Infrared macro and semimicro determination of nitrogen in raw nitrocellulose and nitrocellulose contained in propellants

The infrared procedure for the determination of nitrogen in raw nitrocellulose has been improved. In the original method 0.31-0.32 g of sample was dissolved in 45 ml of tetrahydrofuran, the solution was weighed, and the infrared peak at 6.0 microm was measured. The calibration curve was prepared by plotting absorbance against mg of nitrogen per g of solution. The method has the disadvantage that the height of the peak is affected by the sample weight. In the improved method the error due to the sample weight is eliminated by using 0.3000 g of sample and diluting to 50 ml in a volumetric flask. The calibration curve is prepared by plotting absorbance against % nitrogen. The method was extended to the semimicro scale by using a 30.0-mg sample and diluting to 5 ml in a volumetric flask. The method has been applied on the macro and semimicro scales to the direct determination of nitrogen in nitrocellulose after a methylene chloride extraction. The amounts of graphite and inorganic salts found in nitrocellulose-base propellants do not interfere, but a correction must be made to refer the results to 0.3000 g of nitrocellulose for the macro method or 30.0 mg of nitrocellulose for the semimicro method. The same calibration curve is used for all procedures.     

Application of a nanostructured supramolecular solvent for the microextraction of diphenylamine and its mono‐nitrated derivatives from unburned single‐base propellants

A supramolecular solvent made up of nano‐sized inverted hexagonal aggregates of 1‐octanol is proposed for the microextraction of diphenylamine and its mono‐nitrated derivatives in unburned single‐base propellants. The procedure included the extraction of sub‐gram quantities (30 mg) of homogenized propellant with 1.5 mL of the supramolecular solvent. Several conditions affecting extraction efficiency, for example the concentrations of the major components of the supramolecular solvent (tetrahydrofuran and alkanol), alkanol type, solvent pH, and extraction time, were investigated and optimized. The main forces for the microextraction of analytes in the nanostructured supramolecular solvent include both dispersion and hydrogen bond interactions. This mixed‐mode mechanism resulted in high extraction efficiencies reaching low method detection limits (0.005–0.012 mg/g) without the need for extract evaporation. Under the optimum conditions, recoveries in samples ranged between about 82.6 and 98.7%. Compared to the reference method, the proposed method is simple and rapid, delivering accurate and precise results, and can be applied for routine determination of diphenylamine and its derivatives in propellants. The precision of the method, expressed as relative standard deviation, was about 4.3–10.9%.     

Semimicro spectrophotometric determination of nitroglycerine in propellants by use of 2,4-xylenol

A semimicro spectrophotometric method using 2,4-xylenol is proposed for the determination of nitroglycerine in propellants. The propellant is extracted with methylene chloride, the extract is diluted, and a 10-ml aliquot is evaporated just to dryness. Then 2,4-xylenol reagent and 63% v/v sulphuric acid are added to hydrolyse the nitroglycerine to nitrate and form 6-nitro-2,4-xylenol which is steam-distilled in a Parnas-Wagner Kjeldahl distillation apparatus into a water-ammonia-isopropyl alcohol mixture. The absorbance of the yellow solution of the anion of the 6-nitro-2,4-xylenol is measured. The calibration curve is prepared from potassium nitrate and an empirical factor (5.50) is used to convert from nitrogen content to nitroglycerine (the theoretical factor is 5.40). The 2,4-xylenol should be added before the sulphuric acid in order to prevent interference from diphenylamine and ethyl centralite. The method is designed for the usual nitrocellulose double-base propellants containing 8-50% of nitroglycerine.     

Simultaneous determination of vitamin A and beta-carotene in dietary supplements by liquid chromatography

Several liquid chromatography (LC) methods for analysis of vitamin A in foods and feeds have been previously reported but only a few have been applied in non-food matrixes. A validated LC method is needed for determination of vitamin A and beta-carotene in the various matrixes presented by dietary supplements. The performance of a reversed-phase method with methanol-isopropanol gradient elution was evaluated with standard retinyl derivatives and beta-carotene. The reversed-phase method is capable of separating retinol from other derivatives such as retinyl acetate, retinyl palmitate, and beta-carotene. Two types of extraction were used to extract the analytes from the dietary supplements: a hexane-methylene chloride extraction for soft-gel capsules containing beta-carotene, and a direct solvent extraction for dietary supplements in tablet form. The direct solvent extraction consisted of treatment with ethanol and methylene chloride following addition of hot water (55 degrees C). Results with the reversed-phase method for vitamin A and beta-carotene in the products examined (n = 8) indicated excellent method performance. The main form of vitamin A or beta-carotene in dietary supplements was the all-trans isomer. The reversed-phase method avoids saponification and is rapid, accurate, precise, and suitable for simultaneous determination of retinyl derivatives and beta-carotene in dietary supplements.     

Method validation for the determination of propellant components by Soxhlet extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A fast, sensitive, and accurate GC/MS method for the quantification of aliphatic nitroesters (ethylene glycol dinitrate, nitroglycerin, and triethylene glycol dinitrate) and aromatic amines (diphenylamine, 2-nitrodiphenylamine, and triphenylamine) in propellants was developed and validated. This method comprises a Soxhlet extraction step with dichloromethane, followed by separation on a capillary column MDN-5. Ionization of the analytes is carried out using electron ionization. The limit of quantification of the method was 1% w/w for aliphatic nitroesters and 0.1% w/w for aromatic amines (diphenylamine and triphenylamine). Values of repeatability and reproducibility for analyzed compounds were smaller than values of the maximum allowed tolerances of the Horwitz-equation RSD(max) and 2/3 RSD(max). Values of accuracy for selected compounds were below the acceptable threshold of 15% for all tested levels in the range of calibration curve excepting the lowest concentration of calibration curve for nitroglycerin and aromatic amines. During the validation of method, temperature instability in injection port of gas chromatograph and column was observed for 2-nitrodiphenylamine. Hence, it follows worse results of accuracy and linearity and 2-nitrodiphenylamine was not validated successfully.     

Poly(vinyl chloride)–poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers: Synthesis and characterization

Poly(vinyl chloride)-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers have been synthesized in solution and emulsion. The polymers were made by first synthesizing macroazonitriles through the reaction of 4,4′-azobis-4-cyanovleryl chloride with hydroxy-terminated poly(ethylene oxide) of varying molecular weights. These macroazonitriles had molecular weights in the range of 3000–88,000 and degrees of polymerization from 5 to 24. Thermal decomposition of the azolinkages in the presence of vinyl chloride monomer yielded block copolymers containing form 2 to 20 wt % poly(ethylene oxide). The structures of the block copolymers were characterized by spectrometric, elemental and molecular weight analyses. The possibility of some graft polymerization occurring via free-radical extraction of a methylene hydrogen from the poly(ethylene oxide) was considered. Polymerization of vinyl chloride with an azonitrile initiator in the presence of a poly(ethylene oxide) yielded predominately homopolymer with some grafted poly(vinyl chloride).     

Determination of diphenylamine and its mono-derivatives in single-base gun propellants during aging by high performance liquid chromatography

Summary The separation and quantitative determination of diphenylamine and its mono-derivatives in single-base gun propellants during aging was investigated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). We have defined optimal conditions to allow determination of diphenylamine and its mono-derivatives during aging until their levels fell below limits of detection. These compounds were determined in a single-base gun propellant during a storage period of 168 hours at 100°C using a developed, successfully verified HPLC method.     

Determination of soluble styphnate and nitrate in waste-water from lead styphnate primer plants

Methods are proposed for the determination of soluble styphnate and nitrate in waste-water from lead styphnate primer plants. The styphnate is extracted from the waste-water with methylene chloride and is determined by measurement of the absorbance of the methylene chloride solution at 273 nm. The nitrate is determined in the aqueous solution left after the methylene extraction by measurement of the absorbance at 220 nm. For complete extraction of the styphnate by the methylene chloride, the solution must be moderately acidic (about 6% perchloric acid). The acidity for the determination of the nitrate is not critical. Before the determination of the nitrate in the aqueous extract, it is necessary to boil the solution to eliminate residual methylene chloride which would interfere with the determination of nitrate. PETN is extracted by the methylene chloride but does not interfere with the determination of the styphnate, since it shows no interfering peaks. Chloride, sulphate, phosphate, fluoride and carbonate do not interfere with the determination of styphnate or nitrate.     

Field and laboratory determination of a poly(vinyl/vinylidene chloride) additive in brick mortar

A polymerized vinyl/vinylidene chloride additive, used in brick mortar during the 60s and 70s, is detected at the building site by the field method, which employs a commercially available chloride test strip. The field test results can then be verified by the laboratory methods. In one method, total chlorine in the mortar is determined by an oxygen-bomb method and the additive chloride is determined by difference after water-soluble chlorides have been determined on a separate sample. In the second method, the polymerized additive is extracted directly from the mortar with tetrahydrofuran (THF). The difference in weight before and after extraction of the additive gives the weight of additive in the mortar. Evaporation of the THF from the extract leaves a thin film of the polymer, which gives an infrared "fingerprint" spectrum characteristic of the additive polymer.     

Measuring naphthenic acids concentrations in aqueous environmental samples by liquid chromatography

Naphthenic acids are found in wastewaters from petroleum refineries and oil sands extraction plants. Currently, the concentrations of these toxic carboxylic acids are determined by extracting them into methylene chloride and measuring the absorption of the carboxyl group by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. An improved HPLC method, that is simpler and faster than the FTIR method, was used to detect the 2-nitrophenylhydrazides of the naphthenic acids at concentrations as low as 5 mg l(-1). Analyses of 58 oil sands water samples showed that the naphthenic acids concentrations determined by FTIR were on average 11% higher than those determined by HPLC.     

Development of a solid‐phase microextraction fiber coated with poly(methacrylic acid‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) and its application for the determination of chlorophenols in water coupled with GC

A solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) fiber coated with poly(methacrylic acid‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) coupled to GC with a micro electron‐capture detector was developed for the determination of four chlorphenols in water samples for the first time. A novel and simple method for the preparation of this novel SPME fiber was proposed by copolymerization of methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate in an appropriate solvent using a glass capillary as a “mold”. The factors affecting the polymerization were optimized in detail. Furthermore, the extraction performance of the poly(methacrylic acid‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) fiber was evaluated. Moreover, experimental headspace‐SPME parameters, such as extraction temperature, extraction time, salt concentration, stirring speed, and pH, were optimized by orthogonal array experimental designs. Under the optimized conditions, the target analytes were linear in the range of 0.2–50 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficients were all greater than 0.99. RSD was less than 8.9%, and the detection limits were in the range of 0.1–10 ng/L. Four cholorphenols were detected from tap and lake water samples using the proposed method, with the recoveries of spiked natural water samples were ranged from 91.8 to 110.8, and 90.6 to 111.4% for tap and lake water samples, respectively.     

Head space gas-chromatographic determination of residual ethylene oxide in cosmetic products

Summary A simple and rapid head space gas-chromatographic method for the determination of residual ethylene oxide in surfactants used in shampoos and other cosmetic products is described. The analyte was determined in various materials in the concentration range between 0.1 and 10 g/g and sufficient linearity of response was observed to allow use of the calibration line and/or the standard addition method (r0.977). In comparison with extraction and adsorption procedures for sampling of ethylene oxide prior to analysis, the head space technique is faster and more accurate but suffers in precision. Coefficients of variation by the interpolation of the calibration line of 10% to 30% are typical for standard solutions in methylene chloride and real samples. Better precision was obtained by the standard addition method.     

Photometric determination of quaternary ammonium compounds with hexanitrodiphenylamine. II

In strongly alkaline medium (more than 0.1 N NaOH) hexanitrodiphenylamine anion reacts with base. The reaction is rather slow and is partly reversible.Quaternary ammonium ions can be determined by extraction of their hexanitrodiphenylamine complexes with chloroform or methylene chloride at pH 11 or with methylene chloride from 3N NaOH. Only the latter method is applicable to compounds containing several quaternary ammonium groups. The compounds extracted have high molar extinction and good stability. Quaternary ammonium ions can be determined in the presence of amines, and in some cases determination of quaternary ammonium ions in admixture is possible.     

Extraction of Anthraquinones from Rhubarb by a Molecularly Imprinted–Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Method with HPLC Detection

A simple method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion for selective extraction of anthraquinones from rhubarb samples was developed using a molecularly imprinted polymer as sorbent. The molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared using emodin as the template molecule, methacrylic acid as the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the cross-linking agent. The polymer was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry. Isothermal adsorption and dynamic adsorption experiments were performed. The best extraction conditions for anthraquinones were obtained at a ratio of molecularly imprinted polymer to sample of 1:1, a dispersion time of 5 minutes, with 5% aqueous methanol as the washing solvent, and an elution solvent of methanol-acetic acid (99:1, v/v). Once the matrix solid-phase dispersion process was optimized, the extract was reacted with 8% hydrochloric acid for hydrolysis. The anthraquinones extracted from rhubarb were determined by liquid chromatography. The detection limits of chrysophanol, emodin, physcion, and aloe-emodin were 0.23, 0.24, 0.28, and 0.27 µg mL^?1, respectively. The proposed method was compared with the method in Chinese pharmacopoeia, and the results show that the extraction yield of anthraquinones obtained by molecularly imprinted polymer–matrix solid-phase dispersion method was higher. Moreover, the proposed method is faster and simpler and can achieve extraction and purification in the same system.     

Poly[(2‐(acryloyloxy) ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate monolith on‐line solid‐phase extraction coupled with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry for the fast determination of salicylic acid in foodstuffs

We report the fabrication of an anion‐exchange monolithic column in a stainless‐steel chromatographic column (10 mm × 2.1 mm i.d.) using [2‐(acryloyloxy) ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride as the monomer and ethylene dimethacrylate as the crosslinker. The prepared monolith was developed as the adsorbent for the on‐line solid‐phase extraction of salicylic acid in various animal‐origin foodstuffs combined with liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. The monolith was characterized by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption analysis, and elemental analysis. Potential factors affecting the on‐line solid‐phase extraction and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry analysis were studied in detail. Under the optimized conditions, the total analysis time including cleanup and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry separation was 17 min. The developed method gave the linear range of 15–750 μg/kg, detection limits (S/N = 3) of 5 μg/kg, and quantification limits (S/N = 10) of 15 μg/kg. The recoveries obtained by spiking 10, 20, and 100 μg/kg of salicylic acid in the animal‐origin food samples were in the range of 85.2–98.4%. In addition, the monolith was stable enough for 550 extraction cycles with the precision of peak area ≤11.6%.     

Polarographic study on the evolution of the diphenylamine as stabiliser of the solid propellants

Differential pulse polarography (DPP) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) were investigated, in order to know the stability of solid propellants which contain diphenylamine. The simultaneous determination of N-nitrousdiphenylamine (NnDPA), 2-nitrodiphenylamine (2nDPA), 4-nitrodiphenylamine (4nDPA) and 2,4-dinitrodiphenylamine (2,4dnDPA) by DPP and SWV was proposed due to these nitro-derivatives appear during the stabilisation process from degradation of diphenylamine (DPA) used as stabiliser in propellant compositions. The proposed methods were successfully applied to the simple base solid propellant (with nitrocellulose as the only active component), with its stabiliser DPA. In all cases and with both the techniques, detection limits ≤0.01 ppm were obtained.When the usual LC procedure was applied to the real sample, no significant differences were found between the obtained results and those given by the electroanalytical techniques. In addition, the detection limits reached by the electrochemical methods were better than those obtained by LC.Moreover, the proposed procedure can be considered an objective test that would avoid the use of the classic stability tests and would allow one to determine the stability of propellants accurately, faster and cheaper than LC methods.     

Novel molecularly imprinted magnetic nanoparticles for the selective extraction of protoberberine alkaloids in herbs and rat plasma

In this work, a novel magnetic nanomaterial functionalized with a molecularly imprinted polymer was prepared for the extraction of protoberberine alkaloids. Molecularly imprinted polymers were made on the surface of Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles by using berberine as template, acetonitrile/water as porogen, acrylamide as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross‐linker. The optimized molar ratio of template/functional monomer was 1:7. The polymeric magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The stability and adsorption capacity of the molecularly imprinted polymers were investigated. The molecularly imprinted polymers were used as a selective sorbent for the magnetic molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction and determination of jatrorrhizine, palmatine, and berberine. Extraction parameters were studied including loading pH, sample volume, stirring speed, and extraction time. Finally, a magnetic molecularly imprinted solid‐phase extraction coupled to high‐performance liquid chromatography method was developed. Under the optimized conditions, the method showed good linear range of 0.1–150 ng/mL for berberine and 0.1–100 ng/mL for jatrorrhizine and palmatine. The limit of detection was 0.01 ng/mL for berberine and 0.02 ng/mL for jatrorrhizine and palmatine. The proposed method has been applied to determine protoberberine alkaloids in Cortex phellodendri and rat plasma samples. The recoveries ranged from 87.33–102.43%, with relative standard deviation less than 4.54% in Cortex phellodendri and from 102.22–111.15% with relative standard deviation less than 4.59% in plasma.     

Eine stereospezifische Synthese von syn-Bishomochinon über p-Benzochinon-bis(äthylen)ketal

The bis(ethylene)ketal of p-benzoquinone ( 6 ) has been prepared from the bis(ethylene)ketal of cyclohexane-1,4-dione ( 3 ) by bromination with bromine in ether followed by dehydrobromination with potassium t-butoxide. Two intermediate dibromides ( 4 and 5 ) were isolated and their constitutions as well as their configurations determined from spectroscopic properties. Partial hydrolysis of 6 furnished the mono(ethylene)ketal of p-benzoquinone ( 9 ), which was converted stereospecifically to syn-bishomoquinone ( 2 ) by the double addition of sodium dimethylsulfoxonium-methylide. The intermediate mono(ethylene)ketals of syn-bishomoquinone ( 11 ) as well as of the mono(methylene) addition product ( 10 ) were also isolated.     

Preparation of a novel sorptive stir bar based on vinylpyrrolidone‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate monolithic polymer for the simultaneous extraction of diazepam and nordazepam from human plasma

A new monolithic coating based on vinylpyrrolidone‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate polymer was introduced for stir bar sorptive extraction. The polymerization step was performed using different contents of monomer, cross‐linker and porogenic solvent, and the best formulation was selected. The quality of the prepared vinylpyrrolidone‐ethylene glycol dimethacrylate stir bars was satisfactory, demonstrating good repeatability within batch (relative standard deviation < 3.5%) and acceptable reproducibility between batches (relative standard deviation < 6.0%). The prepared stir bar was utilized in combination with ultrasound‐assisted liquid desorption, followed by high‐performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection for the simultaneous determination of diazepam and nordazepam in human plasma samples. To optimize the extraction step, a three‐level, four‐factor, three‐block Box–Behnken design was applied. Under the optimum conditions, the analytical performance of the proposed method displayed excellent linear dynamic ranges for diazepam (36–1200 ng/mL) and nordazepam (25–1200 ng/mL), with correlation coefficients of 0.9986 and 0.9968 and detection limits of 12 and 10 ng/mL, respectively. The intra‐ and interday recovery ranged from 93 to 106%, and the relative standard deviations were less than 6%. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of diazepam and nordazepam at their therapeutic levels in human plasma. The novelty of this study is the improved polarity of the stir bar coating and its application for the simultaneous extraction of diazepam and its active metabolite, nordazepam in human plasma sample. The method was more rapid than previously reported stir bar sorptive extraction techniques based on monolithic coatings, and exhibited lower detection limits in comparison with similar methods for the determination of diazepam and nordazepam in biological fluids.     

Isolation of polymerase chain reaction-ready bacterial DNA from Lake Baikal sediments by carboxyl-functionalised magnetic polymer microspheres

Carboxyl group-containing magnetic nonporous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) (P(HEMA-co-EDMA)) microspheres were used for the isolation of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-ready DNA from samples of Baikal sediments. DNA was isolated using the phenol extraction method or the Soil DNA Isolation Kit. The occurrence of false-negative results in PCR caused by the presence of extracellular inhibitors in DNA samples was solved using solid phase reversible DNA immobilisation. PCR-ready DNA was reversibly adsorbed to the microspheres in the presence of 8.0% (w/v) poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG 6000) and 2.0M sodium chloride concentrations. The adsorbed DNA was released from the microspheres in a low ionic strength TE buffer. The quality of isolated DNA was checked by PCR amplification.