Metrological characteristics of lead determination in rare earth phosphates by electron probe microanalysis

An equation for the calculation of the detection limit c _lim is presented. Relations for the limit of detection c _lim, limit of determination c _min, and relative error V of analyte determination are derived. The performance characteristics of lead determination in rare earth phosphates on a JXA-8100 microanalyzer are found. Under the typical conditions of the determination of monazite age (15 kV, probe current of 250 nA, count time in the positions of the line and background 400 s each) c _min using the 2σ-criterion is 0.006 wt % for an ordinary spectrometer and 0.004 wt % for a high-aperture one. In the simultaneous registration of lead by the scheme ”two ordinary plus one high-aperture channel,” c _min is reduced to 0.003%. For c _min = 0.006%, the acceptable error of age estimates V of 1–3 relative percent is attained at c _lim = 0.3-0.08%, respectively. As was found, the lowest capacity of microanalyzers for geochronology needs is 0.02–0.03% of PbO. Equations of constraints for the performance characteristics of methods ensure the revelation of the necessary conditions of analysis and compliance with them.     

Photometric determination of aqueous cobalt (II), nickel (II), copper (II) and iron (III) with 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt in gelatin films

Photometric determination of aqueous Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Fe(III) was performed using indicator films prepared by immobilization of 1-nitroso-2-naphthol-3,6-disulfonic acid disodium salt (NRS) into hardened photographic film. Immobilization was based on electrostatic interaction of reagent and metal complexes with the gelatin. The isoelectric point pH of hardened gelatin (4.46±0.04) was evaluated by viscometry. Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II) form 1:3 complexes with NRS in gelatin at pH 2 and Cu(II) forms 1:2 complexes. Their log β′ values were: Co-6.7, Fe-8.6, Cu-8.0, and Ni-6.4. The absorption maxima were: 370nm for NRS, and 430nm, 470nm, 495nm and 720nm for complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Fe(III). An algorithm for their simultaneous determination using the indicator films was developed. The detection limits were: c_lim(Co²⁺) = 0.45×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Fe³⁺) = 0.50×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Cu²⁺) = 0.67×10⁻⁵ M, c_lim(Ni²⁺) = 0.75×10⁻⁵ M,; and their sum c_lim(ΣMn⁺) = 0.82×10⁻⁵ M.      

Determination of surface area of copolymer latex particles by surface tension measurements

The surface tension γ of four copolymer latices, of their respective serums, and of aqueous solutions of dispersant alone were measured at various dilutions. By extrapolating the surface excess of dispersant (calculated by the Gibbs adsorption equation) both at the aqueous solution surface and at the serum surfaces to 1/c = 0 (c being the bulk concentration of dispersant) the same limiting site area A_lim per adsorbed molecule was determined. Amounts of dispersant adsorbed by copolymer particles at various dilutions were determined from differences between the known total concentrations of the dispersant in latex and in serum at the same γ. These values were then extrapolated to the maximum adsorption at 1/c = 0 in latex. The surface area of copolymer particles was determined therefrom by using A_lim. The average particle radius calculated this way agrees reasonably well with electron microscope measurements. Thus it appears that the method for determining latex particle surface area by surfactant titration may be calibrated by means of the Gibbs adsorption equation, provided one uses A_lim and not the site area at the critical micelle concentration of dispersant.     

Degradation on freezing dilute polystyrene solutions in p-xylene

Chain scission was observed during the crystallization of p-xylene in dilute polystyrene solutions. Degradation yields were determined by gel permeation chromatography, as a function of the number of freeze-and-thaw cycles, polymer concentration, and initial polymer molecular weight (M). The rate constant for chain scission K_c increases with the polymer chain length, from 0.021%/cycle at M = 110·10³ to 4.7%/cycle at M = 8.5·10⁶. Over the two decades range of investigated molecular weights, K_c follows an empirical scaling law of the form K_c ～ (M ? M_lim)^1.17578, where M_lim is a limiting molecular weight ? 29,000 g. mol^?1 below which no degradation could be induced. Some propensity for midchain scission was detected, although this tendency was much weaker in comparison to flow-induced degradation. A chain scission model based on crack propagation failed to reproduce the experimental results. To explain the observed dependence of K_c with the square of the radius of gyration, an interfacial stress transmission mechanism between the crystallization fronts and the polymer coil has been proposed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Determination of Volatile Halogenated Compounds in Tap and Surface Waters from the Gdańsk District

Abstract

The present method is based on preconcentration of organic contaminants on XAD-4 as sorbent, thermal desorption, mineralization and coulometric argentometric titration for the final determination of halides. The results were calculated as the total parameter VOX (volatile organic halogen) expressed as chlorine. The method has been used for the VOX determination in tap water, Vistula river water and Baltic Sea water. Sampling of the Baltic Sea water has been carried out during the research cruise of the r/v ‘Oceania’. The relatively high anthropogenic pollution of the river Vistula (c _vox = 11–45 μg Cl/cd³), Gulf of Gdańsk (c _vox = 0.6–4.5 μg Cl/dm³) and the Pomerania Bay (c _vox = 2 μg Cl/dm³) has been determined. The VOX concentration in the tap water varied between 13 and 56 μg/dm³; that is, this water is seriously polluted by volatile organic halogen compounds.     

Solid-Phase Reagent for Analgin and Ascorbic Acid on the Basis of a Copper(II) Complex with Tetrabenzotetraazacyclohexadecine Immobilized by Adsorption on Silica Gel

The reactions of a number of natural organic reducing agents with a copper(II) complex with tetrabenzo[b, f, j, n][1, 5, 9, 13]tetraazacyclohexadecine adsorbed on silica were examined. A solid-phase reagent was proposed for the sorption–spectrophotometric determination of Analgin and ascorbic acid (c _min= 0.91 and 0.06 mg/L, respectively) and for the visual test determination of the above compounds (c _min= 0.50 and 0.025 mg/sample, respectively).     

Differential kinetic thermal lens determination of aniline and 4-nitroaniline

Thermal lens spectrometry was used for the differential kinetic determination of aniline (over the concentration range of 8 × 10⁻⁴–3.2 × 10⁻³ M) and 4-nitroaniline (2 × 10⁻⁴–1.6 × 10⁻³ M) present in combination in a single sample based on the oxidation reaction with periodate ions in an acidic medium (this determination is not possible with the spectrophotometric monitoring of the rate of reaction). The thermal lens procedure (λ_e = 488.0 nm; 80 mW) was characterized by good performance characteristics in the determination of aniline (c _min = 3 × 10⁻⁴ M; c _d = 8 × 10⁻⁴ M) and 4-nitroaniline (c _min = 7 × 10⁻⁵ M; c _d = 2 × 10⁻⁴ M), simplicity, and rapidity.     

Effects of composition drift on the effectiveness of random copolymer reinforcement at polymer–polymer interfaces

Random copolymer layers are surprisingly effective at reinforcing polymer–polymer interfaces. One hypothesis is that composition drift during synthesis can account for the higher than expected toughening. To test this hypothesis, we polymerized a series of poly(d‐styrene‐r‐2‐vinylpyridine) (dPS_f‐r‐PVP_1?f) copolymers with various fractions (f) of deuterated styrene to only 10% completion to avoid composition drift. The fracture energies (G_c) of polystyrene/dPS‐r‐PVP/poly(2‐vinylpyridine) interfaces with relatively thick layers of dPS‐r‐PVP were measured. G_c decreased relative to interfaces reinforced with composition‐drifted dPS‐r‐PVP. Conversely, G_c increased when two or more copolymers were blended together. In such samples, the copolymers form distinct layers with multiple interfaces characterized by the difference in f (Δf) between adjacent layers. We find that G_c is governed by Δf_max, the largest difference in adjacent compositions, and, therefore, by the width of the narrowest interface (w_min). G_c increases strongly as w_min increases from 3 to 5 nm. Remarkably, these w_min values are about half the entanglement spacing in bulk polystyrene. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2363–2377, 2001     

A study of thermal crystallization in glassy Se80Te20 and Se80In20 using DSC technique

Different methods have been used by various workers to determine the activation energy of thermal crystallization (E_c) in chalcogenide glasses using non-isothermal DSC data. In the present work, the crystallization kinetics of two important binary alloys Se₈₀Te₂₀ and Se₈₀In₂₀ is studied using non-isothermal DSC data. DSC scans of these alloys have been taken at five different heating rates. The values of activation energy of crystallization (E_c) have been determined by four different methods, i.e., Kissinger's method, Matusita-Sakka method, Augis-Bennett's method and Ozawa's method, have been used to calculate E_c. The results obtained have been compared with each other to see the effect of using different methods in the determination of E_c.     

Potencies of ligand-exchange capillary electrophoresis in the determination of biologically active compounds

The analytical potencies of ligand-exchange capillary electrophoresis (LECE) in regard to the determination of bioactive substances are discussed. As it is shown, complexation with copper(II) in the electrophoretic determination with UV detection makes possible the determination of amino acids, amines, and sugars, which do not absorb in the UV region, with the limits of detection 5–10 mg/L, and reduce the detection limits of the absorbing analytes, such as tryptophane, tyrosine, and histamine by 2–3 times. Prospects for using online preconcentration for the reduction of c _min are shown on an example of aliphatic amino acids, i.e., thirtyfold preconcentration is attained. LECE is shown to be applicable to the simultaneous determination of glucose, Na(⁺), and K(⁺) in human blood serum. Also versions of ligand-exchange capillary electrophoresis with direct UV detection and capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect one are compared in terms of efficiency, time of analysis, and limit of detection. The potencies of the LECE method are compared with those of ligand-exchange chromatography.     

Determination of Cytochrome <Emphasis Type="Italic">c</Emphasis> in Human Serum and Pharmaceutical Injections Using Flow Injection Chemiluminescence

It was found that the complex of cytochrome c (Cyt c) and hydrogen peroxide could significantly catalyze the chemiluminescence (CL) reaction from luminol–hydrogen peroxide, and a sensitive, rapid, and simple CL procedure was proposed for the determination of Cyt c in a flow injection system for the first time. The increment of CL intensity was linear over the concentration of Cyt c ranging from 5 to 700 ng ml⁻¹, with a detection limit of 2 ng ml⁻¹ (3σ). At a flow rate of 2.0 ml min⁻¹, a complete analytical process could be performed in 30 s with a relative standard deviation of less than 4.0%. The proposed method was applied successfully for the assay of Cyt c in pharmaceutical injections and human serum, and the recoveries were from 98.0% to 108.8% and 92.5% to 109.0%. The possible mechanism of Cyt c enhanced CL reaction was also discussed.     

Study of non-isothermal crystallization of amorphous Cu<Subscript>50</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>50</Subscript> alloy

The crystallization kinetics of amorphous Cu₅₀Ti₅₀ has been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) under non-isothermal conditions. The curves at different linear heating rates (2, 4, 8 and 16 K min^–1) show sharp crystallization peaks. The crystallization peak shifts to higher temperatures with increasing heating rate. The Kissingers method of analysis of the shift in the transformation peak is applied to evaluate the activation energy (E _c). The KJMA formalism, which is basically developed for isothermal experiments, is also used to obtain E _c and the Avrami parameter (n).The DSC data have been analysed in terms of kinetic parameters, viz. activation energy (E _c), Avrami exponent (n) and frequency factor K ₀ using three different theoretical models. It is observed that the activation energy values derived from KJMA approach and modified Kissinger equation agree fairly well with each other. The activation energy values obtained from normal Kissinger method, and Gao and Wang expression underestimate the activation energy.The financial support provided by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), New Delhi (Govt. of India) is gratefully acknowledged.     

TXRF determination of mercury(II) in water in combination with liquid–liquid microextraction

A highly selective hybrid way of TXRF determination of mercury(II) in drinking water at the level of n(10^–2–10⁰) μg/L is developed. The technique of preconcentration of mercury(II) ions includes directly suspended droplet microextraction with benzene in the form of an iodide molecular complex. The proposed method of determination is characterized by its high degree of sensitivity and reproducibility (c _min = 8 ng/L, s _r = 0.12 (100 ng/L)). The accuracy of the analysis results is confirmed by the introduced–found method.     

Degradation of 4-chlorophenol in aqueous solution by γ-radiation and ozone oxidation

The degradation of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) by using gamma rays generated by a ⁶⁰Co source in the presence of O₃ was investigated. The radiolysis of 4-CP and the kinetics of 4-CP mineralization were analyzed based on the determination of total organic carbon (TOC). The influence of initial 4-CP concentration and the free radicals scavengers (such as NaHCO₃ and t-butanol) on the 4-CP degradation was also studied. The results showed that when the radiation rate was 336 Gy·min⁻¹, 4-chlorophenol at concentration of 10 mg·L⁻¹ could be completely degraded at the radiation dose of 2 kGy. The degradation of 4-chlorophenol could be described by a first-order reaction model, the rate constant of 4-CP degradation by combined ozonation and radiation was 0.1016 min⁻¹, which was 2.4 times higher than the sum of radiation (0.0294 min⁻¹) and ozonation (0.0137 min⁻¹). It revealed that the combination of radiation and ozonation resulted in synergistic effect, which can remarkably increase the degradation efficiency of 4-CP.     

The Mechanical Strength of a Mechanical Bond: Sonochemical Polymer Mechanochemistry of Poly(catenane) Copolymers

Topological molecular connections and structures, including physical entanglements in polymer networks, knots along polymer chains, and rotaxanes in sliding ring gels, have important consequences for the physical properties of polymeric materials. Often these topologies contribute through their ability to bear mechanical stress, but experimental measures of their relative mechanical strength are rare. Here, we use sonochemical polymer mechanochemistry to assess the relative mechanical strength of a multicatenane copolymer relative to copolymers of cyclic and linear analogs. The relative mechanical strengths are obtained by comparing the limiting molecular weights (M_lim) and contour lengths (L_lim) of the polymers under pulsed ultrasound of their dilute solutions. The values of M_lim and L_lim, and thus the inferred mechanical strengths of the polymers, are effectively identical. The mechanical bonds of the catenanes are therefore as strong, or stronger, mechanically as the covalent bonds along the polymer backbone.     

Investigation on LCST behavior of a new amorphous/crystalline polymer blend: Poly(n‐methyl methacrylimide)/poly(vinylidene fluoride)

The liquid–liquid phase‐separation (LLPS) behavior of poly(n‐methyl methacrylimide)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PMMI/PVDF) blend was studied by using small‐angle laser light scattering (SALLS) and phase contrast microscopy (PCM). The cloud point (T_c) of PMMI/PVDF blend was obtained using SALLS at the heating rate of 1 °C min^?1 and it was found that PMMI/PVDF exhibited a low critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior similar to that of PMMA/PVDF. Moreover, T_c of PMMI/PVDF is higher than its melting temperature (T_m) and a large temperature gap between T_c and T_m exists. At the early phase‐separation stage, the apparent diffusion coefficient (D_app) and the product (2Mk) of the molecules mobility coefficient (M) and the energy gradient coefficient (k) arising from contributions of composition gradient to the energy for PMMI/PVDF (50/50 wt) blend were calculated on the basis of linearized Cahn‐Hilliard‐Cook theory. The kinetic results showed that LLPS of PMMI/PVDF blends followed the spinodal decomposition (SD) mechanism. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1923–1931, 2008     

Electrophoretic and spectrophotometric determination of triiodides of sulfur-containing organic cations

Trimethylsulfonium triiodide (I) and p-xylylene-bis-(tetrahydrothiophenium) triiodide (II) were identified and determined by capillary electrophoresis with the resolution R _s = 4.86 using an unmodified quartz capillary. The procedure ensures the determination of sulfur-containing organic compounds in a concentration range of 1.0 × 10^?5–5.0 × 10^?4 M RSD ≤ 5%). The high stability of trimethylsulfonium triiodide and p-xylylene-bis-(tetrahydrothiophenium) triiodide in chloroform and acetonitrile solutions was found by spectrophotometry. A procedure was proposed for the spectrophotometric determination of compounds I and II as ion associates of sulfur-containing cations with a sulfophthalein dye, Bromocresol Purple (c _min (I) = 1.32 × 10^?5 M, c _min (II) = 7.1 × 10^?6 M, RSD = 5%), and by the characteristic absorption of the triiodide anion in acetonitrile (c _min (I) = 3.18 × 10^?6 M, c _min (II) = 2.76 × 10^?6 M, RSD <-3%).     

Electroanalytical chemistry of metal complexes with S-containing ligands

Summary The main types of electrochemical reactions of complexes in organic and mixed solvents are considered. Fast electrochemical reactions (k _s=n×10^–2 cm · s^–1) were used to reduce the minimal concentrations (c _min) in a.c. voltammetry. The role of pre- and post-chemical reactions in the formation of the analytical signal in extraction voltammetry is elucidated. The principles of the influence of the special structure of the complexes on their redox properties are determined using complexes of the transition metals with phosphorus dithioacids and bidentate heterocyclic amines. The features of the electrooxidation and electroreduction of inert complexes of the platinum metals with heterocyclic dithioacids and organic sulphides in nonaqueous media are discussed. The products of the electrochemical reaction of these compounds in protic media catalyze the hydrogen evolution on the mercury electrode. Kinetic data of the chelate formation are used for developing highly selective methods for the determination of the platinum metals with c _min=2×10^–9–5×10^–8 mol/l.

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Elektrochemische Reaktionen von Komplexen mit S-haltigen Liganden

     

Detection of Pesticides in the Environment Using Biosensors Based on Cholinesterases

Abstract

Amperometric biosensors based on acetylcholinesterase or butyrylcholinesterase were used for the kinetic determination of organophosphate and carbamate pesticides. The current of the biosensor I_ss was measured continuously with substrate; the addition of samples with pesticides resulted in the time decrease of the current dl/dt. The relative inhibition RI=(dl/dt)I_ss was used as the signal for evaluations. For several pesticides, different calibration curves (dependencies of RI on concentration c) were obtained depending on the affinity of the individual pesticide to the cholinesterase used. This affinity was described using the bimolecular inhibition constant k_i. The single calibration curve independent on the type of pesticide was obtained as the dependence of RI on the product k_ic, thus indicating the effects of both concentration and inhibiting properties on the response of the biosensor. The relative inhibition was used to characterise anticholinesterase toxicity of the sediments collected from the Morava River and its tributary streams. The influence of both point (large cities) and nonpoint (agriculture) sources of pollution was identified.     

Evaluation of compatibility in polymer blend systems by simultaneous DSC-FTIR measurement

The concept of crystallization dynamics method evaluating the miscibility of binary blend system including crystalline component was proposed. Three characteristic rates, nucleation, crystal growth rates (N*, G*) and growth rate of conformation (G _c*) were used to evaluate the miscibility of PVDF/at-PMMA and PVDF/iso-PMMA by the simultaneous DSC-FTIR. N*, G* and G _c* depended remarkably on both temperature and blend fraction (ϕ_PMMA) for PVDF/at-PMMA system, which indicated the miscible system. PVDF/iso-PMMA showed small ϕ_PMMA dependency of N*, G* and G _c*, was estimated the immiscible system. The ΔT/T _m⁰ values, corresponding to Gibbs energy required to attend the constant G* and G _c*, evaluated from G* and G _c* showed the good linear relationships with different slope. The experimental results suggested that the concentration fluctuation existed in PVDF/iso-PMMA system.