Preconcentration procedure using vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction for the fast determination of trace levels of thorium in water samples

A new simple and rapid vortex-assisted liquid–liquid microextraction method was applied for the determination of thorium in water samples. In this method, chloroform used as extraction solvent was directly injected into the water sample solution. The extraction solvent was dispersed into the aqueous phase under vigorously shaking with the vortex. After centrifuging, the fine droplets of extractant phase were settled to the bottom of the conical-bottom centrifuge tube. The effect of different experimental parameters on the performance of the method were studied and discussed. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limit for Th(IV) was 7.5 ng mL^?1. The precision of the method, evaluated as the relative standard deviation obtained by analyzing of 10 replicates, was 2.8 %. The practical applicability of the developed method was examined using natural water and monazite sand samples.     

Dehydration of aqueous acetonitrile solution by pervaporation using PVA–iron oxide nanocomposite membrane

Pervaporative performances were investigated for dehydration of water–acetonitrile using nanocomposite metal oxide and Pervap^® 2202 membranes. Poly (vinyl alcohol) based nanocomposite metal oxide membranes were prepared through co-precipitation of different amounts of Fe (II) and Fe (III). The freestanding nanocomposite metal oxide membranes were characterized by Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Sorption studies evaluated the extent of interaction and degree of swelling of the membranes. Fe containing PVA polymer matrix showed improved flux and selectivity. In order to observe simultaneous effect of flux and selectivity, pervaporation separation index showed 10 wt.% iron oxide containing membrane is the most amongst all tested. The diffusion coefficients were calculated using pervaporation results and sorption kinetics data. An attempt was made to predict sorption selectivity thermodynamically. PV separation factor was observed to be governed by sorption and/or diffusion phenomena and sorption selectivity was found to be higher than PV separation factor. Prediction of concentration profile in the membrane was also attempted and the results showed that water concentration in the membrane drops down with increase in membrane thickness.     

Determination of trace amounts of nystatin in water and vaccine samples using sodium dodecyl sulfate-coated iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles followed by high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection

In this work, magnetic solid-phase extraction based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-coated Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles has been successfully applied for extraction and preconcentration of trace amounts of nystatin from water and vaccine samples prior to high-performance liquid chromatography–ultraviolet detection. Various experimental parameters affecting extraction and recovery of the analyte, such as the amount of sodium dodecyl sulfate, pH of the sample solution, salt concentration, extraction time, sample volume and desorption conditions, were systematically studied and optimized. Under optimized conditions, nystatin was quantitatively extracted. Proper linear range with good coefficient of determination, (R ² > 0.99) and limit of detection and quantification (based on signal-to-noise ratios of 3 and 10) of 2.0 and 5.0 µg L^?1, over the investigated concentration range (5–700 µg L^?1), were obtained, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations at 50 µg L^?1 level of NYS were 1.4 and 4.5% based on six replicate determinations. The accuracy of the method was evaluated by recovery measurements on spiked samples. Suitable recoveries of 96–102 and 26–44% were achieved (at spiked levels of 50, 300 and 500 µg L^?1) for water and vaccine samples, respectively.     

Effect of the structural change of an iron–iron oxide mixture on the decomposition of trichloroethylene

The effect of the structure of a mixture of industrially produced iron and iron oxide on the decomposition of trichloroethylene (TCE) was investigated by gas chromatography, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffractometry, and ⁵⁷Fe-Mössbauer spectroscopy. The concentration of 10 mg L^?1 TCE aqueous solution decreased to 0.41, 0.52, 0.26, and 0.09 mg L^?1 when stirred for 7 days with iron–iron oxide mixtures having mass ratios of 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, and 5:5, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra of the mixtures after leaching were composed of two sextets with respective isomer shifts (δ) and internal magnetic fields (H) of 0.29_±0.01 mm s^?1 and 48.8_±0.1 T, and 0.64_±0.01 mm s^?1 and 45.5_±0.1 T, attributed to the Fe³⁺ species in tetrahedral (T _d) and the Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ mixed species (Fe^2.5+) in octahedral (O _h) sites, respectively. Mössbauer spectra of a 3:7 mass ratio iron–iron oxide mixture showed a gradual decrease in the absorption area (A) of zero valent iron (Fe⁰) from 40.6. to 12.6, 13.2, 3.8 2.8, and 1.0_±0.5 % and an increase in A of Fe₃O₄ from 31.8 to 59.4, 71.4, 93.2, 95.6, and 98.0_±0.5 % after leaching with 10 mg L^?1 TCE aqueous solution for 1, 2, 3, 7, and 10 days, respectively. Consistent values of the first-order rate constant were calculated as 0.32 day^?1 for Fe⁰ oxidation, 0.34 day^?1 for Fe₃O₄ production, and 0.30 day^?1 for TCE decomposition, which indicates that the oxidation of Fe⁰ was the rate-controlling factor for Fe₃O₄ production and TCE decomposition. It is concluded from the experimental results that an iron–iron oxide mixture is very effective for the decomposition of TCE.     

Extraction studies of plutonium from acidic solution using γ-ray induced PC-88A/TBP modified polymers

2-Ethylhexyl-2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid (PC-88A) and Tributylphosphate (TBP) extractants have been attached to polypropylene (PP) in granular, film and non-woven fabric forms, by a simultaneous γ-ray irradiation method. The extraction of plutonium from the acidic radioactive liquid waste by modified polymers was studied by varying the γ-ray dose. The uptake of plutonium was also studied by polyethylene (PE) in film form. This modified polymer also showed extraction capability for plutonium from nitric acid medium. The uptake of plutonium depends upon the γ-ray dose as well as the nature and source of the polymer. Liquid–solid extraction studies showed that the equivalent amount of uptake of plutonium on TBP–polyethylene film requires twice the γ-ray dose as compare to TBP–polypropylene film. It was observed that at given γ-ray dose polypropylene fabric is not sturdy, compare to the granules and films, and material leach out in aqueous phase. The presence of other solvents like di-methyl formamide (DMF) and cyclohexane during γ-ray irradiation were able to enhance the extraction capabilities. The optimum conditions established during this study was successfully applied for the separation of plutonium, uranium and thorium from the fission products in acidic waste solution.     

Sol–gel synthesis of iron oxide–silica composite microstructures

Spherical silica particles doped with iron oxide have been synthesized via base-catalyzed one-pot sol?Cgel process using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and iron(III) ethoxide (ITE) as co-precursors. In the modified St?ber process adopted, depending on the concentration of ITE in the starting composition, materials of various morphologies were observed under a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope. The presence of ITE significantly affected the formation process of particulate silica; the spherical particles were formed accompanied by the co-presence of irregular-shaped finer aggregates. The fraction of the aggregates with rough surfaces increased with an increase of the ITE content in the reaction mixture. Both the spherical particles and irregular-shaped aggregates contained iron hydroxide and they exhibited paramagnetic behavior. The chemical composition and physicochemical properties of the materials were determined using various complementary spectroscopic methods.     

Grain-boundary states in solid oxide electrolyte ceramics processed using iron oxide sintering aids: a Mössbauer spectroscopy study

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - In order to appraise microstructure-determined defect formation processes and minor intergranular states in the solid electrolyte materials sintered...     

Thermodynamic parameters characterizing adsorption of organic compounds from aqueous solutions on iron oxide α-Fe2O3

Adsorption of a series of organic compounds on the surface of -Fe₂O₃ is studied. The experimental data are analyzed using the Frumkin and Langmuir isotherms. The standard Gibbs energies of adsorption G _A ⁰ and G _ads ⁰ corresponding to different standard states are estimated.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 77, No. 9, 2004, pp. 1446–1451.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by Afanasev, Aleksandrova, Akulova.     

An ionic liquid-based sorbent for solid phase extraction of trace iron(Ш) from biological and natural water samples

A new ionic liquid modified silica gel sorbent was prepared from the reaction of active silica gel with N-3-(-3-triethoxysilylepropyl)-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([(TESP)MIm]Cl). This sorbent was exploited as solid phase extractant for separation and preconcentration of metal ions prior to their determination by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). It was found that it can selectively adsorb Fe(Ш). Identification of the surface modification was performed on the basis of FT-IR. Experimental conditions for effective adsorption of trace Fe(Ш) were optimised using both batch and column procedures. At pH 3, Fe(Ш) could be quantitatively adsorbed and completely eluted by using 2?mL of 0.1?mol?L^?1 of HCl. 150?mL of sample solution was adopted as the maximum sample volume and a high enrichment factor of 75 was obtained. Most common coexisting ions did not interfere with the separation and preconcentration of Fe(Ш) at optimal conditions. The maximum static adsorption capacity of the sorbent was 37.0?mg?g^?1. The detection limit of the present method was 0.48?µg?L^?1, and the relative standard deviation (R. S. D.) was lower than 1.7%. The method was successfully applied to the preconcentration of trace Fe(Ш) in biological and natural water samples with satisfactory results.     

A study of the extraction of plutonium from planchets by Aridus–ICP–SFMS

Two extraction processes of plutonium (Pu) on planchets from alpha spectrometry (AS) have been evaluated by inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry with a desolvator system (Aridus–ICP–SFMS). The samples were traced with known concentrations of ²³⁹Pu (1.2 × 10³ fg) and ²⁴²Pu (2 × 10³ fg) followed by an electrodeposition in planchets, according to the Hallstadius method. The processes of extraction were carried out with 50 mL of 0.36 mol L^?1 HNO₃ every 30 min up to 180 min in a glass beaker at 60 °C. The first process was on a hotplate and the second used an ultrasonic system. Finally, samples were evaporated to dryness, and resuspended in 10 mL of 0.72 mol L^?1 HNO₃ for evaluation. The results showed that at 120 min, a ~70 % recovery of ²³⁹Pu and a ~80 % recovery of ²⁴²Pu in both processes were obtained. The average recoveries of ²³⁹Pu and ²⁴²Pu at 180 min using the hotplate in plate were 93.4 ± 4.6 and 93.7 ± 4.2 % respectively, and with the ultrasonic system were 96.0 ± 4.3 and 98.2 ± 1.0 % respectively. In conclusion, both processes are suitable for Pu extraction, and Aridus–ICP–SFMS is an essential technique for the reassessments and quantification of Pu. In addition, procedural blanks spiked with 1 × 10² fg mL^?1 U were prepared for each process, in order to study the contribution of the ²³⁸U on the background signal at m/z = 239, which was 0.5 ± 0.2 cps, indicating that the contribution of ²³⁸U on the ²³⁹Pu signal was negligible. Furthermore, this methodology can be applied to sample planchets with environmental, food, biological and nuclear origin, and thereby to avoid repetitive analysis when Pu concentration determined by AS are under minimum detectable activities.     

A short synthesis of ambrox® from sclareol

A two-step transformation of sclareol into Ambrox® (overall yield 11–12%) via β-cleavage of an alkoxy radical intermediate is described.     

Infrared matrix isolation studies of the trimethylamine oxide—hydrogen chloride complex

The reaction products of the codeposition of trimethylamine oxide and a HCl/Ar mixture are characterized by diffuse absorption in the region from 1850 to ca 3200 cm⁻¹ and by a strong band at 1700 cm⁻¹. These absorptions are assigned respectively to the OH⁺...Cl⁻ antisymmetric stretching and in-plane bending modes, which indicates that proton transfer to basic oxygen occurs.     

The catalytic condensation of ω-phenyl-substituted alcohols in the presence of an iron oxide

The results of gas-phase conversion of ω-phenyl-substituted alcohols (benzyl alcohol, 2-phenylethanol, 3-phenyl-1-propanol) and their equimolar mixtures with primary normal alcohol (1-octanol) are presented. Reactions were carried out at atmospheric pressure in the presence of an iron catalyst in the temperature range of 568–673 K and load of 2.0 h⁻¹. 2-Phenylethanol and 3-phenyl-1-propanol undergo dehydrogenation to aldehydes and condensation to esters. At higher temperatures symmetrical ketones containing ω-phenyl group as substituent are formed. Mixtures of these alcohols with 1-octanol give among others asymmetrical aromatic-aliphatic ketones.     

Oxidative bromination of ketones using ammonium bromide and oxone®

A highly efficient, environmentally safe and economic method for selective α-monobromination of aralkyl, cyclic, acyclic, 1,3-diketones and β-keto esters and α,α-dibromination of 1,3-diketones and β-keto esters without catalyst is reported using ammonium bromide as a bromine source and oxone® as an oxidant. The reaction proceeds at ambient temperature and yields range from moderate to excellent. Bromination of unsymmetrical ketones takes place at the less substituted α-position predominantly. Aromatisation of tetralones is also carried out with this reagent system.     

Formation of calcium in the products of iron oxide–aluminum thermite combustion in air

The composition of condensed products resulting from the combustion of thermite mixtures (Al + Fe₂O₃) in air is studied by precise methods. It is shown that during combustion, calcium is formed and stabilized in amounts of maximal 0.55 wt %, while is missing from reactants of 99.7 wt % purity. To explain this, it is hypothesized that a low-energy nuclear reaction takes place alongside the reactions of aluminum oxidation and nitridation, resulting in the formation of calcium (Kervran–Bolotov reaction).     

Deprotonative metalation of aromatic compounds using mixed lithium–iron combinations

The deprotonation of 2-methoxypyridine was attempted using putative (TMP)₃FeLi prepared from different iron sources. Using iodine to intercept the metalated 2-methoxypyridine, the best result was obtained from FeBr₂ (1 equiv) using THF at room temperature; nevertheless, in addition to the expected iodide, the corresponding 2,2′-dimer was obtained (86% total yield). The origin of the competitive formation of the 2,2′-dimer was not identified but mechanisms were suggested to explain its formation. It was observed that the nature of the electrophile employed to trap the 3-metalated 2-methoxypyridine has a strong impact on this dimer formation, the latter being favored using iodine (35% yield), but also benzophenone (28%), benzoyl chloride (22%), methyl iodide (27%), allyl bromide (15%), benzyl bromide (41%), and tetramethylthiuram disulphide (36%); for this reason, the yields of the expected derivatives were only 51, 15, 62, 0, <5, 18, and 0%, respectively. In contrast, using aldehydes readily led to the expected pyridine alcohols without dimerization (59% yield using 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde and 66% yield using pivalaldehyde). 2,6-Dimethoxypyridine (in 68% yield), anisole (47%), 2,4-dimethoxypyrimidine (50% at C5 and 3% at C6), 2-fluoropyridine (64%), and thiophene (49%) were similarly converted into the corresponding alcohols after subsequent trapping with pivalaldehyde. Using iodine to trap the 2-metalated anisole did not lead to dimer formation, and 2-iodoanisole was isolated in 71% yield.     

Selective catalytic oxidation reaction of p-xylene on manganese–iron mixed oxide materials

Mixed manganese iron oxides (Mn/Fe/O) as heterogeneous catalysts were prepared by hydrothermal treatment and citrate methods to be tested in the oxidation of p-xylene (PX) using as oxidation agent molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and tert-butyl hydroperoxide. Preparation of mixed MnFe oxide by the citrate method releases materials with smaller particle size and lower degree of crystallinity as compared with the hydrothermal one, which further leads to a higher activity toward the oxidation of PX. A conversion of PX of 98% and a yield in p-toluic acid of 93% were obtained in the presence of Mn/Fe/O prepared by the citrate method using tert-butyl hydroperoxide as an oxidizing agent.