Fourier transform infrared studies of 5′-GMP in 2H2O and H2O solutions.

In a previous work (ref. 1) we observed important changes in the 1700–1400 cm⁻¹ region of FTIR spectra in ²H₂O solutions when 5′-GMP concentration increases. These changes can be attributed to the self-association of this mononucleotide. Recently, study of this process has been extended to other regions of the spectrum and to H₂O solution. Fourier deconvolution has been employed in order to resolve the broad band into component bands. Differences have been observed between spectra in H₂O and ²H₂O for the same solute concentration. The possible causes of these differences are indicated.     

A Fourier transform infrared study of the phase transition in aqueous solutions of Ethylene oxide–propylene oxide triblock copolymer

The phase transition between unimer and micellar phases of poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PEO) triblock copolymer Pluronic P105 in aqueous solution has been investigated as a function of temperature using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The transition of 8 wt% Pluronic P105 in aqueous solution was found to occur at 25 °C. As temperature increases, PO blocks appear to be stretched conformers with strong interchain interaction, and the formation of a hydrophobic core in the micellar phase. The EO chains are found to change to a more disordered structure with low-chain packing density from the unimer phase to the micellar phase. Both the EO and PO blocks exhibit dehydration during the phase transition. Received: 17 September 1998 Accepted in revised form: 10 December 1998     

Determination of α-amylase activity using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A new method for the determination of -amylase activity in aqueous solutions and human serum with FTIR-spectroscopy is proposed. The chemical reaction catalyzed by the enzyme under study can be followed directly when applying FTIR-spectroscopic detection also in the case, where no colored or electrochemical active species are generated or consumed during the course of the reaction of -amylase with simple starch. Therefore the determination of the -amylase activity could successfully be performed by recording two FTIR-spectra, one immediately after mixing the sample and a substrate (starch-) solution and the other after a 20 min reaction time. From these two FTIR-spectra a difference spectrum was calculated hereby eliminating an unspecific absorption of the matrix. The intensities of the resulting difference spectra corresponded to the extent of the reaction which took place during the investigated time interval and hence could be related to the activity of the enzyme in the sample. The developed method is linear from 80 to 1400 U/l (r.s.d.=5% for 700 U/l) in aqueous solutions and was also successfully applied to the determination of -amylase activity in human serum where a linear working range from 100 to 800 U/l (r.s.d.=11% for 150 U/l) was achieved.     

A critical study of the application of ultraviolet spectroscopy to the self-association of adenine,adenosine and 5′-AMP in aqueous solution

UV spectra of adenine, adenosine and 5′-AMP in aqueous solution have been measured over the concentration range 1 × 10⁻⁶−5 × 10⁻² M. The apparent molar absorptivity of these compounds changes upon concentration, showing two hypochromic effects at c < 5 × 10⁻³ M and c &>; 5 × 10⁻³ M, respectively, which may be explained in terms of self-association.A method for calculating self-association constants from these experimental data is developed, based on an association model in which the first hypochromic effect is interpreted in terms of formation of dimers, with an equilibrium constant K₂, and the second effect is interpreted in terms of formation of polymers, with an equilibrium constant K_n. The value of K₂ is of the order of magnitude of 10⁴ for the three compounds. The value of K_n is dependent on the model chosen for the analysis of the second effect, having an order of magnitude of 10².The features of the self-association model are discussed, as well as the method for calculating self-association parameters from experimental data.     

Characterization of ABA block copolymers polystyrene-poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

The composition of ABA block copolymers polystyrene-poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This could be achieved by establishing a calibration curve of the integrated intensity of the NH stretching band of α-helical poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) between 3137 and 3550 cm⁻¹ as a function of concentration. There is a fairly good agreement between the composition values obtained by FTIR and those obtained by elemental nitrogen analysis.     

High-resolution Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and analysis of the ν12 fundamental band of ethylene-d4

The Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectrum of the ν₁₂ fundamental band of ethylene-d₄ (C₂D₄) has been measured with an unapodized resolution of 0.004 cm⁻¹ in the frequency range of 1030–1130 cm⁻¹. A total of 1340 assigned transitions have been analyzed and fitted using a Watson's A-reduced Hamiltonian in the I^r representation to derive rovibrational constants for the upper state (v₁₂=1) up to five quartic terms with a standard deviation of 0.00042 cm⁻¹. They represent the most accurate constants for the band thus far. The ground state rovibrational constants were also further improved by a fit of combination–differences from the IR measurements. The relatively unperturbed band was found to be basically A-type with a band centre at 1076.98492±0.00003 cm⁻¹.     

High-resolution Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy of the ν6 band of c-C3H2

The gas-phase high-resolution absorption spectrum of the ν(6) band of cyclopropenylidene (c-C(3)H(2)) has been observed using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer for the first time. The molecule has been produced by microwave discharge in an allene (3.3 Pa) and Ar (4.0 Pa) mixture inside a side arm glass tube. The observed spectrum shows a pattern of c-type ro-vibrational transitions in which the Q-branch lines strongly and distinctly stand out in the spectrum. A combined least-squares analysis of the observed 216 ro-vibrational transitions together with 28 millimeter-wave rotational transitions from the previous study has resulted in an accurate determination of the molecular constants in the ν(6) state. The band center is found to be at 776.11622(13) cm(-1) with one standard deviation in parentheses, which is 2.3% lower than the matrix isolation value. The intensity ratio I(3)(ν(3))/I(6)(ν(6)) obtained from the observed ν(3) and ν(6) bands, 1.90(9), is somewhat lower than the ratio estimated from ab initio (2.4-2.6) and DFT (2.8) calculations.     

Surface hydration of aqueous γ-Al2O3 studied by Fourier transform Raman and infrared spectroscopy—I. Initial results

The hydration of γ-Al₂O₃ has been studied by Fourier transform (FT) Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The initial findings are presented, along with a discussion of the possible causes for the major spectral changes that occur after hydration. The aims of the study and ongoing research are described.     

Differentiating “hard” from “soft” woods using Fourier transform infrared and Fourier transform spectroscopy

The Fourier transform Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectra of six soft- and six hardwoods are presented in this paper. In contrast to conventional Raman spectroscope using visible excitation, the use of a near-infrared laser induced far less fluorescence, and this enabled high quality spectra to be obtained. It is shown that it is possible to differentiate between the two types of wood using both techniques, and the reasons for these differences are discussed.     

Determination of glycolic acid in cosmetics by online liquid chromatography–Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

An isocratic online liquid chromatography Fourier transform infrared procedure has been developed for the determination of glycolic acid in cosmetics. The method involves the ultrasound-assisted extraction of glycolic acid from the samples with an acetonitrile:phosphate buffer (25 mM, pH 2.7) (3:97 v/v). The extracts were centrifuged and filtered before their injection into the chromatography system, which was equipped with a C18 column and used a flow rate of 150 microL min(-1). FTIR spectra were acquired using a time-resolved rapid scan mode. To calculate the chromatograms, the spectral area was integrated between 1288 and 1215 cm(-1), with baseline correction established between 1319 and 1150 cm(-1), after correcting for the eluent spectral background. Peak area values of the extracted sample chromatograms were interpolated from an external calibration curve. The method provided a limit of detection of 0.034 mg mL(-1) and a relative standard deviation of 6% for five measurements at the 0.174 mg mL(-1) concentration level. Recovery values obtained by spiking 400 mg of three commercially available samples with amounts of glycolic acid from 3.7 to 9.8 mg ranged between 99.6 and 101%. The results obtained for the commercial samples agree well with their declared concentrations. An attempt to directly determine glycolic acid by attenuated total reflectance measurements using partial least squares calibration showed that results were strongly influenced by compounds coextracted from the matrix.     

Liquid–liquid–solid microextraction and detection of nerve agent simulants by on-membrane Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

A coupling of novel liquid–liquid–solid microextraction (LLSME) technique based on porous hydrophobic membrane and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy has been presented for the detection, identification and quantification of markers and simulants of nerve agents. Two isomers O,O′-dihexyl methylphosphonate (DHMP) and O,O′-dipentyl isopropylphosphonate (DPIPP) were chosen as model analytes for the study. In the present technique, organic phase was immobilised within the pores of membrane after fixing it in an assembly, which was then immersed into aqueous sample of target analytes for extraction. The analytes were directly determined on the surface of membrane by FTIR spectroscopy without elution. On comparison with solid phase microextraction (SPME), LLSME was found to be much more efficient. The method was optimised and quantitative analyses were performed using calibration curves obtained via Beer's law and employing processing of spectra obtained, via a multivariate calibration technique partial least square (PLS). Relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intraday repeatability and interday reproducibility were found to be in the range of 0.20–0.50% and 0.20–0.60%, respectively. Limit of detection (LOD) was achieved up to 15 ng mL⁻¹. Applicability of the method was tested with an unknown real sample obtained in an international official proficiency test (OPT).     

Identification of species’ blood by attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy

Blood is one of the most common and informative forms of biological evidence found at a crime scene. A very crucial step in forensic investigations is identifying a blood stain’s origin. The standard methods currently employed for analyzing blood are destructive to the sample and time-consuming. In this study, attenuated total reflection (ATR) Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy is used as a confirmatory, nondestructive, and rapid method for distinction between human and animal (nonhuman) blood. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) models were built and demonstrated complete separation between human and animal donors, as well as distinction between three separate species: human, cat, and dog. Classification predictions of unknown blood donors were performed by the model, resulting in 100 % accuracy. This study demonstrates ATR FT-IR spectroscopy’s great potential for blood stain analysis and species discrimination, both in the lab and at a crime scene since portable ATR FT-IR instrumentation is commercially available.     

Direct determination of polymerized triglycerides in deep-frying olive oil by attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy using partial least squares regression

A partial least squares (PLS) regression model based on attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectra of heated olive oil samples has been developed for the determination of polymerized triacylglycerides (PTGs) generated during thermal treatment of oil. Three different approaches for selection of the spectral regions used to build the PLS model were tested and compared: (1) variable selection based on expert knowledge, (2) uninformative variable elimination PLS, and (3) interval PLS. Each of the three variable selection methods provided PLS models from heated olive oil samples with excellent performance for the prediction of PTGs in fried olive oils with comparable model statistics. However, besides a high coefficient of determination (R ² of 0.991) and low calibration, validation, and prediction errors of 1.14%, 1.21%, and 1.40% w/w, respectively, variable selection based on expert knowledge gave additionally almost identical low calibration (−0.0017% w/w) and prediction (−0.0023% w/w) bias. Furthermore, it was verified that the determination of PTGs was not influenced by the type of foodstuff fried in the olive oil.     

Applications of Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy in inorganic chemistry—a considered view

A sudy of a wide variety of coloured main group metal, transition metal coordination and transition metal organometallic complexes using Fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman) spectroscopy has demonstrated a high success rate (ca 50%) with good quality spectra obtained in short periods of time. It is suggested that FT-Raman spectroscopy should now be regarded as a routine spectroscopic tool for use in inorganic as well as organic research and teaching laboratories.     

Oxidative degradation of polyglycols by the Ruff’s system in the aqueous solutions

We have studied oxidative degradation of polypropylene glycol and polyethylene glycols of varied molecular mass induced by hydrogen peroxide in the presence of iron(III) ions. At pH 3, the process is accompanied by aggregation of iron hydroxides and occurs in the microheterogeneous system. In the cases of high-molecular substrates, the oxidation is accompanied by decrease in the polymer globulas size due to the degradation of the polymer chain.     

Enabling quantification of protein concentration in human serum biopsies using attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy

Changes in protein concentrations within human blood are used as an indicator for nutritional state, hydration and underlying illnesses. They are often measured at regular clinical appointments and the current analytical process can result in long waiting times for results and the need for return patient visits. Attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has the ability to detect minor molecular differences, qualitatively and quantitatively, in biofluid samples, without extensive sample preparation. ATR-FTIR can return an analytical measurement almost instantaneously and therefore could be deemed as an ideal technique for monitoring molecular alterations in blood within the clinic.To determine the suitability of using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to enable protein quantification in a clinical setting, pooled human serum samples spiked with varying concentrations of human serum albumin (HSA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) were analysed, before analysing patient clinical samples. Using a validated partial least squares method, the spiked samples (IgG) produced a linearity as high as 0.998 and a RMSEV of 0.49 ± 0.05 mg mL⁻¹, with the patient samples producing R² values of 0.992 and a corresponding RMSEV of 0.66 ± 0.05 mg mL⁻¹. This claim was validated using two blind testing models, leave one patient out cross validation and k-fold cross validation, achieving optimum linearity and RMSEV values of 0.934 and 1.99 ± 0.79 mg mL⁻¹, respectively.This demonstrates that ATR-FTIR is able to quantify protein within clinically relevant complex matrices and concentrations, such as serum samples, rapidly and with simple sample preparation. The ability to provide a quantification step, along with rapid disease classification, from a spectroscopic signature will aid clinical translation of vibrational spectroscopy to assist with problems currently faced with patient diagnostic pathways.     

Investigation on the photo-induced de-oxygenation process of myoglobin in aqueous solution by use of fluorescence spectroscopy

A photo-induced de-oxygenation process of myoglobin (Mb) in aqueous solution was investigated by use of fluorescence spectroscopy. The spectra are characterized by the fluorescence intensity declining gradually after each scan,and the decay of fluorescence intensity being significant in each scan,which is assigned to the release of oxygen from the opening of the heme-pockets induced by illumination. More illumination will cause more release of oxygen; if the temperature of an Mb solution is increased when it is illuminated,the rate of de-oxygenation will be higher. It was found that ligand-oxygen in Fe-porphyrin could be removed from Mb by nitrogen. This indicates that the interac-tion between oxy-Mb and other different gases can be tested by the method of fluorescence spectros-copy. In addition,fluorescence spectroscopy can be employed to probe the energy transfer between Fe-porphyrin and tryptophan or tyrosine in Mb molecules.     

Raman spectroscopy in the near infrared – a most capable method of vibrational spectroscopy

Raman spectroscopy has enjoyed a dramatic improvement during the last years: The interference by the fluorescence of impurities is virtually eliminated, the sample preparation is considerably easier as for infrared spectroscopy and many applications in routine analytics, quality control and process control in various branches of industry are now possible. It is shown that the up-to-date near-infrared Raman spectrometers now meet most demands for a modern analytical instrument concerning applicability, analytical information and convenience. It can be anticipated that Raman spectroscopy will catch up infrared spectroscopy, the current workhorse of vibrational spectroscopy.     

Fourier transform infrared isotopic study of ZnC3: identification of the ν1(a') mode

An isomer of ZnC(3) with bent structure in its (1)A(') electronic state has been detected in the products from the dual laser ablation of carbon and zinc rods that were trapped in solid Ar at ~12 K. Measurements of (13)C isotopic shifts have enabled the identification of the ν(1)(a(')) asymmetric carbon stretching fundamental at 1858.9 cm(-1). The experimental results are in good agreement with the predictions of DFT-B3LYP/6-311G(d) calculations that indicate a singlet bent isomer ground state structure with triplet linear and singlet cyclic isomers lying slightly higher in energy. This is the first optical detection of any isomer of ZnC(3).     

494—Apparent equilibrium constants for self-stacking: Calorimetric study of 5′AMP in aqueous solutions

Data available in the literature show that the numerical values of the apparent equilibrium constants, K_st, of self-association of nucleotides and nucleobases differ by up to an order of magnitude, for the same compound. In addition to the known influence of the salts present in water solution it would also appear that the experimental technique used may influence the numerical values of K_st. With regard to this last point, we report here a study of the self-association of 5′AMP using microcalorimetry. The thermodynamic parameter values obtained confirm their dependence on the experimental techniques utilized.