynthesis

The class II chelatase CfbA catalyzes Ni²⁺ insertion into sirohydrochlorin (SHC) to yield the product nickel-sirohydrochlorin (Ni-SHC) during coenzyme F430 biosynthesis. CfbA is an important ancestor of all the class II chelatase family of enzymes, including SirB and CbiK/CbiX, functioning not only as a nickel-chelatase, but also as a cobalt-chelatase in vitro. Thus, CfbA is a key enzyme in terms of diversity and evolution of the chelatases catalyzing formation of metal-SHC-type of cofactors. However, the reaction mechanism of CfbA with Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ remains elusive. To understand the structural basis of the underlying mechanisms and evolutionary aspects of the class II chelatases, X-ray crystal structures of Methanocaldococcus jannaschii wild-type CfbA with various ligands, including SHC, Ni²⁺, Ni-SHC, and Co²⁺ were determined. Further, X-ray crystallographic snapshot analysis captured a unique Ni²⁺-SHC-His intermediate complex and Co-SHC-bound CfbA, which resulted from a more rapid chelatase reaction for Co²⁺ than Ni²⁺. Meanwhile, an in vitro activity assay confirmed the different reaction rates for Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ by CfbA. Based on these structural and functional analyses, the following substrate-SHC-assisted Ni²⁺ insertion catalytic mechanism was proposed: Ni²⁺ insertion to SHC is promoted by the support of an acetate side chain of SHC.

The substrate-assisted nickel chelatase mechanism of CfbA in coenzyme F430 biosynthesis was unveiled by X-ray crystal structure analysis.     

Characteristics of a new catalytic hydrogen current observed with albumin in the presence of cobalt(III) or (II) at the hanging mercury drop electrode

When the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) is placed in a solution which is 0.1 M in ammonia and 0.1 M in ammonium chloride and about 5 to 10×10^?4M in cobalt(III)-hexamine or cobalt(II) chloride and in very small concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA), the protein is slowly adsorbed. When the adsorption is highly incomplete and the HMDE is kept for 30 s at about ?1.05 V vs. SCE, “active cobalt’ is deposited as a complex (Co(0)BSA). This is anodically oxidized at about 0.0 V to unstable Co(I)BSA). When the electrode is then rapidly (500 mV s^?1) cathodized, a catalytic hydrogen current (i_c) with peak at circa ?1.45 V is observed. In this way it is even possible to detect and estimate BSA in concentrations of the order of 10^?12M. A detailed study has been made of the characteristics of i_c under several conditions. “Active cobalt” on the HMDE does not affect Brdi?ka currents. Cystine and cysteine also yield the catalytic hydrogen current i_c under the same conditions as does BSA.     

Interfering influence of silver on the voltammetric behaviour of Cd2+ and Zn2+ ions on hmde in supporting electrolytes containing nitrates

A new kind of secondarily formed peaks was found in cyclic and stripping voltammetry in neutral sulphate, perchlorate and nitrate supporting electrolytes containing some divalent cations and a substance (for example O₂), the reduction of which gives as a by-product OH^? ions. The hydroxides deposited in the vicinity of the mercury electrode, in the course of a cathodic scan, react during the anodic scan according to the reaction Hg+Me(OH)₂=Hg(OH)₂+Me²⁺+2e forming a new, separate anodic peak.It was found that silver exerts a catalytic effect on the reduction of NO₃^? ions on the mercury electrode. In neutral nitrate supporting electrolyte containing Ag⁺ ions the hydroxides of some cations (Cd²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺, Co²⁺ and Ni²⁺) were deposited during the cathodic scan or during the preelectrolysis. Afterwards, in the course of the anodic scan, a new peak, of the kind described above, was observed. The same effect was formerly interpreted, for Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺, as evidence for the formation of intermetallic compounds, AgZn and AgCd.     

不同Co含量对纳米多孔Ni-Co结构及析氢催化性能的影响

通过真空熔炼和快速凝固的方法制备了不同Co含量的Ni-Co-Al合金,经脱合金化后得到纳米多孔Ni-Co。采用XRD、SEM、TEM、N2吸附-脱附研究了所得纳米多孔Ni-Co结构特征,以线性扫描伏安法(LSV)、交流阻抗(IMP)等手段对纳米多孔NiCo/GCE电极析氢性能进行了测试。结果表明:纳米多孔Ni-Co合金骨架表面存在尺寸更为细小的5～10 nm的小孔,Co含量(质量分数)在40%～60%时,析氢催化性能较好。     

Catalytic currents of albumin at the hanging mercury drop electrode

Bovine serum albumin (BSA), as well as completely reduced BSA denoted by P (SH)₃₅, are adsorbed on the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) from alkaline buffer solutions. When time is allowed, a monolayer is adsorbed from very dilute (10^?9M) BSA solutions in ammoniacal and borate buffers. With a monolayer of adsorbed protein the voltammograms at the HMDE are then identical in a given ammoniacal or borax buffer containing cobalt(III) or (II) and different BSA concentrations. Voltammograms of P (SH)₃₅ are virtually identical with those of native BSA. At the HMDE the second Brdi?ka current is proportional to concentration of cobalt(III) or (II) and the first current nearly so. Incompletely or completely adsorbed BSA or P (SH)₃₅ is not desorbed on keeping the HMDE for one hour in ammonia buffers. An incomplete layer of adsorbed BSA or P (SH)₃₅ is relatively rapidly desorbed at ?1.6 V (vs. SCE) and a complete film at ?1.65 V, some desorption occurring at ?1.6 V. Upon desorption, the second Brdi?ka current decreases faster than the first one; this is particularly striking in 1 M ammonia buffer. The rate of desorption is increased by calcium chloride, but the rate of adsorption is not, or only slightly, increased in the presence of calcium. Incomplete adsorption occurs at ?1.60 V (vs. SCE) and no adsorption at ?1.65 V. Indications are obtained that “presodium currents” yield a slight plateau at ?1.67 to ?1.70 V, the plateau currents being attributed to adsorbed BSA, while unadsorbed BSA yields catalytic currents without a plateau, the currents merging with the residual one of the buffer. Calcium chloride greatly increases the presodium currents. From many kinetic data obtained at the dropping mercury electrode (DME) and from results at the HMDE it is concluded that, depending on the BSA concentration, Brdi?ka currents at the DME are partly of a kinetic and partly of a surface adsorption nature and partly diffusion-controlled. Adsorption equilibrium is not attained at the DME at 25° at concentrations of BSA smaller than 10^?6M.     

The Crystal Structure of a Homodimeric Pseudomonas Glyoxalase I Enzyme Reveals Asymmetric Metallation Commensurate with Half‐of‐Sites Activity

The Zn inactive class of glyoxalase I (Glo1) metalloenzymes are typically homodimeric with two metal‐dependent active sites. While the two active sites share identical amino acid composition, this class of enzyme is optimally active with only one metal per homodimer. We have determined the X‐ray crystal structure of GloA2, a Zn inactive Glo1 enzyme from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The presented structures exhibit an unprecedented metal‐binding arrangement consistent with half‐of‐sites activity: one active site contains a single activating Ni²⁺ ion, whereas the other contains two inactivating Zn²⁺ ions. Enzymological experiments prompted by the binuclear Zn²⁺ site identified a novel catalytic property of GloA2. The enzyme can function as a Zn²⁺/Co²⁺‐dependent hydrolase, in addition to its previously determined glyoxalase I activity. The presented findings demonstrate that GloA2 can accommodate two distinct metal‐binding arrangements simultaneously, each of which catalyzes a different reaction.     

Behaviour of Ion Selective Electrodes Based on Silver or Mercuric Sulfide Selenide and Telluride Matrices

Abstract

The analytical behaviour of solid state, ion-selective electrodes based on silver or mercury sulfide, selenide, or telluride matrices was studied. As the active component, the chalcogenides of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni, Co, and Bi for the cation electrodes and silver or mercurous halides for the anion electrodes were included. It was found that all possible combinations of matrix compounds are suitable for the preparation of the electrodes, silver being superior to mercury in respect to redox sensitivity. Prepared Ag⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Cd²⁺ electrodes performed well, whereas Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, Co³⁺ and Bi³⁺ electrodes showed unsatisfactory performances. Anion-selective electrodes constructed from mercuric chalcogenide-mercurous halide were more sensitive than those made from silver chalcogenide-silver halide system. The performance characteristics of all electrodes are described in terms of sensitivities, selectivities, response times, stabilities, reproducibilities, effect of pH and redox potential.     

478—Theory of Brdička current and the dependence of the current on cobalt ion concentration

An equation of Brdi?ka current and its experimental verification are presented, in which Brdi?ka current is expressed by a function of the surface concentration of protein, the bulk concentration of cobalt ion and two parameters, n_ck_c and k_f/k_d, characterizing the protein-zero-valent cobalt complex which is to catalize the hydrogen evolution, where n_c is the total number of sites on which the complex can be formed in a protein molecule, and k_c and k_d are the (average) constants representing the intrinsic catalytic activity and the lifetime respectively, of the complex.     

Metal remediation and preconcentration using immobilized short-chain peptides composed of aspartic acid and cysteine

Short-chain peptides (two and seven residues) consisting of a glycine (Gly) attachment group and various combinations of cysteine (Cys) and/or aspartic acid (Asp) were synthesized by Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) on Tentagel resin. One selected peptide was synthesized on controlled pore glass (CPG) for comparison. The objective was to evaluate metal binding capacities and selectivities of short-chain peptides when minor alterations in the amino acid sequences were made. Metal binding of Ni²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, and Mg²⁺ to the synthesized peptides was evaluated using breakthrough curves from a packed microcolumn and flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS) detection. Peptides composed primarily of Asp showed single metal capacities as large as 720 μmol metal/g Tentagel resin and 130 μmol metal/g CPG. Simultaneous elution of a multi-metal solution demonstrated that peptides possessing only two Cys residues and four Asp residues were sufficient to yield selective binding of Cd²⁺ over Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ similar to the selectivity of a six-Cys residue chain but with 60% more Cd²⁺ capacity. Interestingly, peptides supported on Tentagel resin appeared to reach equilibrium with metal-containing influent flow rates of at most 2 ml/min (or a linear velocity of 11 cm/s) and is attributed to better mass transport with the resin than with the CPG. Conditional stability constants calculated for the six-Asp residue chain and each metal showed the majority of sites having a log K in the range of 4.6-4.8. The peptides studied were also able to efficiently preconcentrate solutions containing as little as 0.05 μg/ml Cd²⁺ or Ni²⁺ in an artificial seawater matrix. Uniquely, the seven residue peptides showed surprisingly high metal capacities and metal-to-residue binding ratios (reaching ∼1:2), and are an order of magnitude better than results previously obtained for longer chain polyamino acids (50-70 residues) attached to CPG via silane chemistry.     

Cleavage of Qinghaosu (Artemisinin) Induced by Non‐Iron Transition‐Metal Ions in the Presence of Excess Cysteine

In the presence of an excess of cysteine, a catalytic amount of a non‐iron transition‐metal ion (Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, Ti⁴⁺, and Mn²⁺) may also induce cleavage of qinghaosu (artemisinin; 1 ) to give those end products previously reported for Fe²⁺‐mediated degradation.     

过渡金属改性的ZSM-5催化剂应用于甲硫醚转化制甲硫醇

负载过渡金属的ZSM-5 催化剂用于催化甲硫醚（DMS）转化成甲硫醇（MT）的反应. 实验结果表明,催化剂的甲硫醚转化率提高和甲硫醇选择性降低的趋势一样,都是以下顺序：Co/ZSM-5>Mo/ZSM-5>Ni/ZSM-5>W/ZSM-5. 表征结果表明,由于过渡金属阳离子（W⁶⁺、Ni²⁺、Co³⁺、Mo⁶⁺）比Al³⁺活泼,而改性过程中W⁶⁺、Ni²⁺、Co³⁺、Mo⁶⁺分别代替了部分Al³⁺,使得改性催化剂对DMS和MT的化学吸附作用更强. 过渡金属的引入使得ZSM-5总酸度增强,提高了C―S键的裂解能力,从而改进了催化转化DMS的能力. 研究结果发现,在转化DMS的过程中,金属活性位和酸性位之间通过强的协同效应起作用.     

High Valence State Sites as Favorable Reductive Centers for High-Current-Density Water Splitting

Electrochemical water splitting is a promising approach for producing sustainable and clean hydrogen. Typically, high valence state sites are favorable for oxidation evolution reaction (OER), while low valence states can facilitate hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, here we proposed a high valence state of Co³⁺ in Ni_9.5Co_0.5−S−FeO_x hybrid as the favorable center for efficient and stable HER, while structural analogues with low chemical states showed much worse performance. As a result, the Ni_9.5Co_0.5−S−FeO_x catalyst could drive alkaline HER with an ultra-low overpotential of 22 mV for 10 mA cm⁻², and 175 mV for 1000 mA cm⁻² at the industrial temperature of 60 °C, with an excellent stability over 300 h. Moreover, this material could work for both OER and HER, with a low cell voltage being 1.730 V to achieve 1000 mA cm⁻² for overall water splitting at 60 °C. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) clearly identified the high valence Co³⁺ sites, while in situ XAS during HER and theoretical calculations revealed the favorable electron capture at Co³⁺ and suitable H adsorption/desorption energy around Co³⁺, which could accelerate the HER. The understanding of high valence states to drive reductive reactions may pave the way for the rational design of energy-related catalysts.     

Energy‐Saving Electrolytic Hydrogen Generation: Ni2P Nanoarray as a High‐Performance Non‐Noble‐Metal Electrocatalyst

It is highly attractive but challenging to develop earth‐abundant electrocatalysts for energy‐saving electrolytic hydrogen generation. Herein, we report that Ni₂P nanoarrays grown in situ on nickel foam (Ni₂P/NF) behave as a durable high‐performance non‐noble‐metal electrocatalyst for hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) in alkaline media. The replacement of the sluggish anodic oxygen evolution reaction with such the more thermodynamically favorable HzOR enables energy‐saving electrochemical hydrogen production with the use of Ni₂P/NF as a bifunctional catalyst for anodic HzOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction. When operated at room temperature, this two‐electrode electrolytic system drives 500 mA cm⁻² at a cell voltage as low as 1.0 V with strong long‐term electrochemical durability and 100 % Faradaic efficiency for hydrogen evolution in 1.0 m KOH aqueous solution with 0.5 m hydrazine.