Determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixed rare earths by norfloxacin

Norfloxacin (NFX) is proposed as reagent for the derivative spectrophotometric determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixed rare earths. The absorption spectra of 4f electron transitions of the systems of neodymium, holmium and erbium complexes with norfloxacin in presence of cetylpyridinium chloride were studied by normal and derivative spectra. The absorption bands found normally at 575 nm for neodymium, 450 nm for holmium and 523 nm for erbium were enhanced markedly. Using the second derivative spectrum, Beer’s Law is obeyed from 5.0 × 10^–5∼ 2.5 × 10^–4 mol dm^–3 for neodymium, holmium and erbium. The relative standard deviations are 1.0, 1.4 and 1.1% for 6.9 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of neodymium, 6.1 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of holmium and 6.0 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of erbium, respectively. A method for the direct determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixtures of rare earth elements with good accuracy and selectivity, is described. Received: 18 December 1997 / Revised: 23 February 1998 / Accepted: 26 February 1998     

Determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixed rare earths by norfloxacin

Norfloxacin (NFX) is proposed as reagent for the derivative spectrophotometric determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixed rare earths. The absorption spectra of 4f electron transitions of the systems of neodymium, holmium and erbium complexes with norfloxacin in presence of cetylpyridinium chloride were studied by normal and derivative spectra. The absorption bands found normally at 575 nm for neodymium, 450 nm for holmium and 523 nm for erbium were enhanced markedly. Using the second derivative spectrum, Beer’s Law is obeyed from 5.0 × 10^–5∼ 2.5 × 10^–4 mol dm^–3 for neodymium, holmium and erbium. The relative standard deviations are 1.0, 1.4 and 1.1% for 6.9 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of neodymium, 6.1 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of holmium and 6.0 × 10^–5 mol dm^–3 of erbium, respectively. A method for the direct determination of neodymium, holmium and erbium in mixtures of rare earth elements with good accuracy and selectivity, is described. Received: 18 December 1997 / Revised: 23 February 1998 / Accepted: 26 February 1998     

Dyeing behaviour of lyocell fabric: effect of NaOH pre-treatment

To understand the effect of alkali pre-treatment on the dyeing of lyocell fabrics, samples are pre-treated with 0.0–7.0 mol dm⁻³ NaOH using a pad-batch process and then dyed with different types of reactive dyes. Exhaustion, fixation, and visual colour strength (K/S values) are measured. It is observed that sodium hydroxide pre-treatment significantly improves the colour yield, exhaustion, and fixation for all dyes used. Highest K/S values are obtained when the fabrics are pre-treated with 2.0–2.5 mol dm⁻³ NaOH. Cross-sectional analysis shows that below this optimum concentration the core fibres in the yarn are not dyed; at optimum concentration all fibres in yarn cross-section are homogeneously dyed. Cross-sectional analysis shows that as the pre-treatment concentration of NaOH increases above 2.5 mol dm⁻³, the fibres change progressively from a circular to angular cross-section, forming a solid unit. The decrease in K/S above the treatment concentration of 2.5 mol dm⁻³, though the %E and %F remains almost constant, is attributed to the distribution of dye over a larger surface area of the outer fibres in the yarn cross section, forcing the K/S at λ_max to decrease. This paper was presented at the 2nd International Cellulose Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 24th October 2007.     

90Sr and137Cs in atmospheric precipitations during 1980–1985 in the Bucharest area

Samples of precipitations were collected quarterly and analyzed for⁹⁰Sr and¹³⁷Cs. The values obtained ranged from 0.001 to 0.004 Bq dm^–3, with a maximum of 0.010 Bq dm^–3 for⁹⁰Sr;¹³⁷Cs values ranged from 0.001 to 0.005 Bq dm^–3, with a maximum of 0.070 Bq dm^–3. The highest values were observed during the 2nd and 3rd quarters of 1981.     

Radioactivity of plutonium isotopes, <Superscript>137</Superscript>Cs and their ratio in sediment,seawater and biota from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia

This study with sampling expeditions of marine sediment, seawater and biota were performed at 30 stations within Malaysian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). A total of >400 samples were collected to determine the activity concentration of anthropogenic radionuclides (^239+240Pu, ¹³⁷Cs) and their activity ratio (^239+240Pu/¹³⁷Cs) in sediments, seawater and biota. The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration levels for these radionuclides and to evaluate any occurrence of radioactive contamination. Sediment cores were obtained using multicorer device, while water samples via co-precipitation techniques and biota was purchased from local fishermen. The activity concentrations of ^239+240Pu in sediment, seawater and biota were ranged 0.21–0.45 Bq/kg dry wt., 2.33–7.95 mBq/m³ and <0.008 Bq/kg fresh wt., respectively. Meanwhile, the values of ¹³⁷Cs were ranged <1.00–2.71 Bq/kg dry wt. in sediment, 3.40–5.89 Bq/m³ in seawater and <0.05–0.41 Bq/kg fresh wt. in biota, respectively. Activity ratios of ^239+240Pu to ¹³⁷Cs obtained seem to confirm that these artificial radioactivities were mainly due to global nuclear fallout.     

Optimization of ammonium nitrate concentration in single-stage continuous cultures of Aspergillus niger with biomass retention

The effect of ammonium nitrate concentration in the citric acid biosynthesis by Aspergillus niger NC-12 in single-stage continuous cultures with biomass retention was investigated. Experiments were carried out in a BIOMER laboratory fermenter with 5 dm³ working volume. At the initial stage of each cultivation, the substrate in the bioreactor contained 1.5 g NH₄NO₃ dm⁻³. After 120 h onwards, the bioreactor was fed continuously at a constant dilution rate of 0.009 h⁻¹. NH₄NO₃ concentration in the feed was varied from one culture to another, ranging between 0.5 g dm⁻³ and 2.5 g dm⁻³. Promising results were obtained when NH₄NO₃ concentration of 1.5 g dm⁻³ was used. The observed concentration of citric acid (c _P) and yield of citric acid with respect to the introduced sucrose (Y _P/S) were 117.88 g dm⁻³ and 78.59 %, respectively. The efficiency coefficient of citric acid biosynthesis (K _ef) was very high, amounting to 83.38. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Simultaneous production of citric acid and erythritol from crude glycerol by Yarrowia lipolytica Wratislavia K1

This study shows a possible microbial process for utilization of crude glycerol generated by the biodiesel industry for citric acid and erythritol production. Simultaneous production of citric acid and erythritol under nitrogen-limited conditions with glycerol as the carbon source was achieved with an acetate negative mutant of Y. lipolytica Wratislavia K1 in fed-batch cultivations. The effect of the initial glycerol concentration (from 30–180 g dm⁻³) on the citrate and erythritol production was investigated. As a result of the experiments, maximum citric acid production (110 g dm⁻³) and a very high amount of erythritol (81 g dm⁻³) were determined after 168 h of fed-batch cultivation with the initial glycerol concentration of 150 g dm⁻³ and the total glycerol concentration of 250 g dm⁻³. In addition, the citric acid to isocitric acid ratio of the products from this strain was 35.5:1. Presented at the 34th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 21–25 May 2007.     

Indirect radiotracer study of the adsorption of corrosion inhibitors on hematite

The specific adsorption of corrosion inhibitors (inorganic and organic compounds) was studied at a metal oxide (hematite) in 0.5 mol dm^–3 NaClO₄ solution by an indirect radiotracer technique. This indirect radiotracer technique is based upon the application of labeled indicator species, which were sulfate species at a concentration of 2×10^–4 mol dm^–3. The displacement of sulfate species was found in all the cases studied. The order of the inhibition efficiency of the corrosion inhibitor molecules is in good agreement with the order of their adsorbabilities. Electronic Publication     

Adenosine,adenosine monophosphate,and adenosine triphosphate adsorption from aqueous solutions on the surface of multiwall carbon nanotubes

Adenosine, adenosine monophosphate, and adenosine triphosphate adsorption from aqueous solutions on the surface of carbon nanotubes is studied. Adsorption isotherms are plotted and adsorption free energies, as well as areas per molecules of the adsorbates, are calculated at their concentrations in solutions of 0–10⁻³ mol/dm³. It is shown that the monomolecular adsorption is characterized by rather loose packing of adsorbate molecules on the nanotube surface, with the packing density increasing in the presence and upon a rise in the concentration of phosphate groups in adsorbate molecules. In the range of the polymolecular adsorption, at high adsorbate concentrations in solutions (C > (5–6) × 10⁻⁴ mol/dm³), the adsorption decreases in a series adenosine > adenosine monophosphate > adenosine triphosphate, i.e., with an increase in the solubility of the examined compounds in water.     

Profile distribution of As(III) and As(V) species in soil and groundwater in Bozanta area

The profile distribution of arsenic(III) and arsenic(V) species in soil and groundwater was investigated in the samples collected in 2005 from a hand-drilled well, in the Bozanta area, Baia Mare region, Romania. The total content of arsenic in the soil was in the range of 525–672 mg kg⁻¹ exceeding 21–27 times the action trigger level for sensitive soil. 0.9–11.3 % of the total content was soluble in water, 83.0–92.6 % in 10 mol dm⁻³ HCl and 2.6–13.3 % was the residual fraction. Arsenic(V) was the dominant arsenic species in the soil in the range of 405–580 mg kg⁻¹. The distribution and mobility of arsenic species was governed by soil pH and contents of Al, Fe, and Mn. The mobility of arsenic(V) decreased with depth, while that of arsenic(III) was high at the surface and in the proximity of groundwater. The total concentration of arsenic in groundwater was (43.40 ± 1.70) μg dm⁻³, which exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 μg dm⁻³. Presented at the 33rd International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare, 22–26 May 2006.     

Thermal, spectral and magnetic behaviour of 2,3,4-trimethoxybenzoates of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) AND Cu(II)

Four new complexes of 2,3,4-trimethoxybenzoic acid anion with manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II) and copper(II) cations were synthesized, analysed and characterized by standard chemical and physical methods. 2,3,4-Trimethoxybenzoates of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) are polycrystalline compounds with colours typical for M(II) ions. The carboxylate group in the anhydrous complexes of Mn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) is monodentate and in that of Cu(II) monohydrate is bidentate bridging one. The anhydrous complexes of Mn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) heated in air to 1273 K are stable up to 505–517 K. Next in the range of 505–1205 K they decompose to the following oxides: Mn₃O₄, CoO, NiO. The complex of Cu(II) is stable up to 390 K, and next in the range of 390–443 K it loses one molecule of water. The final product of its decomposition is CuO. The solubility in water at 293 K is of the order of 10^–3 mol dm^–3 for the Mn(II) complex and 10^–4 mol dm^–3 for Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes. The magnetic moment values of Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions in 2,3,4-trimethoxybenzoates experimentally determined in the range of 77–300 K change from 5.64–6.57 μB (for Mn²⁺), 4.73–5.17 μB (for Co²⁺), 3.26–3.35 μB (for Ni²⁺) and 0.27–1.42 μB (for Cu²⁺). 2,3,4-Trimethoxybenzoates of Mn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) follow the Curie–Weiss law, whereas that of Cu(II) forms a dimer.     

Ionic strength dependence of formation constants, complexation of nitrilotriacetic acid with tungsten(VI) ion

The dependence on ionic strength of protonation of nitrilotriacetic acid and its complexation with W(VI) is reported in sodium perchlorate, sodium nitrate and sodium chloride solutions as background salts. The measurements have been performed at 25°C and various ionic strengths in the range 0.1–1.0 mol dm⁻³, using a combination of potentiometric and spectrophotometric techniques. The overall analysis of the present and the previous data dealing with the determination of stability constants at different ionic strengths allowed us to obtain a general equation, by which a formation constant determined at a fixed ionic strength can be calculated, with a good approximation, at another ionic strength, if 0.1 ≤ ionic strength ≤ 1.0 mol dm⁻³ sodium perchlorate, sodium nitrate or sodium chloride.     

Low-concentration aqueous solutions of undecenoic acid and sodium undecenoate

The behaviors of low-concentration aqueous solutions of 10-undecenoic acid and its sodium salt were studied by several techniques. The acid does not have a critical micelle concentration, but gives an emulsion of very small droplets at (0.8–1) ×  10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³. The emulsion was clearly visible by eye at 0.002 mol dm⁻³. The sodium salt has a stepwise aggregation process, giving premicellar aggregates at 0.023 ± 0.008 mol dm⁻³, which grow to form micelles at 0.117 ± 0.007 mol dm⁻³. The compositions of the solution and the micelles were also studied. Received: 25 February 1999 Accepted in revised form: 21 June 1999     

Design and characteristics of tin (II) optode based on immobilization of dithizone on a triacetylcellulose membrane and its application in canned foods

Abstract  

The characterization of an optical sensor membrane is described for the determination of tin (II) based on the immobilization of dithizone on a triacetylcellulose membrane. The membrane responds to tin (II) ions by changing color reversibly from green to red in buffer solution at pH 6 and wavelength 611 nm. This optode has a linear range of 0.3–6.33 μg cm⁻³ (2.52–53.32 μmol dm⁻³) of Sn²⁺ ions with a limit of detection of 0.15 μg cm⁻³ (1.26 μmol dm⁻³). The response time of the optode was about 8–10 min depending on the concentration of Sn²⁺ ions. The selectivity of the optode to tin (II) ions at pH 6 was good. The sensor can be readily regenerated by exposure with EDTA solution. The color is fully reversible, and the optical sensor could be fully regenerated. Experimental results showed that the optode could be used as an effective tool in analyzing the tin content in canned foods.     

Ion-pair formation in the outer-sphere electron transfer reactions between tris-(1, 10) phenanthroline iron(II) and the halopentacyanocobaltate(III) complexes in aqueous acidic solutions

The kinetics of the reactions between Fe(phen) ₃ ²⁺ [phen = tris–(1,10) phenanthroline] and Co(CN)₅X³⁻ (X = Cl, Br or I) have been investigated in aqueous acidic solutions at I = 0.1 mol dm⁻³ (NaCl/HCl). The reactions were carried out at a fixed acid concentration ([H⁺] = 0.01 mol dm⁻³) and the second-order rate constants for the reactions at 25 °C were within the range of (0.151–1.117) dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹. Ion-pair constants K _ip for these reactions, taking into consideration the protonation of the cobalt complexes, were 5.19 × 10⁴, 3.00 × 10² and 4.02 × 10⁴ mol⁻¹ dm⁻³ for X = Cl, Br and I, respectively. Activation parameters measured for these systems were as follows: ΔH* (kJ K⁻¹ mol⁻¹) = 94.3 ± 0.6, 97.3 ± 1.0 and 109.1 ± 0.4; ΔS* (J K⁻¹) = 69.1 ± 1.9, 74.9 ± 3.2 and 112.3 ± 1.3; ΔG* (kJ) = 73.7 ± 0.6, 75.0 ± 1.0 and 75.7 ± 0.4; E _a (kJ) = 96.9 ± 0.3, 99.8 ± 0.4, and 122.9 ± 0.3; A (dm³ mol⁻¹ s⁻¹) = (7.079 ± 0.035) × 10¹⁶, (1.413 ± 0.011) × 10¹⁷, and (9.772 ± 0.027) × 10²⁰ for X = Cl, Br, and I respectively. An outer – sphere mechanism is proposed for all the reactions.     

Protonation of Chloro-, Bromo- and Iodo-pentacyanocobaltate(III) Complexes

The reactions between Fe(Phen)₃²⁺[phen = tris-(1,10) phenanthroline] and Co(CN)₅X³⁻ (X = Cl, Br or I) have been studied in aqueous acidic solutions at 25 °C and ionic strength in the range I = 0.001–0.02 mol dm⁻³ (NaCl/HCl). Plots of k₂ versus √I, applying Debye–Huckel Theory, gave the values −1.79 ± 0.18, −1.65 ± 0.18 and 1.81 ± 0.10 as the product of charges (Z_AZ_B) for the reactions of Fe(Phen)₃²⁺ with the chloro-, bromo- and iodo- complexes respectively. Z_AZ_B of ≈ −2 suggests that the charge on these Co^III complexes cannot be −3 but is −1. This suggests the possibility of protonation of these Co^III complexes. Protonation was investigated over the range [H⁺] = 0.0001 −0.06 mol dm⁻³ and the protonation constants K_a obtained are 1.22 × 10³, 7.31 × 10³ and 9.90 × 10² dm⁶ mol⁻³ for X = Cl, Br and I, respectively.     

On Water Structure in Concentrated Salt Solutions

In concentrated salt solutions the average distances between the ions, d ^av=1.1844⋅(∑ν _i c _i )^−1/3 nm, are commensurate with the sizes of the solvated ions, so that no ‘bulk solvent’ remains. This is illustrated with two saturated aqueous solutions, where 16.67 mol⋅dm⁻³ CsF at 75 °C has d ^av(Cs–F)=0.368 nm and 14.54 mol⋅dm⁻³ LiI at 80 °C has d ^av(Li–I)=0.385 nm. The minimal distance required for the bare ions (sum of their radii) are 0.303 nm for CsF and 0.289 nm for LiI. Hence no water molecule, diameter 0.276 nm, can be fitted between the ions to form linear or slightly bent hydrogen bonds. Some recent work ignoring such constraints, even in 3–6 mol⋅dm⁻³ solutions, is criticized on this account.     

Kinetic determination of silver at trace level based on its catalytic effect on a ligand substitution reaction

It is observed that Ag(I) catalyzes the rate of substitution of phenylhydrazine (PhNHNH₂) into hexacyanoferrate(II), producing a cherry red colored complex, [Fe(CN)₅PhNHNH₂]³⁻. The reaction was monitored at 488 nm leading to the formation of the complex under the conditions: [Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻ (5.0 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³), PhNHNH₂ (2.0 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³), temperature (25 ± 0.1 °C), pH (2.8 ± 0.02), and ionic strength, I (0.02 mol dm⁻³), (KNO₃). Under optimum conditions, absorbance at fixed times (A _t ) is linearly related to Ag(I) in the concentration range 10.79–97.08 ng cm⁻³, in the presence of several diverse ions. The highest percentage error and relative standard deviations in the entire range of Ag(I) determination are found to be 2.5% and 0.16, with a detection limit of 8.75 ng cm⁻³ of silver(I). The experimental accuracies expressed in terms of percentage recoveries are in the range of 97.87–102.50. The method was successfully applied for the determination of Ag(I) in a few synthetic samples and found to be in good agreement with those obtained from atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). The validity of the proposed method has also been tested for Ag(I) determination in spiked drinking water samples. The present catalytic kinetic method (CKM) is highly sensitive, selective, reproducible, and inexpensive. A review of recently published catalytic spectrophotometric methods for determination of Ag(I) has also been presented for comparison.     

Ion specificity and viscosity of rutile dispersions

The isoelectric point (IEP) of rutile is shifted to higher pH values in the presence of greater than 10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ Ba²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, and when a critical concentration (5 × 10⁻⁴ mol dm⁻³ for Ba²⁺ and 1 × 10⁻³ mol dm⁻³ for Ca²⁺) is exceeded there is no IEP at all and the ζ potential is always positive. A common intersection point for the ζ-potential curves of the different concentrations of salt is found, but for the various salts the point is shifted from ζ = 0 mV for Mg²⁺ up to ζ = 20 mV for Ba²⁺. Between the IEP and the charge-reversal point a rheologically unstable region is discovered. The shear stress of rutile dispersions (2.5 g rutile + 4 g electrolyte solution) at shear rates of 116 s⁻¹ shows the same pH dependence irrespective of the concentration of alkaline-earth metal cations up to 10⁻² mol dm⁻³. The shear stress is less than 1 Pa below pH 3.8 and in the pH range 5–12 it assumes a value between 50 and 80 Pa at 116 s⁻¹ with some scatter; however, no systematic trend with concentration of alkaline-earth metal cations and a rather insignificant decrease with pH at pristine conditions are observed. The acidic branch of the yield stress (pH) and low shear rate viscosity (pH) curves is insensitive to the presence of alkaline-earth metal cations, and the same behaviour is found for the ζ potential. The alkaline-earth metal cations induce an increase in viscosity in the basic region and a shift in the pH of maximum viscosity to high pH values. It was also discovered that the effect different alkaline-earth metal cations have on the rheological properties at the same concentration is different from the effect induced by indifferent electrolytes. When the ζ potential increases the viscosity at high pH is increased in a series which follows the increase in size of the cation. Received: 9 September 1998 Accepted in revised form: 12 January 1999     

Comparison of analytical methods used to determine <Superscript>235</Superscript>U, <Superscript>238</Superscript>U and <Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb from sediment samples by alpha,beta and gamma spectrometry

An intercomparison of the methodology (alpha, beta and gamma spectrometry) used for ²³⁸U, ²³⁵U and ²¹⁰Pb determination was carried out based on 38 sediment samples. The activity range of the samples varied from 10–700 Bq/kg for ²¹⁰Pb, 1–35 Bq/kg for ²³⁵U and 10–800 Bq/kg for ²³⁸U. Results obtained using the three methods were not statistically different at high activity levels, but agreement between the results decreased at lower sample activity levels. For ²¹⁰Pb, the smallest difference was found between alpha and gamma spectrometry. A good correlation between results from alpha and gamma spectrometry was observed over the whole activity range. In beta spectrometry, the results were slightly higher than those obtained by alpha or gamma spectrometry due to the impurity of ²²⁸Ra. In ²³⁸U analysis, good correspondence was observed between ²³⁸U determined by gamma and alpha spectrometry, particularly at higher ²³⁸U activity concentrations over 100 Bq/kg. In ²³⁵U analysis, attention needs to be paid to interference from ²²⁶Ra and its reduction.