Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles as a Probe for the Detection of Fe3+ Ions in Water

Pure water which is free of toxic chemicals is necessary for human health. So, detection and control of heavy metal ions in water is very important. Keeping this in mind, selective and sensitive optical sensor based on surface plasmon resonance for detection of various heavy metals in water using gold nanoparticles was explained in this present study. These AuNPs were prepared using Hibiscus cannabinus leaf extract as reducing agent with the average particle size of 22 nm. These gold nanoparticles are considerably selective and sensitive towards Fe³⁺ and it was used to detect the concentration of Fe³⁺ ions in water in the range 29.82–173.74 μM by tracking the absorbance changes of SPR band and the sensitivity of the system towards the Fe³⁺ concentration and it was found to be 0.0037 μM^?1. We hope that these gold nanoparticles can be used for detecting Fe³⁺ ions concentration, in the water purification processes.     

Application of laser beam deflection technique to study the diffusion process in electrolyte solutions

A simple method based on laser beam deflection to study the variation of diffusion coefficient with concentration in a solution is presented. When a properly fanned out laser beam is passed through a rectangular cell filled with solution having concentration gradient, the emergent beam traces out a curved pattern on a screen. By taking measurements on the pattern at different concentrations, the variation of diffusion coefficient with concentration can be determined.     

Pulsed photoacoustic technique to study nonlinear processes in liquids: Results in toluene

Pulsed photoacoustic measurements have been carried out in toluene at 532 nm wavelength using a Q-switched frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser. The variation of photoacoustic signal amplitude with incident laser power indicates that at lower laser powers one photon absorption takes place at this wavelength while a clear two photon absorption occurs in this liquid at higher laser powers. The studies made here demonstrate that pulsed photoacoustic technique is simple and effective for the investigation of multiphoton processes in liquids.     

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for biorecognition: evaluation of surface coverage and activity

Modifying the surfaces of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) by the covalent attachment of biomolecules will enable their implementation as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging or as media for magnetically assisted bioseparations. In this paper we report both the surface coverage and the activity of IgG antibodies on MNPs. The antibodies were immobilized on gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles by conventional methods using aminopropyltriethoxy silane and subsequent activation by glutaraldehyde. Novel fluorescence methods were used to provide a quantitative evaluation of this well-known approach. Our results show that surface coverage can be stoichiometrically adjusted with saturated surface coverage occurring at approximately 36% of the theoretical limit. The saturated surface coverage corresponds to 34 antibody molecules bound to an average-sized MNP (32 nm diameter). We also show that the immobilized antibodies retain approximately 50% of their binding capacity at surface-saturated levels.     

Fine structure in the time of flight distribution of C2 in laser produced plasma from graphite

Time resolved optical emission spectroscopy is employed to study the expansion dynamics of C₂ species in a graphite plasma produced during the Nd : YAG ablation. At low laser fluences a single peak distribution with low kinetic energy is observed. At higher fluences a twin peak distribution is found. It has been noted that these double peak time of flight distribution splits into a triple peak structure at distances ≥17mm from the target surface. The reason for the occurrence of multiple peak is due to different formation mechanisms of C₂ species.     

Time evolution of the electron density and temperature in laser-produced plasmas from YBa2Cu3O7

2 Cu₃O₇ target in vacuum and the plasma thus generated was studied using time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. Line broadening of the Ba I emission line at 553.5 nm was monitored as a function of time elapsed after the incidence of a laser pulse on the target. Measured line profiles of barium species were used to infer the electron density and temperature, and the time evolution of these important plasma parameters has been worked out. Received: 23 April 1997/Revised version: 25 August 1997     

Anomalous variation of thermal lens signal with concentration from rhodamine B in methanol solution

Thermal lens signals in solutions of rhodamine B laser dye in methanol are measured using the dual beam pump-probe technique. The nature of variations of signal strength with concentration is found to be different for 514 and 488 nm Ar⁺ laser excitations. However, both the pump wavelengths produce an oscillatory type variation of thermal lens signal amplitude with the concentration of the dye solution. Probable reasons for this peculiar behaviour (which is absent in the case of fluorescent intensity) are mentioned.