Comparison of the Disinfection Effects of Vacuum-UV (VUV) and UV Light on Bacillus subtilis Spores in Aqueous Suspensions at 172, 222 and 254 nm

The efficacy of UV and vacuum-UV (VUV) disinfection of Bacillus subtilis spores in aqueous suspensions at wavelengths of 172, 222 and 254 nm was evaluated. A Xe₂* excilamp, a KrCl* excilamp and a low-pressure mercury lamp were used as almost monochromatic light sources at these three wavelengths. The first-order inactivation rate constants at 172, 222 and 254 nm were 0.0023, 0.122 and 0.069 cm² mJ⁻¹, respectively. Therefore, a 2 log reduction of B .  subtilis spores was reached with fluences (UV doses) of 870, 21.6 and 40.4 mJ cm⁻² at these individual wavelengths. Consequently, for the inactivation of B .  subtilis spores, VUV exposure at 172 nm is much less efficient than exposure at the other two wavelengths, while exposure at 222 nm is more efficient than that at 254 nm, which is probably because triplet energy transfer from DPA to thymine bases at 222 nm is higher than that at 254 nm. This research indicated quantitatively that VUV light is not practicable for microorganism disinfection in water and wastewater treatment. However, in comparison with other advanced oxidation processes ( e.g. UV/TiO₂, UV/H₂O₂ or O₃/H₂O₂) the VUV-initiated photolysis of water is likely more efficient in generating hydroxyl radicals and more effective for the inactivation of microorganisms.     

Action spectra for modification of Escherichia coli B/r menaquinone by near-ultraviolet and visible radiations (313-578 nm)

–Menaquinone-8 (MQ-8) was irradiated in vivo in Escherichia coli B/r and in vitro after extraction from E. coli B/r, using monochromatic radiation in the range 313–578 nm. Within experimental error, the action spectra for loss of chromatographic mobility after irradiation in vivo and in vitro agree with each other and with the absorption spectrum of pure MQ-8. The MQ-8 is extremely sensitive to near-UV light (300–380 nm), showing an F₃₇in vivo at 334 nm of 1.3 kj/m², a value 15 times lower than that required for growth delay, and 150 times lower than that for killing, of E. coli B/r. The quantum yield for this reaction in vivo at 334 nm has the very high value of 0.26. The high sensitivity of MQ-8 suggests involvement in near-UV-induced effects on the plasma membrane.     

Absorption cross-sections of NO2 in the UV and visible region (200 – 700 nm) at 298 K

The absorption cross-sections of NO₂ have been measured in the wavelength range 200 – 700 nm at 298 K with a spectral resolution of 0.04 nm. The data were acquired digitally, allowing post-processing such as integration in different wavelength intervals. The cross-sections are averaged over 1 nm intervals and over the atmospheric wavelength intervals used in solar photolysis calculations.     

Excess molar enthalpies of binary mixtures containing poly(ethylene glycol) 200+four cyclic ethers at (288.15, 298.15 and 313.15) K and at atmospheric pressure

Excess molar enthalpies, H_m^E, of binary mixtures containing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) 200+1,3-dioxolane, PEG 200+1,4-dioxane, PEG 200+oxolane and PEG 200+oxane were determined using a flow microcalorimeter at (288.15, 298.15 and 313.15) K and at atmospheric pressure. The H_m^E curves are always positive, with maxima varying from 393 J mol⁻¹ (1,3-dioxolane) to 658 J mol⁻¹ (oxolane), showing asymmetrical trends. The effect of the temperature is well marked on the calorimetric data that increase as the temperature is increased. The Redlich-Kister polynomial was used to estimate the binary fitting parameters. Root-mean-square deviations from the regression lines are reported.     

Oxygen vacancy formation for transient structures on the CeO2(110) surface at 300 and 750 K

Ab initio embedded-cluster calculations have been performed for the CeO2(110) surface using temperature induced structures from molecular dynamics (MD) snapshots. As a first step towards understanding how temperature induced distortions of the surface structure influence the surface oxygen reactivity, the energy cost of removing an O atom from the surface was calculated for 41 snapshots from the MD simulation at 300 K. The quantum mechanical embedded-cluster calculations show that already at 300 K the dynamics causes significant fluctuations (root mean square of 0.37 eV) in the O vacancy formation energy (Evac) while the distribution of the two excess electrons associated with the vacancy is virtually unaffected by the surface dynamics and remains localized on the two Ce ions close to the vacancy. It is also found that the quantum mechanical Evac fluctuations can be reproduced by oxygen vacancy calculations using only the relaxed shell-model force field (FF) itself and the MD geometries. Using the FF as the interaction model, the effect of raising the temperature to 750 K and the effect of doping with Ca were investigated for the oxygen vacancy formation.     

Facile preparation of highly monodisperse small silica spheres (15 to >200 nm) suitable for colloidal templating and formation of ordered arrays

Highly monodisperse spherical silica nanoparticles with diameters ranging from ca. 15 to 200 nm were prepared using an environmentally friendly water-based synthesis. The size of the spheres can be precisely controlled by using a facile regrowth procedure in the same reaction media. Furthermore, these monodisperse silica spheres can be successfully used as seeds in the well-established St?ber silica preparation. The regrowth approach allows for easy incorporation of functional additives. High monodispersity and charge stabilization renders these nanoparticles highly suitable for close-packed array formation and colloidal templating.     

Bubble-Point Data for the Systems: Bromobenzene(1)-Nitrobenzene(2) and Bromobenzene(1)-2-Nitrotoluene(2) at 200 and at 700 mm Hg

Abstract

The bubble-point data were collected on a Swietoslawski type ebulliometer for the title systems each at 200 and 700 mm Hg. Calculated VLE data along with the activity coefficients and excess gibbs free energy values through the use of the Wilson equation are reported. The data are analysed for the nonideal behaviour of the systems. The pure-component Vapour-Pressure-temperature relationships are also presented.     

Ion trapping at atmospheric pressure (760 Torr) and room temperature with a high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer

A method for the confinement of ions at 760 Torr and room temperature is described. We have recently shown that a cylindrical-geometry high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS), which utilizes an ion separation technique based on the change in ion mobility at high electric fields, focuses ions in two dimensions. This article describes a FAIMS device in which the focusing is extended to three dimensions (i.e. ion trap). Characterization of the ion trap was carried out using a laboratory-constructed time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The half-life of a m/z 380 ion in the trap was determined to be 5 ms.     

Determination of polymer additives by liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. A comparison of atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), and electrospray ionization (ESI)

A method for the determination of polymer additives like antioxidants, UV absorbers and processing stabilizers using liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry (APPI-MS) is presented. Ion source parameters were optimized regarding temperatures, gas flow rates, and voltages applied. Detection limits were determined using APPI with or without dopant and were compared with electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI). Differences between APPI, ESI and APCI are pointed out and the effect of the dopant toluene and acetone is discussed. The optimized method yielded detection limits between 0.001 mg L⁻¹ and 0.022 mg L⁻¹ for 15 different analytes. Linear calibration plots could be obtained for all solutes over a wide concentration range showing satisfying repeatability with standard deviations of peak areas between 3.4% and 7.6%. The results indicate that the developed method can be regarded as suitable for the quantitative determination of polymer additives even at low concentration levels.     

Isobaric (vapour+liquid) equilibria data for the binary systems (toluene+acetic acid) and (toluene+methyl ethyl ketone) at atmospheric pressure

Isobaric vapour–liquid equilibrium data have been measured for the binary systems toluene (1) + acetic acid (2) and toluene (1) + methyl ethyl ketone (2) at atmospheric pressure. An all-glass Fischer–Labodest-type apparatus, capable of handling pressures from 0.25 to 400 kPa and temperatures up to 523.15 K was used. The data were correlated by means of the NRTL, UNIQUAC, WILSON models and the applied UNIFAC model with satisfactory results; the relevant parameters are given and results were tested with regard to thermodynamic consistency using the methods of a modified Redlich–Kister and Herington equations.     

Complex formation of copper(II) and iron(II) with octadecyloxythiazolylazophenol at the heptane-water interface.

The complex formation of Cu(II) and Fe(II) with a hydrophobic ligand, 5-(octadecyloxy)-2-(2-thiazolylazo)phenol (TARC18), was investigated in the heptane/water system by the high-speed stirring spectrometry and the micro-two phase flow ESI/MS method. At first, the dissociation constant of TARC18 at the heptane/water interface was determined as pKa = 7.11. The interfacial complexation of the ligand with Cu(II) and Fe(II) under stirred conditions progressed with an increase of the pH. The experimental results showed that a 1:1 complex of Cu(II) and TARC18 was formed at the interface, but was hardly extracted into the heptane phase. On the other hand, the 1:2 complex of Fe(II) with TARC18 formed at the interface was significantly extracted into the heptane phase. The extraction constants and interfacial complex formation constants were estimated for the two systems from the experimental results, and all of the reaction schemes, including the interfacial reactions, were elucidated.     

Combined protocol for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) from sediments using focussed microwave assisted (FMW) extraction at atmospheric pressure

A microwave-assisted protocol has been developed using focussed microwaves at atmospheric pressure for the extraction of PAHs and PCBs from sediments. It combines extraction and purification assisted by microwaves. This protocol has been applied to the quantification of 12 individual PAHs, 8 individual PCBs and 8 PCB coeluted mixtures from two Standard Reference Materials and one natural sediment. The results for both classes of compounds (PAHs and PCBs) are good in terms of recoveries, which are always greater than 70% and in most cases around 100%. The reproducibility is also good with coefficients of variation below 10% in most cases. This protocol has the great advantage of saving time, the time dedicated to the preparation / extraction assisted by microwaves being reduced to less than half an hour.     

Combined protocol for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBx) from sediments using focussed microwave assisted (FMW) extraction at atmospheric pressure

A microwave-assisted protocol has been developed using focussed microwaves at atmospheric pressure for the extraction of PAHs and PCBs from sediments. It combines extraction and purification assisted by microwaves. This protocol has been applied to the quantification of 12 individual PAHs, 8 individual PCBs and 8 PCB coeluted mixtures from two Standard Reference Materials and one natural sediment. The results for both classes of compounds (PAHs and PCBs) are good in terms of recoveries, which are always greater than 70% and in most cases around 100%. The reproducibility is also good with coefficients of variation below 10% in most cases. This protocol has the great advantage of saving time, the time dedicated to the preparation / extraction assisted by microwaves being reduced to less than half an hour.     

Kinetics of electron attachment to OH and HNO3 and mutual neutralization of Ar+ with NO2(-) and NO3(-) at 300 and 500 K

The electron attachment rate constant to nitric acid (HNO(3)) has been measured in a flowing afterglow-Langmuir probe (FALP) apparatus at 300 and 500 K using three independent methods: the traditional FALP technique of monitoring electron depletion, "one-gas" VENDAMS (variable electron and neutral density attachment mass spectrometry), and "two-gas" VENDAMS. The three measurements are in agreement with a 300 K weighted average of 1.4 ± 0.3 × 10(-7) cm(3) s(-1), 2 to 10 times higher than previously reported values. Attachment is primarily dissociative yielding NO(2)(-) as previously reported, but for the first time a small endothermic channel to produce OH(-) was also observed at 500 K. From the one-gas VENDAMS data, associative attachment to the OH produced in the primary attachment was found to occur with an effective two body rate constant of 1.2±(0.7) (3)×10(-11) cm(3) s(-1) at 300 K, the first reported rate constant for this radical species. Finally, ion-ion neutralization rate constants of NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) with Ar(+) were determined to be 5.2±(2.5) (1.5) × 10(-8) and 4.5 ± 2.5 × 10(-8) cm(3) s(-1) at 300 K, respectively.     

Experimental study of the dehydration reactions gypsum-bassanite and bassanite-anhydrite at high pressure: indication of anomalous behavior of H(2)O at high pressure in the temperature range of 50-300 degrees C

The system CaSO(4)-H(2)O, characterized by the three dehydration reactions gypsum-anhydrite, gypsum-bassanite, and bassanite-anhydrite, was reexamined by in situ differential pressure analysis in the temperature range of 60-350 degrees C up to 3.5 GPa pressure. The investigation revealed a fine structure in the dehydration boundaries of gypsum-bassanite and bassanite-anhydrite, each characterized by three inflections at 0.9-1.0, 1.9-2.0, and 2.6-28 GPa. In addition, the phase transition of anhydrite high pressure anhydrite (monazite structure) was established for the first time at high P-T conditions intersecting the bassanite-anhydrite dehydration boundary at 2.15 GPa250 degrees C. Furthermore, the triple point gypsum-bassanite-anhydrite was redetermined with 235 MPa80.5 degrees C. The evaluation of the gypsum-bassanite dehydration boundary with respect to the volume and entropy change of the reaction, DeltaV(react) and DeltaS(react), by means of the Clausius-Clapeyron relation yields for the entropy parameter an unusually large increase over the range of the noted inflections. This is interpreted as anomalous entropy behavior of H(2)O related presumably to a dramatic increase in fluctuations of the hydrogen network of the liquid leading possibly into a new structural state. The effect is strongly related to the three noted pressure levels of 0.9-1.0, 1.9-2.0, and 2.6-28 GPa. In a synopsis of data including also a previous high pressure study in the temperature range between 0 and 80 degrees C, a tentative P-T diagram of H(2)O is proposed.     

Stabilities and Near UV. Charge transfer spectra of binuclear and heterobinuclear complexes of N,N′-bis-[2-(2-pyridylmethyl-amino)-ethyl]-oxamide with transition-metal ions

The formation of complexes of N,N′-bis-[2-(2-pyridylmethyl-amino)-ethyl]-oxamide (PAOH₂) with Mn²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ has been studied potentiometrically and spectrophotometrically. Besides mononnclear species, PAOH₂ forms the binuclear or heterobinuclear complexes Cu₂(PAOH₂)⁴⁺, Cu₂PAO²⁺, Zn₂PAO²⁺, CuNiPAO²⁺, and probably CuZnPAO²⁺ Some of these five compounds show an UV. absorption band near 350 nm reminiscent of that to dimeric copper acetate. The results suggest that charge transfer from the oxamidato group to Cu²⁺ is responsible for the near UV. absorption.     

Photochemistry of 4-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridines. Evidence for electron transfer and formation of an intermediate

New evidence about the path followed in the photochemical reaction of 4-(2-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridines such as the drugs nifedipine (Compound 1) and nisoldipine (Compound 2) to give the corresponding nitrosophenylpyridines has been found through determination of the steady-state photochemical parameters and a comparison of the photoreactions in solution and in matrix at 90 K. Additional support is given by comparison with the isomeric 4-(3-nitrophenyl)dihydropyridine as well as with simpler derivatives, such as the corresponding 4-methyldihydropyridine. In Compounds 1 and 2, the lowest lying singlet, localized on the dihydropyridine chromophore, is deactivated by (largely exothermic) electron transfer to the nitrobenzene moiety, as evidenced by the complete quenching of the blue fluorescence observed in analogues not containing the electron-accepting group. Intramolecular proton transfer ensues in the 2-nitrophenyl derivatives with a relatively medium-independent quantum yield of approximately 0.3 and leads to an aromatic zwitterion, which is detected in matrix at 90 K (photoionization of this intermediate takes place in 2-methyltetrahydrofuran secondary). The intermediate is smoothly converted into the end product upon melting the glass. The 3-nitrophenyl analog, for which such a path is not available, is less reactive by about three orders of magnitude at 366 nm, although the quantum yield arrives at approximately 0.01 by irradiation at 254 nm in MeOH, reasonably via the nitrophenyl localized triplet.