Matrix effects in the determination of butyltin compounds in environmental samples by GC AA after hydride generation

Experiments for the determination of mono-, di and tri-butyltin (MBT, DBT and TBT) by hydride generation/gas chromatography/atomic absorption spectrometry in various matrices (sediment, suspended matter, mussel, algae and water) have revealed that poor butyltin recoveries are obtained in sediments displaying high sulphur and hydrocarbon contents; very poor recoveries were also observed for TBT in sediments with high chlorophyll pigment contents as well as in algal samples. It was however not clear whether the hydride generatin was inhibited by these infering compounds, as was previously assumed in the case of hydrocarbons, or whether interferences affected the atomization rate. Further studies were performed to solve this problem in order to validate this method in the case of analyses of, for example, oil-contaminated sediment and algae. This paper presents the results obtained. It is concluded here that the poor recoveries were due to an inhibition of hydride generation rather than to interference at the atomization stage.     

A new synthesis of ampicillin and related investigations

Quaternization of (S)-α-bromophenylacetic acid amide (8) with hexamethylentetramine (hexamine) preceded with ca. 80% inversion of configuration. Accordingly, starting from the trimethylsilylester of N-(S)-(α-bromo-α-phenylacetyl)-6-aminopenicillanic acid (4) quaternization with hexamine and subsequent hydrolysis afforded N-(R)-α-phenylglycyl-6-aminopenicillanic acid (1, ampicillin). Some other model reactions have been investigated.     

Preparation and Crystal Structure Determination of the New Intermetallic Compound RbGa3

The compound has tetragonal symmetry, space group I4 m2 with: a=b=6.315(2) and c = 15.000(2) Å and contains 6 formula units. Diffraction data with 0 < 2θ < 50° (MoKα radiation) were collected on a Nonius CAD-4 automatic diffractometer within the octant hkl. The structure was solved by Patterson synthesis and refined by full-matrix least squares to a final R(F) of 4.9% for 159 independent reflections with I > 3σ(I). The structure consists of a stacking of gallium triangular-faced dodecahedra linked to each others through direct and bifurcated Ga? Ga bonds in a non-compact netting leaving room for a sublattice of rubidium atoms with shortened Rb? Rb distances.     

Icosahedron oligomerization and condensation in intermetallic compounds. Bonding and electronic requirements

Icosahedron-based clustering has been found to be very common in intermetallics, particularly for group 13 and early p-block icosogen elements. Linking of the icosahedral building blocks depends on the valence electron concentrations. Vertex-, edge-, or face-sharing icosahedra occur as the structure compensates for electron deficiency. Some examples of icosahedron-based clusters have been selected for an analysis of the relationships between the structural features (icosahedron oligomerization, atomic defects, etc.) and the bonding and electronic requirements. The extended Hückel method has been used with either a molecular approach or an electronic band structure calculation to rationalize bonding in the intermetallic framework.     

Analysis of aerosols at the bosporus bridge of Istanbul

Air samples collected at the second Bosporus bridge of Istanbul which carries a heavy traffic load between Asia and Europe, were analyzed for 22 elements by the INAA method. Pb, Cd and Fe concentrations in the samples were determined by AAS. Iron concentrations were used as a cross check between the two methods. In order to define the enrichment factors for the elements in the bridge area, a sample collected from our university campus which can be considered as a rural site, was also analyzed. Differences were observed especially for Br, Al, Mg, Ti, Cu and Na between the two sites. Based on the results of the samples from the bridge, we got a value of 0.58(16) for the Br/Pb-ratio.     

A Titration Microcalorimetric Study of the Effects of Halide Counterions on Vesicle-Forming Aggregation in Aqueous Solution of Branched-Chain Alkylpyridinium Surfactants

Titration microcalorimetry is used to study the influences of iodide, bromide, and chloride counterions on the aggregation of vesicle-forming 1-methyl-4-(2-pentylheptyl)pyridinium halide surfactants. Formation of vesicles by these surfactants was characterised using transmission electron microscopy. When the counterion is changed at 303 K through the series iodide, bromide, to chloride, the critical vesicular concentration (cvc) increases and the enthalpy of vesicle formation changes from exo- to endothermic. With increase in temperature to 333 K, vesicle formation becomes strongly exothermic. Increasing the temperature leads to a decrease in enthalpy and entropy of vesicle formation for all three surfactants. However the standard Gibbs energy for vesicle formation is, perhaps surprisingly, largely unaffected by an increase in temperature, as a consequence of a compensating change in both standard entropy and standard enthalpy of vesicle formation. Interestingly, standard isobaric heat capacities of vesicle formation are negative, large in magnitude but not strikingly dependent on the counterion. We conclude that the driving force for vesicle formation can be understood in terms of overlap of the thermally labile hydrophobic hydration shells of the alkyl chains. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Effects of Adsorbed Polyaniline on Redox Process on MoO3 Surface

The effects exhibited by adsorbed conducting polyaniline on the redox process on a molybdenum oxide surface were studied. Thermogravimetric results indicate a 4% polyaniline deposition. Cyclic voltammograms of the adsorbed polymer on MoO3 show that polyaniline exerts remarkable effects on the molybdenum blue oxidation-reduction process, with oxidation and reduction potentials of 0.33 and 0.18 V, respectively. This effect strongly enhances the electrode response, and can be used as an important tool in qualitative and/or quantitative determinations of molybdenum in solution as well as in any substrate. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Spectroscopies and Electron Microscopies Unravel the Origin of the First Colour Photographs

The first colour photographs were created by a process introduced by Edmond Becquerel in 1848. The nature of these photochromatic images colours motivated a debate between scientists during the XIX^th century, which is still not settled. We present the results of chemical analysis (EDX, HAXPES and EXAFS) and morphology studies (SEM, STEM) aiming at explaining the optical properties of the photochromatic images (UV‐visible spectroscopy and low loss EELS). We rule out the two hypotheses (pigment and interferences) that have prevailed since 1848, respectively based on variations in the oxidation degree of the compound forming the sensitized layer and periodically spaced photolytic silver planes. A study of the silver nanoparticles dispersions contained in the coloured layers showed specific localizations and sizes distributions of the nanoparticles for each colour. These results allow us to formulate a plasmonic hypothesis on the origin of the photochromatic images colours.