Non-isothermal kinetic for lyophilized leachate from sanitary landfill and composting usine

Leachate samples from a sanitary landfill of Araraquara city and composting usine of Vila Leopoldina, São Paulo, Brazil were lyophilized to remove the water content. TG/DTG curves at different heating rates were recorded. The second step of the thermal decomposition of leachate from the Araraquara landfill (CB₁), from the composting usine from Vila Leopoldina (CB₂) from the organic phase extracted (FO) and aqueous phase (FA) were all kinetically evaluated using the non-isothermal method.By Flynn-Wall isoconversional method the following values were obtained: E=234±3.65 kJ mol^?1 and logA=29.7±0.58 min^?1 for CB₁; E=129±1.66 kJ mol^?1 and logA=11.8±0.10 min^?1 for CB₂; E=51.6±1.35 kJ mol^?1 and logA=6.09±0.09 min^?1 for FO and E=76.91±6.33 kJ mol^?1 and logA=8.88±0.7 min^?1 for FA with 95% confidence level. Applying the procedures of Málek and Koga, SB kinetic model (?esták-Berggren) is the most appropriate to describe the decomposition of CB₁, CB₂, FO and FA.     

Inclusion complexation of warfarin withβ-cyclodextrins and its influence on absorption kinetics of warfarin in rat

The inclusion complexes of warfarin withβ-cyclodextrin, 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD and methyl-β-CD have been investigated in aqueous solution. The apparent binding constants of warfarin are found to be 542±19, 442±18 and 112±6M^?1 respectively, calculated from the increments in fluorescence emission of the drug. The influence of theβ-CDs on the absorption rate of the drug is investigated within situ experiments in a chronically isolated internal loop, in the small intestine of the rat. The first-order disappearance (absorption) rate constant decreases to 3.6×10^?4 min^?1 inβ-CD, to 5.0×10^?4 min^?1 in 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD and to 1.4×10^?3 min^?1 in methyl-β-CD compared to 3.2×10^?3 min^?1 in isotonic phosphate buffer (pH=7.4) solution, all of them showing a good agreement with the percentage of free warfarin in their complexed solutions: 16%, 18% and 47% calculated, respectively.     

LC–MS Method for the Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of 2-Arachidonoyl Glycerol in Small Volume Plasma Samples

A quantitative method has been developed and validated for the determination of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in hairless guinea pig plasma by liquid chromatographic-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The analytes were extracted from the plasma samples of guinea pig by a single step liquid extraction technique using acetonitrile. The chromatographic separation was conducted on a C18 column using a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and water at a flow rate of 0.3 mL min^?1. The analytes were quantified by positive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry with selected ion monitoring mode of m/z 401. The limit of detection for 2-AG was 0.5 ng mL^?1. This method required only simple processing of the samples to prevent the isomerization of 2-AG during sampling and handling and could be applied to determine the plasma concentration profiles in hairless guinea pigs. The volume of distribution at steady state (V _ss), total plasma clearance (CL) and half life (t _1/2β) of 2-AG in hairless guinea pigs were 0.21 ± 0.025 L kg^?1, 9.2 ± 1.5 L h^?1 kg^?1, and 17.7 ± 3.8 min, respectively.     

Dye decolorisation by laccase immobilised in lens-shaped poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel capsules

In this study, laccase (from Trametes versicolor, 8.3 U mg _enz ^?1 ) was used for the decolorisation of Saturn Blue L4G (10 mg L^?1). The efficiency of the decolorisation (ratio between the amount of decolorised dye and initial amount of dye) by a free enzyme was 48 % and the decolorisation rate was determined at 2.11 × 10^?3 mg_dye mg _enz ^?1 min^?1. After immobilisation in lens-shaped poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel capsules LentiKats® Biocatalyst (LB) (concentration of immobilised enzyme: 4 mg per g of particles; volume-loading rate of LB: 10 g per 100 mL of medium), the enzyme retained 16.1 % of its original activity (1.34 U mg _enz ^?1 ). Immobilised laccase was used for the dye decolorisation in 130 repeated batch tests with 71 % efficiency (LB activity: 7 × 10^?3 mgdye min^?1 g _LB ^?1 ). In continuous mode (after 716.5 h), the efficiency of the dye decolorisation was 48 % (LB activity: 3.3 × 10^?4 mg_dye min^/?1 g _LB ^?1 ).     

Thermal decomposition of poly(α,α,α′,α′-tetrafluoro-p-xylylene) in nitrogen and oxygen

The thermal decomposition of poly(α,α,α′,α′-tetrafluoro-p-xylylene) (parylene AF-4) films with thicknesses of ca. 7.5 and 10 μm has been studied by both dynamic (10°C min^?1) and isothermal TG in either nitrogen or oxygen atmospheres. In dynamic studies with nitrogen, gross decomposition occurs between 546.7±1.4 and 589.0±2.6°C, with 26.8±4.4% of the initial mass remaining at 700°C. With oxygen as the purge gas, the onset of decomposition shifts slightly to 530.8±4.2°C. The end of the transition at 587.4±2.6°C is within experimental error of the nitrogen value, but no polymer remains above 600°C. Isothermal data were obtained at 10°C intervals from 420 to 490°C in nitrogen, and from 390 to 450°C in oxygen. Plots of log(Δ%wt/Δt)vs. T^?1 are linear throughout the specified range for oxygen and from 420 to 470°C for nitrogen. The calculated activation energies of (147±16) kJ mol^?1 and (150±12) kJ mol^?1 in N₂ and O₂, respectively, are equal within experimental error.     

Production of <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>-Mandelic Acid Using Nitrilase from Recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">E. coli</Emphasis> Cells Immobilized with Tris(Hydroxymethyl)Phosphine

Recombinant Escherichia coli cells harboring nitrilase from Alcaligenes faecalis were immobilized using tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphine (THP) as the coupling agent. The optimal pH and temperature of the THP-immobilized cells were determined at pH 8.0 and 55 °C. The half-lives of THP-immobilized cells measured at 35, 40, and 50 °C were 1800, 965, and 163 h, respectively. The concentration of R-mandelic acid (R-MA) reached 358 mM after merely 1-h conversion by the immobilized cells with 500 mM R,S-mandelonitrile (R,S-MN), affording the highest productivity of 1307 g L^?1 day^?1 and the space-time productivity of 143.2 mmol L^?1 h^?1 g^?1. The immobilized cells with granular shape were successfully recycled for 60 batches using 100 mM R,S-MN as substrate at 40 °C with 64% of relative activity, suggesting that the immobilized E. coli cells obtained in this study are promising for the production of R-MA.     

Synthesis and characterization of carboxymethyl cellulose-silver nanoparticle (AgNp)-silica hybrid for amylase immobilization

Carboxymethyl cellulose-silver nanoparticle (AgNp)-silica hybrids have been synthesized in a modified Stöber process. The hybrid synthesis was optimized to obtain an efficient immobilization matrix for diastase alpha amylase, a multimeric enzyme of high technological significance. The synthesized hybrids were characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA and BET studies. The enzyme immobilization was done by adsorption and using the immobilized enzyme, the hydrolysis of soluble starch has been optimized in comparison to free enzyme. The optimum usable pH for the immobilized enzyme ranged from pH 4 to 5, while pH 5 was optimum pH for the free enzyme activity. The kinetic parameters for the immobilized, (K _M = 3.4610 mg ml^?1; V _max = 6.3540 mg ml^?1 min^?1) and free enzyme (K _M = 4.1664 mg ml^?1; V _max = 4.291 mg ml^?1 min^?1) hydrolysis indicated that the immobilization at the nanohybrid has significantly improved the catalytic property of the enzyme. In the immobilized state, the enzyme remained usable for many repeated cycles like our previous material, gum acacia-gelatin-AgNp-silica. Storage experiments indicated that the immobilization has increased the stability of the enzyme and also that AgNps play a role in stabilizing the immobilized enzyme.     

Ultrasonic Solution Degradations of Poly(Alkyl Methacrylates)

Ultrasonic (70 W, 20 kHz) solution (2%) degradations of poly(alkyl methacrylates) have been carried out in toluene at 27°C and in tetrahydrofuran (THF) at -20°C. M_w and M_n of all polymers (before and after sonification) were computed from GPC. Irrespective of the alkyl substituent, M_w decreased rapidly at first and then slowly approached limiting values. All M_w/M_n ratios were in the vicinity of 1.5 at the limiting chain lengths. For identical M_n, the rate constants k were (4.2 ± 2.0) × 10^?6 min^?1 in toluene at 27°C and (5.4 ± 2.0) × 10^?6 min^?1 in THF at -20°C. For poly(isopropyl methacrylate) and poly(octadecyl methacrylate) with higher, but identical, M_n,0, k values were higher ((9.0 ± 1.0) × 10^?6 min^?1 at 27°C and (18.0 ± 1.5) × 10^?6 min^?1 at -20°C). This suggests that M_n,0 and not the bulk size of the alkyl substituents is the factor that determines the rate of degradation. Lowering of the temperature accelerates degradation due primarily to lower chain mobility of poly-(alkyl methacrylates) and enhanced cavitation. The average number of chain scissions ([(M_n)₀/(M_n)_t] - 1) calculated from component degradation data are much higher than those obtained with overall M_n,t values.     

Spin polarization in the lowest triplet state of chlorophyll

Chlorophyll-b in glassy solution has a spin-polarized lowest triplet state at and above 77 K. The magnitude of the effect is different for MTHF and ethanol as solvents, in contrast to what is found for the porphin free base. Chlorophyll-a does not exhibit spin-polarization under identical conditions as for chlorophyll-b. Zero-field parameters are found to be:chlorophyll-a (MTHF) D = (281 ± 6) × 10^?4 cm^?1; E = (39 ± 3) × 10^?4 cm^?1;chlorophyll-b (MTHF) D = (289 ± 4) × 10^?4 cm^?1; E = (49 ± 3) × 10^?4 cm^?1,From ESR signal kinetics it follows that for chlorophyll-b, population and depopulation mainly involve the spin level y?, describing a spin moving in a plane perpendicular to the molecular plane:P_y ? P_x ? P_z; k_x = 240 ± 40 s^?1; k_y = 600 ± 120 s^?1; k_z ? 75 s^?1,where P_i and k_i denote populating and decay rates. Thus, the kinetic scheme for the chlorophyll triplet is different from that of porphyrins with heavier metal ions, but very similar to that of the porphin free base. The spin-lattice relaxation time is found to be anisotropic and shorter than the decay rates of individual spin levels. Nevertheless, spin polarization can be observed, essentially because the ESR signal amplitude depends on population differences.     

Determination of Meserine,a new candidate for Alzheimer’s disease in mice brain by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and its application to a pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution study

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for determination of Meserine ((?)-meptazinol phenylcarbamate), a novel potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), was developed, validated, and applied to a pharmacokinetic study in mice brain. The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was 1 ng mL^?1 and the linear range was 1–1,000 ng mL^?1. The analyte was eluted on a Zorbax SB-Aq column (2.1?×?100 mm, 3.5 μm) with the mobile phase composed of methanol and water (70:30, v/v, aqueous phase contained 10 mM ammonium formate and 0.3 % formic acid) using isocratic elution, and monitored by positive electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The flow rate was 0.25 mL min^?1. The injection volume was 5 μL and total run time was 4 min. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of intraday and interday variation was 2.49–7.81 and 3.01–7.67 %, respectively. All analytes were stable after 4 h at room temperature and 6 h in autosampler. The extraction recoveries of Meserine in brain homogenate were over 90 %. The main brain pharmacokinetic parameters obtained after intranasal administration were T _max?=?0.05 h, C _max?=?462.0?±?39.7 ng g^?1, T _1/2?=?0.4 h, and AUC_(0-∞)?=?283.1?±?9.1 ng h g^?1. Moreover, Meserine was distributed rapidly and widely into brain, heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney tissue. The method is validated and could be applied to the pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution study of Meserine in mice.     

Thermal analysis and kinetics of oxidation of “NbS2”

The thermal analysis and kinetics of oxidation of “NbS₂” to Nb₂O₅ were studied by thermogravimetry. The application of both isothermal and nonisothermal methods was necessary to establish the correct equation $$1 - (1 - \alpha )^{1/3} = kt$$ This equation was valid for the reaction of sample reactedα in the interval 0.03 to 0.82–0.91. The apparent activation energy was determined to be 209.59±2.36 kJ mol^?1 with the isothermal method and 209.28±1.84 kJ mol^?1 with the nonisothermal method (5 deg min^?1) over thePo₂ range 8.9×10^?2 to 2.0×10^?1 atm and the temperature range 440 to 515°. The relationship between the rate constantk andPo₂ was also determined.     

Thermal study on decomposition of LiBH4 at non-isothermal and non-equilibrium conditions

Thermal decomposition measurements for lithium borohydride (LiBH₄) are performed at non-isothermal and non-equilibrium conditions by means of differential thermal analysis (DTA). A simplified alternative procedure is introduced for evaluating thermodynamic and kinetic parameters simultaneously using a single set of measurements. Rate constant (k) and enthalpy (ΔH = ?102.1 ± 0.7 kJ mol^?1 LiBH₄) are archived. Temperature dependence for activation energy (E _a) is found taking advantage of Guggenheim–Arrhenius method; the mean activation energy is $ \overline{E}_{a} $  93.9 ± 0.9 kJ mol^?1 LiBH₄ in the range of heating rate β 1–50 K min^?1.     

Calculation of the kinetic parameters of dehydration of lithium peroxide monohydrate in nonisothermic regime by derivatographic method

The dehydration of lithium peroxide monohydrate was studied by derivatography under nonisothermic conditions for the calculation of main kinetic parameters in the temperature range 90–146°C. Experimental conditions (sample size and the linear heating rate) caused by thermoconductivity of the object under investigation were determined. It is shown that the process under study proceeds according to the kinetic law close to the first order one (n = 0.85±0.03). Values of the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor [E _a = 86.0±0.8 kJ mol^?1, k ₀ = (2.19±0.16)×10¹¹ min^?1] were obtained. A suggestion was formulated that the dehydration mechanism of lithium peroxide monohydrate was analogous to that of the hydrates of the alkaline earth metal (calcium, barium, and strontium) peroxides.     

Evaluation of Vanadium(IV) as a Non-radioactive Surrogate for Technetium(IV) by Comparison of Stability Constants for Polyamino Polycarboxylate Ligand Complexation

The stability constants for the Tc(IV) and V(IV) complexation with the polyamino polycarboxylate ligands IDA, NTA, HEDTA and DTPA were determined using liquid–liquid extraction techniques. These stability constants were then used to evaluate the validity of using V(IV) as a chemical analogue for Tc(IV). Results suggest that Tc(IV), as TcOOH⁺, will form β _1?11 complexes with the selected ligands, while V(IV), as VO²⁺, will form β ₁₀₁ complexes. The values for these determined stability constants are (in log₁₀ unit) 10.9 ± 0.1, 11.4 ± 0.1, 14.9 ± 0.1, and 20.1 ± 0.1 for Tc(IV) in 0.5 mol·L^?1 NaCl at 25 °C, for IDA, NTA, HEDTA and DTPA, respectively, they are 9.3 ± 0.1, 11.6 ± 0.2, 15.8 ± 0.1, and 20.8 ± 0.1 for V(IV) in 0.5 mol·L^?1 NaCl at 25 °C, for the same suite of ligands. The incorporation of a hydroxide into the metal ligand complexes formed by Tc(IV) is proposed as the largest factor differentiating the apparent stability constants of Tc(IV) and V(IV). This work shows that V(IV) is a poor analog for Tc(IV); however, despite the differences in complexation mechanism between V(IV) and Tc(IV), V(IV) still appears to have some use for predicting Tc(IV) complexation behavior.     

Bench-scale biosynthesis of isonicotinic acid from 4-cyanopyridine by Pseudomonas putida

Pseudomonas putida CGMCC3830 harboring nitrilase was used in isonicotinic acid production from 4-cyanopyridine. This nitrilase showed optimum activities towards 4-cyanopyridine at pH 7.5 and 45°C. The half-life of P. putida nitrilase was 93.3 h, 33.9 h, and 9.5 h at 30°C, 38°C, and 45°C, respectively. 4-Cyanopyridine (100 mM) was fully converted into isonicotinic acid within 20 min. The bench-scale production of isonicotinic acid was carried out using 3 mg of resting cells per mL in a 1 L system at 30°C and finally, 123 g L^?1 of isonicotinic acid were obtained within 200 min without any by-products. The conversion reaction suffered from the product inhibition effect after the tenth feeding. The volumetric productivity was 36.9 g L^?1 h^?1. P. putida shows significant potential in nitrile hydrolysis for isonicotinic acid production. This paper is the first report on isonicotinic acid biosynthesis using Pseudomonas putida and it represents the highest isonicotinic acid production reported so far.     

Slow molecular mobility in the amorphous thermoplastic polysulfone

The thermally stimulated depolarization current (TSDC) technique has been used to study the slow molecular mobility of polysulfone in the glassy state and in the glass transformation region, i.e., in the temperature ranging from ?155 to 183 °C. Since the polysulfone is a rigid polymer without polar side-groups, a broad and low-intensity secondary relaxation was detected in the temperature region from ?120 °C up to the glass transition; the activation energy of the motional modes of this secondary relaxation is in the range between 35 and 100 kJ mol^?1. The glass transition temperature of polysulfone provided by the TSDC technique is T _M = T _g = 176 °C (at 4 °C min^?1). The relaxation time at this temperature is τ(T _g) = 33 s and the fragility index was found to be m = 91. Our results are compared with literature values obtained by dynamic mechanical analysis and by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The amorphous polysulfone was also characterized by DSC; a glass transition signal with an onset at T _on = 185.5 ± 0.3 °C (heating rate 10 °C min^?1) was detected, with ΔC _p = 0.21 ± 0.01 J g^?1 °C^?1.     

Measurement of the association constants through micro-Raman spectra of supersaturated lithium perchlorate droplets

High quality micro-Raman spectra of the LiClO4droplet with mass of nanogram scale were obtained at various concentrations from dilute to supersaturated state.From component band analysis of the v1-ClO4band,four peaks at 933.3,936.8,942.1 and950.7 cm 1were identified and assigned to free solvated perchlorate anion,solvent-shared ion pair,contact ion pair and complex ion aggregates,respectively.As expected,the signature of free solvated ClO4ion was observed to decrease in intensity with the increase in concentration.The intensity of the signature from solvent-shared ion pair was observed to rise with increase in concentration from 1.8 mol/kg to 5.0 mol/kg before decreasing as the concentration was further increased to 5.6mol/kg.Signatures of contact ion pair and of complex ion aggregates were shown to increase as the concentration was enhanced.Based upon the Eigen mechanism,we show that three association equilibria can be used to describe the transformations between free solvated perchlorate anion,solvent-shared ion pair,contact ion pair and complex ion aggregates.The overall association constant,K,and the stepwise association constants Ki(i=1 to 3)in the Eigen mechanism were determined separately with values of 0.025±0.003,0.023±0.002,0.068±0.033 and 0.686±0.174.Based on these constants,the electronic performance can be reasonably predicted by the optimum choice of electrolyte concentrations.     

LC Analysis and Pharmacokinetic Study of Pachymic Acid After Intravenous Administration to Rats

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection was developed and validated to investigate the concentration of pachymic acid (PA) in rat plasma. The sample preparation was a liquid-liquid extraction and chromatographic separation was achieved with a Dikma Diamonsil^TM C₁₈ column (250 × 4.6 mm I.D.) with a C₁₈ guard column (8 × 4 mm I.D.) using a mobile phase consisting of MeOH-MeCN-aq. 0.45% H₃PO₄ (45:40:22) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min^?1. The UV detection was at 210 nm. Standard curves were linear (r = 0.9998) in plasma over the concentration range of 0.5–50 μg mL^?1 and had acceptable accuracy and precision. Intra- and inter-day precisions expressed as the relative standard deviation (RSD) were 0.26–1.60% and 1.24–2.31%. The lower limit of quantification and lower limit of detection were 0.45 and 0.17 μg mL^?1. The method has been used successfully to study the pharmacokinetics of PA. After a dose of 30 mg kg^?1 by intravenous administration, the main pharmacokinetic parameters t _1/2, AUC_0-∞, CL, V_ss and MRT_0-∞ were 8.79 ± 6.80 h, 18.90 ± 9.39 μg h mL^?1, 0.53 ± 0.28 L h^?1, 5.60 ± 4.60 L and 12.58 ± 9.95 h, respectively.     

Stability constants for aqueous silver/bromide/thiocyanate complexes

Stability constants for aqueous Ag⁺/Br^?, Ag⁺/SCN^?, and mixed Ag⁺/Br^?/SCN^? complexes are determined at 25° C by using data generated potentiometrically in solutions having ionic strengths of 0.4, 1.0, and 2.0 m. Monte Carlo numerical methods which yield apparent stability constants for these complexes as well as confidence limits are described in detail. Explicit consideration of speciation shows that under useful precipitation conditions (high bromide and low thiocyanate), a significant fraction of soluble silver is present as AgBr_n (SCN)^1?n?m_m complexes. The most prevalent mixed complexes under these conditions are AgBr (SCN)^? (log β₁₁=8.0 ± 0.5) and AgBr₂(SCN)^2? (log β₂₁=9.2 ± 0.3). The free energies of formation of the other tri- and tetra-coordinate mixed complexes are nearly indistinguishable (log β₁₂=9.3 ± 0.5; log β₃₁=9.0 ± 0.6; log β₂₂=9.6 ± 0.9; log β₁₃=10.3 ±0.5).     

Reactions of the IO· radical resulting in hydrogen atom abstraction from halogen-containing molecules

A jet-stream kinetic technique and the resonance fluorescence method applied to detection of iodine atoms were used to measure the rate constants of the reactions of the IO^· radical with the halohydrocarbons CHFCl-CF₂Cl (k = (3.2 ± 0.9) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule s^?1) and CH₂ClF (k = (9.4 ± 1.3) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule s^?1), the hydrogen-containing haloethers CF₃-O-CH₃ (k = (6.4 ± 0.9) × 10^?16 cm³ molecule s^?1) and CF₃CH₂-O-CHF₂ (k = (1.2 ± 0.6) × 10^?15 cm³ molecule s^?1), and hydrogen iodide (k = (1.3 ± 0.9) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule s^?1) at 323 K.