Use of a thermomechanical analyzer

The ThermoMechanical Analyzer (TMA) is a sensitive instrument that measures dimensional changes such as those occurring during glass transitions. Knowledge of the glass transition temperature (T _g) may provide a better understanding of many food systems. Cookie dough is a food system that appears to be affected greatly by an apparent glass transition of the flour protein. Hard-wheat-flour cookie doughs underwent an apparent glass transition at a lower temperature (71 C) than did soft-wheat-flour cookie doughs (78C). Decreasing the sugar level in the dough decreased both the set time and the apparentT _g. Set time and apparentT _g were highly correlated (r=0.971 soft;r=0.989 hard).Contribution No. 95-512-J, from the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Utilisation of beetroot powder for bakery applications

The suitability of beetroot powder as a potential source of dietary fibre for baked rolls was investigated in this study. Beetroot powder was characterised by high total dietary fibre (65.71%) and showed good hydration properties. The influence of beetroot powder addition (substitution levels 2–10 mass%) on the farinographic properties of wheat dough, physical characteristics, and sensory attributes of baked rolls was also studied. It was found that increasing level of beetroot powder in dough increased water absorption, delayed dough development time, and prolonged dough stability, while mixing tolerance index decreased. Physical properties of baked rolls (volume and specific volume) were significantly reduced with the increasing level of beetroot powder in products. Increased beetroot powder addition also reduced lightness, while redness of products increased. Results also indicated that baked rolls containing 2 mass% of beetroot powder were the most acceptable for assessors, higher levels of powder adversely affected sensory attributes, and overall acceptance of products (unpleasant earth-like odour and taste).     

Detection of polydimethylsiloxanes transferred from silicone‐coated parchment paper to baked goods using direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry

The non‐stick properties of parchment papers are achieved by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coatings. During baking, PDMS can thus be extracted from the silicone‐coated parchment into the baked goods. Positive‐ion direct analysis in real time (DART) mass spectrometry (MS) is highly efficient for the analysis of PDMS. A DART‐SVP source was coupled to a quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer to detect PDMS on the contact surface of baked goods after use of silicone‐coated parchment papers. DART spectra from the bottom surface of baked cookies and pizzas exhibited signals because of PDMS ions of the general formula [(C₂H₆SiO)_n + NH₄]⁺ in the m/z 800–1900 range. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of ingredients on the mass loss,pasting properties and thermal profile of semi-sweet biscuit dough

The drive to utilise different lipids, both for health benefits and for commercial reasons, in bakery goods has been extensive. However, the roles of the lipid plays in many products, let alone the influence of the level of saturation, are uncertain. The objective of work carried out is to understand how the typical ingredients in biscuit would impact on the thermal profile of semi-sweet biscuit dough. Three different techniques have been used namely gravimetric analysis (TGA), rapid visco analyser and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Wheat flour, sugar and fat/oil were the main ingredients used to produce basic dough of semi-sweet biscuit for this study. Semi-sweet biscuit dough formulations with varying types of oils namely palm oil, palm olein, palm stearine, sunflower oil and butterfat were developed. The final mass (i.e. the total amount of moisture lost) for the samples showed significant differences between the doughs; with the control dough, dough contained palm stearine and butter falling into one group and the butter, palm oil, palm olein and sunflower oil forming the second group that showed less mass loss. Doughs containing low levels of saturated fatty acids (palm olein, palm oil and sunflower oil) showed significant difference on the drying properties of samples compared to doughs containing high saturated fatty acids (palm stearine and butter) as revealed by TGA. Pasting properties result showed that oil with different saturation influenced peak viscosity obtained. The DSC results showed that sugar and oil increased the gelatinisation peak temperature up to 2 and 6 °C, respectively. Oils with low saturated fatty acids have more capability to make contact with starch granules during the mixing processing as compared to oil with a high level of saturated fat. It is suggested that the oil presence in the system was delaying the drying process by coating the wheat flour particles hence slowing the drying process as compared to a sample without oil.     

Effect of lentil and bean flours on rheological and baking properties of wheat dough

The potential of legume flours (lentil and bean) in bakery applications was investigated. The study indicated that legume flours were characterised by high protein (27.30–27.35 mass %) and total dietary fibre (14.91–21.52 mass %), relatively high water holding capacity (4.71–5.42 g g^?1), and good emulsifying properties (emulsifying capacity: 32.73–46.96 cm³ per 100 cm³ and emulsion stability: 60.52–90.90 cm³ per 100 cm³). Fine wheat flour was partially substituted with 10 mass %, 20 mass %, and 30 mass % levels of lentil and bean flours in order to study their farinographic characteristics and baking behaviour. The addition of legume flours increased water absorption capacity (from 58.50 mass % to 74.90 mass %) and dough development time (from 3.50 min to 5.50 min), whereas dough stability was reduced (from 6.67 min to 2.30 min). The presence of legume flours in dough negatively affected the physical parameters of baked rolls and resulted in the reduction in volume, specific volume, and cambering. Sensory evaluation showed that the most acceptable baked rolls were obtained when the wheat-legume blend flour containing 10 mass % of legume flour was applied. Higher levels of legume flours in the products adversely affected the shape, crust colour, crumb elasticity, and hardness of the final products.     

Thermal Decomposition of Cu(II) Complexes with 2-Chloro- and 2,6-Dichlorobenzoic Acid and Imidazole

The reaction products of Cu(II) 2-chlorobenzoate and the imidazole (1), and of Cu(II) 2,6-dichlorobenzoate and the imidazole (2) formulated as CuL’₂⋅2imd⋅2H₂O and CuL”₂⋅2imd⋅2H₂O (L’=C₇H₄ClO₂ ⁻, L”=C₇H₃Cl₂O₂ ⁻, imd=imidazole), were prepared and characterized by means of spectroscopic measurements and thermochemical properties. The blue (1) and green (2) complexes were obtained as solids with a 1:2:2 molar ratio of metal to carboxylate ligand to imidazole. When heated at a heating rate of 10 K min⁻¹ the hydrated complexes, (1) and (2), lose some of the crystallization water molecules and then decompose to gaseous products. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Determination of sub-ppb reserpine by an optosensing device based on photochemically induced fluorescence

A flow injection–solid-phase spectroscopy (FI-SPS) system implemented with photochemically induced fluorescence (PIF) is described for the rapid and very sensitive determination of reserpine in biological fluids and pharmaceutical formulations. An intensively fluorescent photoproduct is in-line generated, retained on C₁₈ silica gel in the detection area and monitored at 394/489 nm (λ _ex/λ _em). After the establishment of the appropriate working variables, the system is calibrated at two different injection volumes, 100 and 800 μL, achieving detection limits of 0.33 and 0.05 ng mL⁻¹, respectively. The RSD for reserpine at 2 ng mL⁻¹ (800 μL) was 1.5% (n = 10). The sampling rates were 46 and 43 h⁻¹ for each injection volume, respectively. The potential interference of some common species coexisting with reserpine in the analysed samples was also studied. The procedure was successfully applied to commercial formulations, urine and serum without any previous treatment of samples. Recoveries ranged from 94.9 to 100.2%.     

Development of Cocatalysts for Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting on (Ga1? x Zn x )(N1? x O x ) Solid Solution

The development of cocatalysts promoting overall water splitting on (Ga_1−x Zn _x )(N_1−x O _x ) solid solution photocatalyst is presented. The (Ga_1−x Zn _x )(N_1−x O _x ) is a stable visible-light-driven photocatalyst for stoichiometric water splitting upon loading with a suitable nanoparticulate cocatalyst. Loading with a combination of Cr and Rh oxides, Rh_2−y Cr _y O₃, is demonstrated to raise the quantum efficiency of (Ga_1−x Zn _x )(N_1−x O _x ) for overall water splitting to 2.5% at 420–440 nm. This represents a 10-fold increase in efficiency over the highest efficiency previously obtained using nanoparticulate RuO₂ as a cocatalyst. In addition to the composition, the dispersion and size of cocatalyst nanoparticles are identified as important factors affecting the degree of enhancement for stoichiometric water splitting. Kazuhiko Maeda—Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).     

Polar herbicides,pharmaceutical products,perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), and nonylphenol and its carboxylates and ethoxylates in surface and tap waters around Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy

A survey of contamination of surface and drinking waters around Lake Maggiore in Northern Italy with polar anthropogenic environmental pollutants has been conducted. The target analytes were polar herbicides, pharmaceuticals (including antibiotics), steroid estrogens, perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS), perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (including perfluorooctanoate PFOA), nonylphenol and its carboxylates and ethoxylates (NPEO surfactants), and triclosan, a bactericide used in personal-care products. Analysis of water samples was performed by solid-phase extraction (SPE) then liquid chromatography–triple-quadrupole (tandem) mass spectrometry (LC–MS–MS). By extraction of 1-L water samples and concentration of the extract to 100 μL, method detection limits (MDLs) as low as 0.05–0.1 ng L⁻¹ were achieved for most compounds. Lake-water samples from seven different locations in the Southern part of Lake Maggiore and eleven samples from different tributary rivers and creeks were investigated. Rain water was also analyzed to investigate atmospheric input of the contaminants. Compounds regularly detected at very low concentrations in the lake water included: caffeine (max. concentration 124 ng L⁻¹), the herbicides terbutylazine (7 ng L⁻¹), atrazine (5 ng L⁻¹), simazine (16 ng L⁻¹), diuron (11 ng L⁻¹), and atrazine-desethyl (11 ng L⁻¹), the pharmaceuticals carbamazepine (9 ng L⁻¹), sulfamethoxazole (10 ng L⁻¹), gemfibrozil (1.7 ng L⁻¹), and benzafibrate (1.2 ng L⁻¹), the surfactant metabolite nonylphenol (15 ng L⁻¹), its carboxylates (NPE₁C 120 ng L⁻¹, NPE₂C 7 ng L⁻¹, NPE₃C 15 ng L⁻¹) and ethoxylates (NPE _n Os, n = 3-17; 300 ng L⁻¹), perfluorinated surfactants (PFOS 9 ng L⁻¹, PFOA 3 ng L⁻¹), and estrone (0.4 ng L⁻¹). Levels of these compounds in drinking water produced from Lake Maggiore were almost identical with those found in the lake itself, revealing the poor performance of sand filtration and chlorination applied by the local waterworks.     

Characterizing in situ starch gelatinization

Data obtained by dynamic mechanical analysis and DSC analysis of durum wheat dough are presented and discussed. Doughs with water contents ranging from 45 to 55% (w/w) were subjected to sinusoidal shearing by means of a dynamic mechanical spectrometer (Rheometrics, RFS2) equipped with parallel plate geometry, 0.1 strain amplitude and 1 rad/min frequency. The tests were carried on in temperature sweep mode at a heating rate of 2°C min^–1.Wheat samples with water contents in the range between 7.5 and 37.5% and doughs with 37.5% moisture content were mixed for different times and subjected to DSC analysis (Perkin-Elmer, DSC-7) at a heating rate of 20°C min^–1.Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the relationship between the dynamic properties of the dough and the temperature was modified as the water content of the dough increased and was quite different from that for gluten.A similar response was observed in the course of temperature scans made by means of DSC. These experimental findings suggest that the water-starch interaction in the presence of a protein matrix is affected by the availability of water and that the protein system is a competitor with respect to starch.This work was supported by C. N. R. Progetto Strategico) Dieta Mediterranea.     

Oxidation kinetics of methylhydrazine in a strictly single-phase medium studied in reconstituted air

The oxidation of methylhydrazine (monomethylhydrazine MMH) is studied in a strictly single-phase gaseous medium, in a reconstituted surrounding atmosphere. In order to work under such conditions, a specific apparatus was assembled to monitor the evolution of the reactants through time. The reaction kinetics was studied at 50°C to avoid condensation of the water formed and for O₂/MMH mole ratios between 1 and 4. Under these conditions, the partial pressures of O₂ were between 0.05 and 0.18 bar (4% MMH per volume). The main reaction products were monitored through time and identified by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The products were: N₂, CH₄, CH₃-NH-N=CH₂ (formaldehyde monomethylhydrazone), NH₃, H₂O, CH₃OH, and CH₂=N-N=N-CH₃ (2,3,4-triazapenta-1,3-diene). The formation of nitrosamines was not observed under these experimental conditions. The rate laws related to the disappearance of the reagents were clearly established and can be described by 2 consecutive parallel reactions of order 2 whose rate constants are: k ₁ = 7.57 × 10⁻² bar⁻¹ min⁻¹ and k ₂ = 0.5 bar⁻¹ min⁻¹. Analysis of the products permitted establishing an approximated balance of the global reaction.     

Study of capacitive properties in supercapacitor for copolymer of aniline with m-phenylenediamine

The copolymers were synthesized with different molar ratios of m-phenylenediamine to aniline (R for short) by a chemical oxidation method. The products were first used as electrochemical activity materials of the supercapacitor. Capacitive behaviors of the prepared copolymers in 1 mol·L⁻¹ H₂SO₄ electrolyte were examined by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammeter, and galvanostatic charge/discharge. The relationship of molar ratios with capacitive property of the prepared products was investigated too. The results showed that the product with R of 2:98 displayed better electrochemical properties than that of the other products. Compared with the synthesized polymer in the absence of m-phenylenediamine, the polymerized copolymer with R of 2:98 exhibited the initial specific capacitance value of 475 F·g⁻¹, which increased by nearly 10.1% than that of the former at a current density of 200 mA·g⁻¹ in 1 mol·L⁻¹ H₂SO₄ electrolyte in the potential range of −0.3 to 0.7 V. The discharge specific capacitance value of the copolymer remained 300 F·g⁻¹ after 1,000 cycles, exhibiting a good cycling performance and the structure stability.     

Pulse-Cereal Blend Extrusion for Improving the Antioxidant Properties of a Gluten-Free Flour

Extrusion is an interesting technological tool that facilitates pulse formulation into flour mixtures, with tailored fibre content, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glycemic index (GI) among other components in final formulas. The gluten-free (GF) market has significantly grown during the last years. GF products have evolved from specialty health foods to products targeted to the general population and not only associated to celiac consumers. This study evaluates how temperature, cereal base (rice/corn) and pulse concentration affect extruded flour properties and which conditions are more efficient to develop a gluten-free flour with high TAC and low GI. Additionally, it evaluated the effect of this optimal formula after the baking process. The results showed an increase of total phenol (TP) and antioxidant activity with extrusion, with a temperature-dependent effect (130 °C ≥ 120 °C ≥ 110 °C), which may imply an enhanced bioaccessibility of phenolics compounds after extraction. Extrusion increased GI in comparison to native flour; however, a dough temperature of 130 °C resulted in a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower GI than that observed for 110–120 °C doughs, probably associated to the pastification that occurred at higher temperatures, which would decrease the degree of gelatinization of the starches and therefore a significant (p ≤ 0.05) GI reduction. Corn-lentil flour showed higher antioxidant properties and lower GI index in comparison with rice-lentil blends. The formulation of the optimal blend flour into a baked product (muffin) resulted in a significant loss of antioxidant properties, with the exception of the reducing power (FRAP), although the final antioxidant values of the baked product were in the range of the original native flour blend before any process.     

Ionic, proton, and oxygen conductivities in the BaZr1 ? xYxO3 ? α system (x = 0.02?0.15) in humid air

Ionic, proton, and oxygen conductivities are measured as functions of air humidity (pH₂O = 0.04−3.57 kPa) in the BaZr_{1 − x} Y _x O_{3 − α} system (x = 0.02−0.15) over the temperature range 600–900°C. The important result is obtained that dissolved water vapor determines not only proton transport, but also the overwhelming part of oxygen transport in BaZr_{1 − x} Y _x O_{3 − α}.     

Total and hole conductivity in the BaZr1 ? xYxO3 ? α system (x = 0.02?0.20) in oxidizing atmosphere

The total and hole (p-type) conductivities are measured in the BaZr_{1 − x} Y _x O_{3 − α} system (x = 0.02−0.20) in the temperature range of 600–900°C as a function of air humidity (pH₂O = 0.04−3.17 kPa). The model of defect formation in BaZr_{1 − x} Y _x O_{3 − α} oxides in the presence of water vapor is discussed and the literature data are analyzed.     

Determination of partial immersion enthalpy in the interaction of water and activated carbon

A way to calculate the enthalpic contributions of each component of the mixture of activated carbon and water to the immersion enthalpy using the concepts of the solution enthalpies is presented. By determining the immersion enthalpies of a microporous activated carbon in water, with values that are between –18.97 and −27.21 Jg⁻¹, from these and the mass ratio of activated carbon and water, differential enthalpies for the activated carbon, ΔH_DIFacH_{{\rm DIF}_{\rm ac}} and water, ΔH_DIFwH_{{\rm DIF}_{\rm w}} are calculated, and values between –15.95 and –26.81 Jg⁻¹ and between –19.14 and –42.45 Jg⁻¹, respectively are obtained. For low ratios of the mixture, the components’ contributions to the immersion enthalpy of activated carbon and water differ by 3.20 Jg⁻¹.     

Tandem Mass Spectrometry Measurement of the Collision Products of Carbamate Anions Derived from CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> Capture Sorbents: Paving the Way for Accurate Quantitation

The reaction between CO₂ and aqueous amines to produce a charged carbamate product plays a crucial role in post-combustion capture chemistry when primary and secondary amines are used. In this paper, we report the low energy negative-ion CID results for several anionic carbamates derived from primary and secondary amines commonly used as post-combustion capture solvents. The study was performed using the modern equivalent of a triple quadrupole instrument equipped with a T-wave collision cell. Deuterium labeling of 2-aminoethanol (1,1,2,2,-d₄-2-aminoethanol) and computations at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level were used to confirm the identity of the fragmentation products for 2-hydroxyethylcarbamate (derived from 2-aminoethanol), in particular the ions CN⁻, NCO⁻ and facile neutral losses of CO₂ and water; there is precedent for the latter in condensed phase isocyanate chemistry. The fragmentations of 2-hydroxyethylcarbamate were generalized for carbamate anions derived from other capture amines, including ethylenediamine, diethanolamine, and piperazine. We also report unequivocal evidence for the existence of carbamate anions derived from sterically hindered amines (Tris(2-hydroxymethyl)aminomethane and 2-methyl-2-aminopropanol). For the suite of carbamates investigated, diagnostic losses include the decarboxylation product (−CO₂, 44 mass units), loss of 46 mass units and the fragments NCO⁻ (m/z 42) and CN⁻ (m/z 26). We also report low energy CID results for the dicarbamate dianion (⁻O₂CNHC₂H₄NHCO₂⁻) commonly encountered in CO₂ capture solution utilizing ethylenediamine. Finally, we demonstrate a promising ion chromatography-MS based procedure for the separation and quantitation of aqueous anionic carbamates, which is based on the reported CID findings. The availability of accurate quantitation methods for ionic CO₂ capture products could lead to dynamic operational tuning of CO₂ capture-plants and, thus, cost-savings via real-time manipulation of solvent regeneration energies.     

Measurement of the rate constants of the reactions of the chlorine atom with C<Subscript>3</Subscript>F<Subscript>7</Subscript>I and CF<Subscript>3</Subscript>I using the resonance fluorescence of chlorine atoms

The rate constants of the reactions of the chlorine atom with C₃F₇I (k ₁) and CF₃I (k ₂) have been measured using the resonance fluorescence of chlorine atoms in a flow reactor at 295 K: k ₁ = (5.2 ± 0.3) × 10⁻¹² cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹ and k ₂ = (7.4 ± 0.6) × 10⁻¹³ cm³ molecule⁻¹ s⁻¹. No iodine atoms have been detected in the reaction products.     

Effect of Ionic Strength and Temperature on the Protonation of Oxidized Glutathione

The protonation constants for oxidized glutathione, H _i−1L^(4−i+1)−, K _i ^H=[H _i L⁽⁴⁻ⁱ⁾⁻]/[H _i−1L^(4−i+1)−][H⁺] i=1,2,…,6 have been measured at 5, 25 and 45 °C as a function of the ionic strength (0.1 to 5.4 mol⋅[kg(H₂O)]⁻¹) in NaCl solutions. The effect of ionic strength on the measured protonation constants has been used to determine the thermodynamic values (K _i ^H0) and the enthalpy (ΔH _i ) for the dissociation reaction using the SIT model and Pitzer equations. The SIT (ε) and Pitzer parameters (β ⁽⁰⁾, β ⁽¹⁾ and C) for the dissociation products (L⁴⁻, HL³⁻, H₂L²⁻, H₃L⁻, H₄L, H₅L⁺, H₆L²⁺) have been determined as a function of temperature. These results can be used to examine the effect of ionic strength and temperature on glutathione in aqueous solutions with NaCl as the major component (body fluids, seawater and brines).