Barium alginate caged Fe3O4@C18 magnetic nanoparticles for the pre-concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate esters from environmental water samples

The hydrophobic octadecyl (C₁₈) functionalized Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@C₁₈) were caged into hydrophilic barium alginate (Ba²⁺-ALG) polymers to obtain a novel type of solid-phase extraction (SPE) sorbents, and the sorbents were applied to the pre-concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate esters (PAEs) pollutants from environmental water samples. The hydrophilicity of the Ba²⁺-ALG cage enhances the dispersibility of sorbents in water samples, and the superparamagnetism of the Fe₃O₄ core facilitates magnetic separation. With the magnetic SPE technique based on the Fe₃O₄@C₁₈@Ba²⁺-ALG sorbents, it requires only 30 min to extract trace levels of analytes from 500 mL water samples. After the eluate is condensed to 0.5 mL, concentration factors for both phenanthrene and di-n-propyl-phthalate are over 500, while for other analytes are about 1000. The recoveries of target compounds are independent of salinity and solution pH under testing conditions. Under optimized conditions, the detection limits for phenanthrene, pyrene, benzo[a]anthracene, and benzo[a]pyrene are 5, 5, 3, and 2 ng L⁻¹, and for di-n-propyl-phthalate, di-n-butyl-phthalate, di-cyclohexyl-phthalate, and di-n-octyl-phthalate are 36, 59, 19, and 36 ng L⁻¹, respectively. The spiked recoveries of several real water samples for PAHs and PAEs are in the range of 72-108% with relative standard deviations varying from 1% to 9%, showing good accuracy of the method. The advantages of the new SPE method include high extraction efficiency, short analysis time and convenient extraction procedure. To the best of our knowledge, it is unprecedented that hydrophilic Ba²⁺-ALG polymer caged Fe₃O₄@C₁₈ magnetic nanomaterial is used to extract organic pollutants from large volumes of water samples.     

Distinction of the delayed fluorescences S1 → S0 And S2 → S0 of pyrene by selective quenching Of S1 → S0

In the spectrum of the delayed fluorescence (DF) of pyrene, caused by triplet-triplet annihilation T₁ + T₁ → S_n + S_o (n = 1,2), a strong DF S₁ → S_o and a very weak DF S₂ → s₀ are observed. The DF S₁→ S_o is quenched selectively by compounds like N-diethylanine or triethylamine which do not quench T₁ of pyrene.     

Hyperfine structure in the à state of PH2 arising from the fermi interaction of 31P

The photoluminescence spectrum of PH₂ excited by a cw dye laser shows resolved ¹³P hyperfine structure for the 0₀₀ level even in the presence of Doppler broadening. The observed splittings give a Femi contact constant for the (0,0,0) òA₁ state of PH₂ of 1.8 ± 0.1 GHz.     

Predissociation of the C2Σu+ state of N2+

Two mechanisms for the predissociation of the C²Σ_u⁺ state of N₂⁺ are discussed - the accidental mechanism and a direct, homogeneous process C → B²Σ_u⁺. The matrix elements for the latter channel are dominated by a contribution from the nuclear kinetic energy operator, containing a Franck-Condon integral of form 〈?|?/?R|υ′〉.     

Influence of the conformational state of polymethacrylic acid on the photophysical properties of pyrene in aqueous solution: A fluorescent probe and laser photolysis study

The excited state of pyrene observed in fluorescence and pulsed laser techniques is used to show that pyrene is solubilized in the polymer coil of aqueous solution of polymethacrylic acid (PMA) at pH < 4–5. This leads to a decreased access of molecules such as I^?, Tl⁺, CH₃NO₂, and O₂ to excited pyrene in the polymer coil. The protection of the excited state by solubilization in the polymer is sufficient to enable 3-bromopyrene phosphorescence to be observed at room temperature in these systems. Increasing the pH of the system uncoils the polymer and leads to increased accessibility of excited pyrene to CH₃NO₂; eventually, at pH >5, the pyrene is ejected into the aqueous phase of the system. In the presence of micellar solutions of surfactants increasing pH transports the pyrene from the polymer to the micellar aggregates. These fluorescence techniques are used to investigate the kinetics of expansion of the polymer coil. The system is suggested as a suitable model for the interaction of pyrene with biopolymers such as DNA.     

Electronic energy transfer from the S2 state of rhodamine 6G

In this paper we present the results of an experimental study of intermolecular electronic energy transfer (EET) from the short-lived Second excited singlet state of rhodamine 6G (R6G) to the ground state of 2,5-bis [5′-tert-butyl-2-benzoxazolyl] thiophene (BBOT). The S₂ state of the donor was excited by sequential, time-delayed, two-photon excitation (STDTPE) utilizing the second harmonic and the first harmonic of a mode-locked Nd³⁺: glass laser, while the EET process was interrogated by monitoring the enhancement of the S₁ → S₀ fluorescence of BBOT. The enhancement of the fluorescence intensity of BBOT was found to be linear in the energies of the two exciting pulses, and linear in the concentration of the energy acceptor (over the BBOT concentration range of (0.3–7) × 10^?5 M), which is in accord with the predictions of the Forster—Dexter mechanism for resonant EET from an ultrashort-lived donor state at low acceptor concentrations. Quantitative measurements of the S₂ → S₀ fluorescence yield in R6G solution directly excited by STDTPE and of the S₁ → S₀ fluorescence of BBOT from R6G + BBOT solutions resulting from EET led to the values of Y_D(S₂ → S₀) = (2.1 ± 0.5) × 10^?6 for the emission quantum yield of the S₂ state of R6G and τr_D(S₂) ≈ 3 × 10^?14 s for the lifetime of the metastable S₂ state of this molecule.     

Some ab initio calculations related to the predissociation of the C2Σu+ state of N2+

Ab initio calculations in the “first-order wavefunction” CI approximation have been performed for several states of N₂⁺ with ²Σ_u⁺, ²Σ_u^?, ⁴Π_u symmetry. A calculation of the electronic factor of the vibronic interaction between the B²Σ_u⁺ and C²Σ_u⁺ states seems to support the suggestion of Tellinghuisen and Albritton that the C state is predissociated by the continuum of the B state through nuclear momentum coupling.     

Lifetimes in the A 0u+ state of 130Te2

Lifetime measurements have been performed for two vibrotational levels of the A 0_u⁺ states of the ¹³⁰Te₂ molecule, excited by the 496.5     

Vibrational relaxation dynamics of the X̃1∑g+ state of C3

The vibrational relaxation dynamics of the ground ¹∑_g⁺ electronic state of C₃ has been studied following IR multiple photon dissociation of allene. Wavelength and time resolved spectra, using dye laser-induced fluorescence are used to characterize the vibratioanl levels and their corresponding rise and decay rates. Vibrational relaxation rates are reported for C₃ (¹∑⁺_g, 100 or 110) in the presence of Ar, He, N₂, O₂ and C₂H₂, in addition to the reaction rate constant of C₃ (¹∑⁺_g. 000) with C₂H₂ of (2.2 ± 0.20) × 10_-14 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1.     

Relaxation mechanism of the 1Δg state of liquid O2

Collisional deactivation of the first excited electronic ¹Δ_g(υ = 0) state of O₂ involves intersystem crossing to higher vibrational levels (υ < 5) of the electronic ground state ³Σ^?_g. It is followed by rapid vibrational-vibrational energy exchange which populates the first excited ³Σ^?_g(υ = 1) vibrational level. The suggested relaxation mechanism is supported by experimental results on the time dependence of the populations of the ¹Δ_g(υ = 0) and ³Σ^?_g(υ = 1) states in liquid natural O₂ and ¹⁸O₂.     

Excited state dynamics of the11BO2 free radical

The excitation spectrum of the double-headed 00°0-00°0 band of BO₂ (A²Π_u-X²Π_g) was recorded by LIF. Special attention was paid to determine the dependence of the radiative lifetime of (00°0) A²Π state with J and the quenching by bath gases N₂, Ar, O₂. The determinations of fluorescence decay were made in real time. The mean radiative lifetime τ_r of the A²Π_3/2(00°0) state of ¹¹ BO₂ was determined to be 91 ± 4 ns (1σ).     

The potential energy curve for the B1IIu state of Li2

Multiconfiguration self-consistent field calculations of the potential curve for the B¹Π_u state of Li₂ show a 700 cm^?1 high hump at 5.365 Å in good agreement with experimental estimates of 930 ± 300 cm^?1 and 523 ± 50 cm^?1.     

Revised theoretical energy for the a 3Σg+ state of H2

The Born—Oppenheimer energy of H₂ in the a ³Σ_g⁺ state has been improved. The new result, with estimated values of the relativistic and nonadiabatic corrections, and with the previously computed adiabatic corrections yields T₀ = 95077.3 cm^?1 in a good agreement with the recent experimental value T₀ = 95076.4 ± 0.5 cm^?1 of Miller and Freund.     

On the Origin of the Heterogeneous Emission from Pyrene Sequestered Within Tetramethylorthosilicate-Based Xerogels: A Decay-Associated Spectra and O2 Quenching Study

Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy are used to determine the local microheterogeneity surrounding pyrene molecules sequestered within tetramethylorthosilicate-derived xerogels. After compensation for the intrinsic background emission from the xerogel, we find that the pyrene intensity decay kinetics are best described by a two-term rate law. This is consistent with the pyrene molecules distributing primarily into two microenvironments. Under ambient conditions, the individual pyrene microenvironments exhibit excited-state fluorescence lifetimes that differ by 100 ns. However, the pyrene I₁ to I₃ band ratios that are associated with each microenvironment are statistically equivalent to one another. These results show that the local dipolarity surrounding these pyrene microenvironments are similar, but the decay rates associated with each microenvironment are very different. The longer-lived pyrene species (Environment #1) constitutes 1/2 of the total fluorescence and it exhibits an O₂ quenching sensitivity (K_sv1) of (5.19 ± 0.52 × 10^–3 %O₂ ^–1 and a bimolecular quenching constant (k_q1) of (2.30 ± 0.23) × 10⁴ %O₂ ^–1 s^–1. Environment #2, associated with the shorter-lived pyrene species, exhibits an O₂ quenching sensitivity (K_sv2) of (2.31 ± 0.16) × 10^–2 %O₂ ^–1 and a bimolecular quenching constant (k_q2) of (2.11 ± 0.23) × 10⁵ %O₂ ^–1 s^–1. These results are interpreted as follows: Environment #1 consists of pyrene molecules sequestered within a relatively rigid siloxane network wherein non-radiative decay pathways are lessened, but these pyrene molecules are not quenched readily by O₂. Environment #2 consists of pyrene molecules adsorbed onto surface silanols within the xerogel. These pyrene molecules are quenched by the silanols and they are simultaneously more accessible to O₂ compared to Environment #1.     

Delayed fluorescence from the lowest 1B+3u state of anthracene,due to hetero-triplet—triplet annihilation of 3anthracene* and 3xanthone*

The P-type delayed fluorescence (DF) S_i→S_o of aromatic compounds results from the population of excited singlet states S_i by triplet—triplet annihillation (TTA) of molecules in their lowest and metastable triplet state T₁ : T₁ + T₁

S_i + S_o; S_i may be any excited singlet state whose excitation energy E(S_i ? 2 E(T₁). TTA of unlike molecules A and B (hetero-TTA) may lead to excited singlet states either of A or of B. In particular, if E(T_A¹) < E(T₁^B), hetero-TTA may lead to excited singlet states S_k^A which are not accessible by TTA of 2 T₁^A. In the present paper we report the first example of the detection of the DF from a very short-lived upper excited singlet state S_k^A which has been populated by hetero-TTA. The systems investigated are liquid solutions of A = anthracene-h₁₀ or anthracene-d₁₀ or 9,10-dimethylanthracene and B = xanthone in 1,1,2-trichlorotrifluoroethane at 243 K. S_k^A is the lowest ¹B_3U⁺ state (B_b state) of anthracene.     

Non-exponential decay of the fluorescence from the 1Δg state in liquid oxygen at high excitation intensities

The ¹Δ_g state of liquid oxygen (natural O₂ and ¹⁸O₂) was excited by intense Nd: YAG laser pulses. The observed fluorescence decay is non-exponential and depends on pump laser intensity. Various decay channels of the ¹Δ_g state are discussed. The energy pooling reaction ¹Δ_g + ¹Δ_g → ¹Σ⁺_g + ³Σ^?_g is verified experimentally. Values f constant of liquid natural O₂ and ¹⁸O₂ are given.     

Predissociation of the 3pπ D 1Πu+ state in H2, HD,and D2

Predissociation linewidths and lineshapes are reported for selected vibrational levels of the 3_pπ D ¹Π⁺_u state of H₂, HD, and D₂. We also discuss the effect of a perturbation by the 4_pδ B″B? ¹|gs_u⁺ state on the predissociation rate of the D state.     

The vibrational population inversion and relaxation kinetics of the C*2, d 3Πg state

The chemiluminescent spectra of C^*₂, d ³Π_g-a ³Π_u, Δ_v = O sequence from the reaction Na + CCl₄ have been obtained. The C^*₂, d ³Π_g,v' = 6 level is formed preferentially. The quenching and vibrational relaxation rates of the C^*₂, d ³Π_g state in Ar are 1.9 × 10⁶ and 2.2 × 10⁶ Torr^?1 s^?1, respectively. Na is one of the most efficient species for deactivation of C^*₂.     

Lifetimes of the vibronic Ã2A1 states of H2O+ and of the 3Πi (υ′ = 0) state of OH+

Using the delayed coincidence technique, lifetimes have been measured for some Σ and Π vibronic òA₁ states of H₂O⁺ and for the ³Π_i (υ′ = 0) state of OH⁺ by analysing the decay curves of the òA₁(0, υ′₂, 0) ? X?²B₁ (0, υ″₂, 0) and the ³Π_i(υ′ = 0) ? ³Σ^?(υ″ = 0) emission intensities respectively. The excited molecular ionic states are produced via excitation of H₂O molecules by 200 eV electrons. For H₂O⁺(òA₁) the vibronic Σ levels with υ′₂ = 13 and 15 and the vibronic Π levels with υ′₂ = 12 and 14 have been considered. The radiative lifetimes obtained for these levels have about the same value, namely 10.5(±1) × 10^?6 s. The radiative lifetime for the OH⁺(³Π_iυ′= 0) state is 2.5(±0.3) × 10^?6 s. The lifetimes found in this work for H₂O⁺(òA₁) and OH⁺(³Π_i,υ′= 0) are about ten and three times longer respectively than the corresponding lifetimes given by other investigators [1,2]. The probable reason for this discrepancy is that in the other experiments no attention has been paid to the presence of a large space charge effect. This effect is caused by the positive ions which are created by the primary electron beam.     

Pulsed optical-optical double resonnance spectroscopy of A 1Σ+g state of 7Li2

Optical-optical double resonance using two nitrogen-laser pumped dye lasers has been used to make the first study of an excited ¹σ⁺_g state of ⁷Li₂. Preliminary molecular constants in cm^?1 are Te = 29972, Y₁₀ = 227, Y₂₀ = ?1.92, Y₀₁ = 0390, Y₀₂ = ?4.3 × 10_?6and Y₁₁ = ?1.4 × 10^?3,with r_e = 0. 351 nm.