Slippage mutation rates in 15 autosomal short tandem repeat loci for forensic purposes in a Southeastern Brazilian population

Well‐defined estimates of mutation rates in highly polymorphic tetranucleotide STR loci are a prerequisite for human identification in genetics laboratory routines useful for civil and criminal investigations. Studying 15 autosomal STR loci of forensic interest (CSF1PO, D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, FGA, TH01, TPOX, and vWA), we detected 193 slippage mutations (189 one‐step and four two‐step mutations) in 148 875 parent‐child allelic transfers from 5171 paternity cases with true biological relationship (15 096 individuals; 4754 trios and 417 duos; 9925 meiosis) from the state of São Paulo, a very representative population of Brazil. The overall mutation rate was 1.3 × 10^?3 and the highest rates were observed at loci vWA (2.8 × 10^?3), FGA and D18S51 (2.7 × 10^?3 for both), while loci TH01 and TPOX did not present any mutations. The mean slippage mutation rate of paternal origin (1.8 × 10^?3) was six times higher than that observed for maternal origin (0.3 × 10^?3).     

Genetic polymorphisms in 12 autosomal STRs in a Shanghai Han population from China

In this study, a total of 484 unrelated healthy individuals and 359 two‐generation families in the Han population in Shanghai, China were successfully analyzed with the Investigator HDplex Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium tests demonstrated no significant deviation from expected values (p > 0.05) for the 12 autosomal STRs included in this kit. A total of 173 alleles were detected in 12 autosomal STR loci; the largest number of alleles (32) was detected for the SE33 locus. The combined power of discrimination was 0.99999999992. The combined mean exclusion chance in duo cases was 0.99982, whereas the combined mean exclusion chance in trio cases was 0.9999986. The average mutation rate across all loci was 0.0023 (95% confidence intervals: 0.0013–0.0039). These results suggest that the 12 autosomal STR loci can provide highly informative polymorphic data for paternity testing and forensic identification in the Han population in Shanghai, China.     

Development of a new 25plex STRs typing system for forensic application

We have developed a novel STR 25‐plex florescence multiplex‐STR kit (DNATyper25) to genotype 23 autosomal and two sex‐linked loci for forensic applications and paternity analysis. Of the 23 autosomal loci, 20 are non‐CODIS. The sex‐linked markers include a Y‐STR locus (DYS391) and the Amelogenin gene. We present developmental validation studies to show that the DNATyper25 kit is reproducible, accurate, sensitive, and robust. Sensitivity testing showed that full profiles were achieved with as low as 125 pg of human DNA. Specificity testing demonstrated a lack of cross reactivity with a variety of commonly encountered non‐human DNA contaminants. Stability testing showed that full profiles were obtained with humic acid concentration ≤60 ng/μL and hematin concentration <400 μM. For forensic evaluation, the 23 autosomal STRs followed the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. In an analysis of 509 Chinese (CN) Hans, we detected a combined total of 181 alleles at the 23 autosomal STR loci. Since these autosomal STRs are independent from one another, PM was 8.4528 × 10^?22, TDP was 0.999 999 999 999 999 999 999, CEP was 0.999 999 8395. The forensic efficiency parameters demonstrated that these autosomal STRs are highly polymorphic and informative in the Han population of China. We performed population comparisons and showed that the Northern CN Han has a close genetic relationship with the Luzhou Han, Tujia, and Bai populations. We propose that the DNATyper25 kit will be useful for cases where paternity analysis is difficult and for situations where DNA samples are limited in quantity and low in quality.     

Genetic polymorphisms of 20 short tandem repeat loci from the Han population in Henan,China

The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic polymorphism of 20 short tandem repeat (STR) loci including D1S1656, D2S1338, D3S1358, D5S818, D6S1043, D7S820, D8S1179, D12S391, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D19S433, D21S11, CSF1PO, FGA, Penta D, Penta E, TH01, TPOX, and vWA in Han population of Henan, China and to assess its value in forensic science. Genomic DNA was extracted from 274 blood samples of unrelated healthy individuals in the Henan Han population. Alleles were amplified with PowerPlex® 21 system kit and PCR products were detected with ABI3130 genetic analyzer (Applied Biosystems) and the data were analyzed with modified PowerStats v1.2. A total of 229 alleles were observed in this Han population and the allelic frequencies ranged from 0.0020 to 0.5090 in the present study. Observed genotype distributions for each locus do not show deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium expectations (p < 0.05). The combined power of discrimination, combined power of exclusion, and combined matching probability of this 20 STR loci were 0.999999999, 0.999999994603, and 4.0433 × 10^?24, respectively. The 20 STR loci are highly polymorphic in the Han population of Henan, China and they may be of great value in forensic science and human population genetics.     

Expansion of a SNaPshot assay to a 55‐SNP multiplex: Assay enhancements,validation, and power in forensic science

A previously developed multiplex assay with 44 individual identification SNPs was expanded to a 55plex assay. Fifty‐four highly informative SNPs and an amelogenin sex marker were amplified in one PCR reaction and then detected with two SNaPshot reactions using CE. PCR primers for four loci, 28 single‐base extension primers, and the reaction conditions were altered to improve the robustness of the method. A detailed approach for allele calling was developed to guide analysis of the electropherogram. One hundred and eighty unrelated individuals and 100 father‐child‐mother trios of the Han population in Hebei, China were analyzed. No mutation was found in the SNP loci. The combined mean match probability and cumulative probability of exclusion were 1.327 × 10^?22 and 0.999932, respectively. Analysis of the 54 SNPs and 26 STRs (included in the AmpFLSTR Identifiler and Investigator HDplex kits) showed no significant linkage disequilibriums. Our research shows that the expanded SNP multiplex assay is an easily performed and valuable method to supplement STR analysis.     

A convenient guideline to determine if two Y‐STR profiles are from the same lineage

Y chromosome STR loci are used in forensics primarily for identification purposes by determining the male lineages. The Henan province in China has established a large Y‐STR (>200 000 profiles) database for criminal investigations. A large proportion of the Y‐STR profiles in the database were generated using either the Applied Biosystems Yfiler^? or Yfiler^? Plus PCR Amplification kits. The additional loci in the Yfiler Plus kit as compared to the Yfiler kit results in a concomitant cumulative mutation rate increase across the loci. Therefore, in those cases when two profiles have one to a few mismatched loci, it is difficult to determine if they are from the same lineage. In this study, 7405 unrelated male profiles were manually selected from the database. Analysis showed higher power of discrimination than the corresponding Yfiler haplotypes. Further, the distributions of the number of mismatched loci and the mismatched steps were generated for father‐son, grandfather‐grandson, uncle‐nephew, and cousins (i.e. one, two, three, and four meioses, respectively) by exhaustive pairwise comparison of the unrelated profiles using a dynamic programming approach. The same distributions were generated for unrelated pairs with mutation rates of the loci. With the distributions, the false negative and false positive rates were determined. Two Yfiler profiles with ≤2 mismatched loci or ≤2 steps are more likely from the same lineage than unrelated lineages, and two Yfiler Plus profiles with ≤4 mismatched loci or ≤5 mismatched steps are more likely from the same lineage.     

Development of the 16 X‐STR loci typing system and genetic analysis in a Shanghai Han population from China

This study developed a new multiplex PCR system that simultaneously amplifies 16 X‐STR loci in the same PCR reaction, and the polymorphism and mutation rates of these 16 X‐STR loci were explored in a Shanghai Han population from China. These loci included DXS10134, DXS10159, DXS6789, DXS6795, DXS6800, DXS6803, DXS6807, DXS6810, DXS7132, DXS7424, DXS8378, DXS9902, GATA165B12, GATA172D05, GATA31E08, and HPRTB. Samples from 591 unrelated individuals (293 males and 298 females) and 400 two‐generation families were successfully analyzed using this multiplex system. Allele frequencies and mutation rates of the 16 loci were investigated, with the comparison of allele frequency distributions among different populations performed. Polymorphism information contents of these loci were all >0.6440 except the locus DXS6800 (0.4706). Nine cases of mutations were detected in the 16 loci from the investigation of 9232 meioses. Pairwise comparisons of allele frequency distributions showed significant differences for most loci among populations from different countries and ethnic groups but not among the Han population living in other areas of China. These results suggest that the 16 X‐STR loci system provides highly informative polymorphic data for paternity testing and forensic identification in the Han population in Shanghai, China, as a complementary tool.     

Molecular Imprint for Electrochemical Detection of Streptomycin Residues Using Enzyme Signal Amplification

We have designed a new molecularly imprinted co‐polymer (MIP) for the sensitive detection of streptomycin (STR) in food using enzymes as signal amplification. The MIP was fabricated via co‐polymerization of aniline and o‐phenylenediamine on gold substrate in the presence of STR as template. The assay is based on competitive binding of free STR and glucose oxidase‐labeled STR (GOx‐STR) to the imprinters on the MIP. On addition of glucose, hydrogen peroxide is formed that is detected by differential pulse voltammetry. Under optimal conditions, the decrease of the catalytic current is proportional to the STR concentration in the range from 0.01 to 10 ng mL^?1, with a detection limit (LOD) of 7.0 pg mL^?1 STR (at 3s_B). Intra‐ and inter‐assay coefficients of variation (CVs) are<10.5 %. The system was further validated and evaluated with STR‐spiked samples including honey and milk, and the recovery was between 82 and 124.2 %.     

Allele and haplotype diversity of new multiplex of 19 ChrX‐STR loci in Han population from Guanzhong region (China)

X‐chromosomal short tandem repeats (X‐STRs) have been proved to be useful for some deficiency paternity cases in recent years. Here, we studied the genetic polymorphisms of 19 X‐STR loci (DXS10148‐DXS10135‐DXS8378, DXS10159‐DXS10162‐DXS10164, DXS7132‐DXS10079‐DXS10074‐DXS10075, DXS6809‐DXS6789, DXS7424‐DXS101, DXS10103‐HPRTB‐DXS10101 and DXS7423‐DXS10134) in 252 male and 222 female individuals from Guanzhong Han population, China. No deviation for all 19 loci was observed from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The polymorphism information content values of the panel of 19 loci were more than 0.5 with the exception of the locus DXS7423. The combined power of discrimination were 0.9999999999999999999994340 in females and 0.9999999999997662 in males, respectively; and the combined mean exclusion chances were 0.999999993764 in duos and 0.999999999997444 in trios, respectively. The haplotype diversities for all the seven clusters of linked loci were more than 0.9. The results showed that the panel of 19 X‐STR loci were powerful for forensic applications in Guanzhong Han population. Locus by locus population comparisons showed significant differences at more than seven loci between Guanzhong Han population and the groups from North America, Europe and Africa.     

Effect of nucleic acid binding dyes on DNA extraction,amplification, and STR typing

We report on the effects of six dyes used in the detection of DNA on the process of DNA extraction, amplification, and detection of STR loci. While dyes can be used to detect the presence of DNA, their use is restricted if they adversely affect subsequent DNA typing processes. Diamond? Nucleic Acid Dye, GelGreen?, GelRed?, RedSafe?, SYBR^® Green I, and EvaGreen? were evaluated in this study. The percentage of dye removed during the extraction process was determined to be: 70.3% for SYBR^® Green I; 99.6% for RedSafe?; 99.4% for EvaGreen?; 52.7% for Diamond? Dye; 50.6% for GelRed?, and; could not be determined for GelGreen?. It was then assumed that the amount of dye in the fluorescent quantification assay had no effect on the DNA signal. The presence of all six dyes was then reviewed for their effect on DNA extraction. The t‐test showed no significant difference between the dyes and the control. These extracts were then STR profiled and all dyes and control produced full DNA profiles. STR loci in the presence of GelGreen^TM at 1X concentration showed increased amplification products in comparison to the control samples. Full STR profiles were detected in the presence of EvaGreen? (1X), although with reduced amplification products. RedSafe? (1X), Diamond? Dye (1X), and SYBR^® Green I (1X) all exhibited varying degrees of locus drop‐out with GelRed? generating no loci at all. We provide recommendations for the best dye to visualize the presence of DNA profile as a biological stain and its subsequent amplification and detection.     

A framework for the development of STR genotyping in domestic animal species: Characterization and population study of 12 canine X‐chromosome loci

This study reports the methodology used to search, select and characterize STR loci on the canine X chromosome using publicly available genome resources and following the current guidelines for human and non‐human forensic testing. After several rounds of selection, 12 X‐STR markers were optimized for simultaneous co‐amplification in a single PCR, and genetic profiles were determined in a sample of 103 unrelated dogs. Mendelian inheritance was verified and mutation rates were assessed using family groups. Alleles that varied in size were sequenced to create a standardized nomenclature proposal based on the number of repeats. All loci conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectations. The resulting panel showed high forensic efficiency, presenting high values of power of discrimination (in males and females) and mean exclusion chance, both in trios involving female offspring and in duos composed of dam and male offspring. Its use may complement the information obtained by autosomal STR analysis and contribute to the resolution of complex cases of kinship in dogs. The presented methodology for the de novo construction of an STR multiplex may also provide a helpful framework for analogous work in other animal species. As an increasing number of reference genomes become available, convenient tools for individual identification and parentage testing based on STR loci selected from autosomes or sex chromosomes' sequences may be created following this strategy.     

Kinetic model of reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization in microemulsions

A simplified kinetic model for RAFT microemulsion polymerization has been developed to facilitate the investigation of the effects of slow fragmentation of the intermediate macro‐RAFT radical, termination reactions, and diffusion rate of the chain transfer agent to the locus of polymerization on the control of the polymerization and the rate of monomer conversion. This simplified model captures the experimentally observed decrease in the rate of polymerization, and the shift of the rate maximum to conversions less than the 39% conversion predicted by the Morgan model for uncontrolled microemulsion polymerizations. The model shows that the short, but finite, lifetime of the intermediate macro‐RAFT radical (1.3 × 10^?4–1.3 × 10^?2 s) causes the observed rate retardation in RAFT microemulsion polymerizations of butyl acrylate with the chain transfer agent methyl‐2‐(O‐ethylxanthyl)propionate. The calculated magnitude of the fragmentation rate constant (k_f = 4.0 × 10¹–4.0 × 10³ s^?1) is greater than the literature values for bulk RAFT polymerizations that only consider slow fragmentation of the macro‐RAFT radical and not termination (k_f = 10^?2 s^?1). This is consistent with the finding that slow fragmentation promotes biradical termination in RAFT microemulsion polymerizations. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 604–613, 2010     

Thermal Studies of New Lead(II) Coated‐Wire Membrane Electrodes

Five plastic membrane Pb²⁺‐selective electrodes were prepared based on 1,4‐bis(N‐tosyl‐o‐aminophenoxy)butane I , 1,4‐bis(N‐allyl‐N‐tosyl‐o‐aminophenoxy)butane II , 1,4‐bis(N‐benzyl‐N‐tosyl‐o‐aminophenoxy)butane III , 1,4‐bis[N‐(o‐allyloxybenzyl)‐N‐tosyl‐o‐aminophenoxy]butane IV , and 1,4‐bis(N‐octyl‐N‐tosyl‐o‐aminophenoxy)butane V as neutral carriers. The electrodes exhibited nearly Nernstian responses over the concentration ranges, 2.5×10^?4–4.0×10^?2, 2.5×10^?5–4.0×10^?2, 7.9×10^?5–4.0×10^?2, 2.2×10^?5–4.0×10^?2, and 1.9×10^?4–4.0×10^?2 M for electrodes composed with the ionophores I–V , respectively. All electrodes showed pH range of about 4.0 to 11.5 and working temperature range of 22 to 70 °C with isothermal temperature coefficients of 1.19×10^?3, 1.16×10^?3, 1.16×10^?3, 1.00×10^?3 , and 1.32×10^?3 V/°C for electrodes I–V respectively.     

Rate coefficients and mechanisms of the reaction of cl‐atoms with a series of unsaturated hydrocarbons under atmospheric conditions

Rate coefficients and/or mechanistic information are provided for the reaction of Cl‐atoms with a number of unsaturated species, including isoprene, methacrolein ( MACR ), methyl vinyl ketone ( MVK ), 1,3‐butadiene, trans‐2‐butene, and 1‐butene. The following Cl‐atom rate coefficients were obtained at 298 K near 1 atm total pressure: k(isoprene) = (4.3 ± 0.6) × 10^?10cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (independent of pressure from 6.2 to 760 Torr); k( MVK ) = (2.2 ± 0.3) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k( MACR ) = (2.4 ± 0.3) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k(trans‐2‐butene) = (4.0 ± 0.5) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1; k(1‐butene) = (3.0 ± 0.4) × 10^?10 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. Products observed in the Cl‐atom‐initiated oxidation of the unsaturated species at 298 K in 1 atm air are as follows (with % molar yields in parentheses): CH₂O (9.5 ± 1.0%), HCOCl (5.1 ± 0.7%), and 1‐chloro‐3‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐one (CMBO, not quantified) from isoprene; chloroacetaldehyde (75 ± 8%), CO₂ (58 ± 5%), CH₂O (47 ± 7%), CH₃OH (8%), HCOCl (7 ± 1%), and peracetic acid (6%) from MVK ; CO (52 ± 4%), chloroacetone (42 ± 5%), CO₂ (23 ± 2%), CH₂O (18 ± 2%), and HCOCl (5%) from MACR ; CH₂O (7 ± 1%), HCOCl (3%), acrolein (≈3%), and 4‐chlorocrotonaldehyde (CCA, not quantified) from 1,3‐butadiene; CH₃CHO (22 ± 3%), CO₂ (13 ± 2%), 3‐chloro‐2‐butanone (13 ± 4%), CH₂O (7.6 ± 1.1%), and CH₃OH (1.8 ± 0.6%) from trans‐2‐butene; and chloroacetaldehyde (20 ± 3%), CH₂O (7 ± 1%), CO₂ (4 ± 1%), and HCOCl (4 ± 1%) from 1‐butene. Product yields from both trans‐2‐butene and 1‐butene were found to be O₂‐dependent. In the case of trans‐2‐butene, the observed O₂‐dependence is the result of a competition between unimolecular decomposition of the CH₃CH(Cl)? CH(O?)? CH₃ radical and its reaction with O₂, with k_decomp/k_O2 = (1.6 ± 0.4) × 10¹⁹ molecule cm^?3. The activation energy for decomposition is estimated at 11.5 ± 1.5 kcal mol^?1. The variation of the product yields with O₂ in the case of 1‐butene results from similar competitive reaction pathways for the two β‐chlorobutoxy radicals involved in the oxidation, ClCH₂CH(O?)CH₂CH₃ and ?OCH₂CHClCH₂CH₃. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 334–353, 2003     

Genetic diversity and haplotype structure of 24 Y‐chromosomal STR in Chinese Hui ethnic group and its genetic relationships with other populations

In the present study, 24 Y‐chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y‐STR) loci were analyzed in 115 unrelated Hui male individuals from Haiyuan county or Tongxin county, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China, to evaluate the forensic application of the 24 STR loci and to analyze interpopulation differentiations by making comparisons between the Hui group data and previously published data of other 13 populations. A total of 115 different haplotypes were observed on these 24 Y‐STR loci. The gene diversities ranged from 0.4049 (DYS437) to 0.9729 (DYS385a, b). The overall haplotype diversity was 1 at AGCU 24 Y‐STR loci level, while the values were reduced to 0.999237, 0.996949, and 0.996644 at the Y‐filer 17 loci, 11 Y‐STR loci of extended haplotype and 9 Y‐STR loci of minimal haplotype levels, respectively; whereas, haplotype diversity for additional 7 loci (not included in Y‐filer 17 loci) was 0.995271. The pairwise F_ST, multidimensional scaling plot and neighbor‐joining tree indicated the Hui group had the closest genetic relationship with Sala in the paternal lineage in the present study. In summary, the results in our study indicated the 24 Y‐STRs had a high level of polymorphism in Hui group and hence could be a powerful tool for forensic application and population genetic study.     

Simultaneous Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Ascorbic Acid and Caffeine in Pharmaceutical Formulations Using a Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrode

A cathodically pretreated boron‐doped diamond electrode was used for the simultaneous anodic determination of ascorbic acid (AA) and caffeine (CAF) by differential pulse voltammetry. Linear calibration curves (r=0.999) were obtained from 1.9×10^?5 to 2.1×10^?4 mol L^?1 for AA and from 9.7×10^?6 to 1.1×10^?4 mol L^?1 for CAF, with detection limits of 19 μmol L^?1 and 7.0 μmol L^?1, respectively. This method was successfully applied for the determination of AA and CAF in pharmaceutical formulations, with results equal to those obtained using a HPLC reference method.     

Massively parallel sequencing of STRs using a 29-plex panel reveals stutter sequence characteristics

Massively parallel sequencing of forensic STRs simultaneously provides length-based genotypes and core repeat sequences as well as flanking sequence variations. Here, we report primer sequences and concentrations of a next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based in-house panel covering 28 autosomal STR loci (CSF1PO, D1GATA113, D1S1627, D1S1656, D1S1677, D2S441, D2S1776, D3S3053, D5S818, D6S474, D6S1017, D6S1043, D8S1179, D9S2157, D10S1435, D11S4463, D13S317, D14S1434, D16S539, D18S51, D18S853, D20S482, D20S1082, D22S1045, FGA, TH01, TPOX, and vWA) and the sex determinant locus Amelogenin. Preliminary evaluation experiments showed that the panel yielded intralocus- and interlocus-balanced sequencing data with a sensitivity as low as 62.5 pg input DNA. A total of 203 individuals from Yunnan Bai population were sequenced with this panel. Comparative forensic genetic analyses showed that sequence-based matching probability of this 29-plex panel reached 2.37 × 10⁻²⁹, which was 23 times lower than the length-based data. Compound stutter sequences of eight STRs were compared with parental alleles. For seven loci, repeat motif insertions or deletions occurred in the longest uninterrupted repeat sequences (LUS). However, LUS and non-LUS stutters co-existed in the locus D6S474 with different sequencing depth ratios. These results supplemented our current knowledge of forensic STR stutters, and provided a sound basis for DNA mixture deconvolution.     

Square‐Wave Voltammetry Applied to the Analysis of the Dye Marker,Solvent Blue 14, in Kerosene and Fuel Alcohol

The purpose of this paper is to develop an electroanalytical method based on square‐wave voltammetry (SWV) for the determination of the solvent blue 14 (SB‐14) in fuel samples. The electrochemical reduction of SB‐14 at glassy carbon electrode in a mixture of Britton‐Robinson buffer with N,N‐dimethylformamide (1 : 1, v/v) presented a well‐defined peak at?0.40 V vs. Ag/AgCl. All parameters of the SWV technique were optimized and the electroanalytical method presented a linear response from 1.0×10^?6 to 6.0×10^?6 mol L^?1 (r=0.998) with a detection limit of 2.90×10^?7 mol L^?1. The developed method was successfully utilized in the quantification of the dye SB‐14 in kerosene and alcohol samples with average recovery from 93.00 to 98.10%.     

Gas‐phase ozonolysis: Rate coefficients for a series of terpenes and rate coefficients and OH yields for 2‐methyl‐2‐butene and 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene

The kinetics of the gas‐phase reactions of O₃ with a series of selected terpenes has been investigated under flow‐tube conditions at a pressure of 100 mbar synthetic air at 295 ± 0.5 K. In the presence of a large excess of m‐xylene as an OH radical scavenger, rate coefficients k(O₃+terpene) were obtained with a relative rate technique, (unit: cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, errors represent 2σ): α‐pinene: (1.1 ± 0.2) × 10^?16, ³Δ‐carene: (5.9 ± 1.0) × 10^?17, limonene: (2.5 ± 0.3) × 10^?16, myrcene: (4.8 ± 0.6) × 10^?16, trans‐ocimene: (5.5 ± 0.8) × 10^?16, terpinolene: (1.6 ± 0.4) × 10^?15 and α‐terpinene: (1.5 ± 0.4) × 10^?14. Absolute rate coefficients for the reaction of O₃ with the used reference substances (2‐methyl‐2‐butene and 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene) were measured in a stopped‐flow system at a pressure of 500 mbar synthetic air at 295 ± 2 K using FT‐IR spectroscopy, (unit: cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, errors represent 2σ ): 2‐methyl‐2‐butene: (4.1 ± 0.5) × 10^?16 and 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene: (1.0 ± 0.2) × 10^?15. In addition, OH radical yields were found to be 0.47 ± 0.04 for 2‐methyl‐2‐butene and 0.77 ± 0.04 for 2,3‐dimethyl‐2‐butene. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 394–403, 2002     

Rate coefficients for the gas‐phase reaction of isoprene with NO3 and NO2

Rate coefficients for the gas‐phase reaction of isoprene with nitrate radicals and with nitrogen dioxide were determined. A Teflon collapsible chamber with solid phase micro extraction (SPME) for sampling and gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC/FID) and a glass reactor with long‐path FTIR spectroscopy were used to study the NO₃ radical reaction using the relative rate technique with trans‐2‐butene and 2‐buten‐1‐ol (crotyl alcohol) as reference compounds. The rate coefficients obtained are k(isoprene + NO₃) = (5.3 ± 0.2) × 10^?13 and k(isoprene + NO₃) = (7.3 ± 0.9) × 10^?13 for the reference compounds trans‐2‐butene and 2‐buten‐1‐ol, respectively. The NO₂ reaction was studied using the glass reactor and FTIR spectroscopy under pseudo‐first‐order reaction conditions with both isoprene and NO₂ in excess over the other reactant. The obtained rate coefficient was k(isoprene + NO₂) = (1.15 ± 0.08) × 10^?19. The apparent rate coefficient for the isoprene and NO₂ reaction in air when NO₂ decay was followed was (1.5 ± 0.2) × 10^?19. The discrepancy is explained by the fast formation of peroxy nitrates. Nitro‐ and nitrito‐substituted isoprene and isoprene‐peroxynitrate were tentatively identified products from this reaction. All experiments were conducted at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure in nitrogen or synthetic air. All rate coefficients are in units of cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, and the errors are three standard deviations from a linear least square analyses of the experimental data. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 57–65, 2005