Clouding behavior of nonionic–cationic and nonionic–anionic mixed surfactant systems in presence of carboxylic acids and their sodium salts

The study is focused on evaluation of clouding phenomena of the aqueous single nonionic surfactant system Triton X-100 (TX-100) and its mixed systems with anionic aerosol-OT (AOT) and cationic dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPC) in presence of hydrophobic ions furnished by sodium salts of carboxylic acids, viz., sodium ethanoate, sodium propanoate, sodium butanoate, and sodium hexanoate and the respective carboxylic acids [ethanoic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid, and hexanoic acid]. The influence of salts on the cloud point (CP) has been explained on the basis of salt effect as well as the solubilization of higher alkyl chain hydrophobic ions furnished by these salts. Moreover, the co- and counterion effect has been taken into account to explain the variation of the CP in the mixed systems. However, the effect of acids on CP has been explained in the light of their aqueous solubility and their partitioning ability between octanol and water as reflected by their K _OW values.     

Reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketones with cyanoacetamide

3-Aryl-1-phenyl-2-propen-1-ones Ia-f and aroylphenylacetylenes Va-d reacted under reflux for 3 hours with cyanoacetamide in the presence of sodium ethoxide to give the corresponding 4-aryl-3-cyano-6-phenyl-2-(1H)pyridones VI. However, when ketones Ia-e were refluxed with cyanoacetamide for one hour in the presence of sodium ethoxide or piperidine, they gave the corresponding 4-aryl-3-cyano-3,4-dihydro-6-phenyl-2-(1H)pyridones IIIa-e, which upon heating with selenium gave the corresponding 2-pyridones VI. The structures of the products are based on chemical and spectroscopic evidence.     

Magnetic dye affinity beads for the adsorption of beta-casein

Casein is well known as a good protein emulsifier and beta-casein is the major component of casein and commercial sodium caseinate. Dye affinity adsorption is increasingly used for protein separation. beta-Casein adsorption onto Reactive Red 120 attached magnetic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (m-PHEMA) beads was investigated in this work. m-PHEMA beads (80-120 microm in diameter) were produced by dispersion polymerization. The dichlorotriazine dye Reactive Red 120 was attached covalently as a ligand. The dye attached beads, having a swelling ratio of 55% (w/w) and carrying different amounts of Reactive Red 120 (9.2 micromol . g(-1)-39.8 micromol . g(-1)), were used in beta-casein adsorption studies. The effects of the initial concentration, pH, ionic strength and temperature on the adsorption efficiency of dye attached beads were studied in a batch reactor. The non-specific adsorption on the m-PHEMA beads was 1.4 mg . g(-1). Reactive Red 120 attachment significantly increased the beta-casein adsorption up to 37.3 mg . g(-1). More than 95.4% of the adsorbed beta-casein was desorbed in 1 h in a desorption medium containing 1.0 M KSCN at pH 8.0. We concluded that Reactive Red 120 attached m-PHEMA beads can be applied for beta-casein adsorption without significant losses in the adsorption capacities.     

The catalytic performances of silica supported aluminum,gallium and indium for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butylation of aromatics

RHA-Al, RHA-Ga and RHA-In catalysts were synthesized by the direct incorporation of aluminum, gallium and indium ions, respectively, into rice husk ash (RHA) silica at room temperature using the sol–gel method. The prepared catalysts were characterized by physicochemical methods, viz. N₂-adsorption, XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDX, ICP-MS and Solid-state NMR. These catalysts were used to study the tert-butylation of benzene (Bz) and some substituted benzenes with tert-butyl chloride (TBC). The reaction was proposed to proceed initially through the radical mechanism and subsequently the tert-butyl cation was formed, which in turn attacks the benzene ring for the formation of tert-butyl benzene (TBB) and di-tert-butyl benzene (DTBB) via the S_N1 mechanism (main reaction). However, a proton elimination reaction (side reaction) also occurred, resulting in the formation of isobutene dimers (IBD) and isobutene trimers (IBT). The extent of these side products were found to decrease significantly with time, indicating the reversibility of the oligomerization reactions. The catalysts were stable against leaching and were reusable several times but with observable drop in catalytic activity. RHA-Ga lost almost 20% of its activity after each run, whereas, RHA-In was stable until the 3rd run and then lost ~13% of its activity at the 5th run. The deactivation was suggested to be induced by the poisoning effect of the bulky side products.     

New approaches to due date assignment in job shops

In this study, two new approaches for due date assignment in job shops are evaluated. Proposed approaches use statistical prediction techniques for dynamic prediction of job flowtimes in a job shop environment as the job arrives to the shop floor. Primary objective of this research is to compare the performance of the proposed due date assignment model (PDDAM) with several conventional due date assignment models (CDDAM). For this purpose, simulation models are developed and comparisons of the PDDAM and CDDAM are made in terms of the mean absolute percent error (MAPE), mean percent error (MPE) and mean tardiness (MT). Simulation experiments showed that for many test conditions, PDDAM dominates CDDAM. Therefore, case by case findings are summarized in the paper.     

Entrapment of Lentinus sajor-caju into Ca-alginate gel beads for removal of Cd(II) ions from aqueous solution: preparation and biosorption kinetics analysis

A white rot fungus species Lentinus sajor-caju biomass was entrapped into alginate gel via a liquid curing method in the presence of Ca(II) ions. The biosorption of cadmium(II) by the entrapped live and dead fungal biomass has been studied in a batch system. The heat-treatment process enhanced the biosorption capacity of the immobilized fungal biomass. The effect of initial cadmium concentration, pH and temperature on cadmium removal has been investigated. The maximum experimental biosorption capacities for entrapped live and dead fungal mycelia of L. sajur-caju were found to be 104.8±2.7 mg Cd(II) g⁻¹ and 123.5±4.3 mg Cd(II) g⁻¹, respectively. The kinetics of cadmium biosorption was fast, approximately 85% of biosorption taking place within 30 min. The biosorption equilibrium was well described by Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The change in the biosorption capacity with time is found to fit pseudo-second-order equations. Cadmium binding properties of entrapped fungal preparations have been determined applying the Ruzic equations. Since the biosorption capacities are relatively high for both entrapped live and dead forms, they could be considered as suitable biosorbents for the removal of cadmium in wastewater treatment systems. The biosorbents were reused in three consecutive adsorption/desorption cycles without significant loss in the biosorption capacity.     

Enantioseparation of aromatic amino acids using CEC monolith with novel chiral selector,N‐methacryloyl‐l‐histidine methyl ester

A new type of polymethacrylate‐based monolithic column with chiral stationary phase was prepared for the enantioseparation of aromatic amino acids, namely d ,l ‐phenylalanine, d ,l ‐tyrosine, and d ,l ‐tryptophan by CEC. The monolithic column was prepared by in situ polymerization of butyl methacrylate (BMA), N‐methacryloyl‐l ‐histidine methyl ester (MAH), and ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) in the presence of porogens. The porogen mixture included DMF and phosphate buffer. MAH was used as a chiral selector. FTIR spectrum of the polymethacrylate‐based monolith showed that MAH was incorporated into the polymeric structure via in situ polymerization. Some experimental parameters including pH, concentration of the mobile phase, and MAH concentration with regard to the chiral CEC separation were investigated. Single enantiomers and enantiomer mixtures of the amino acids were separately injected into the monolithic column. It was observed that l ‐enantiomers of aromatic amino acids migrated before d ‐enantiomers. The reversal enantiomer migration order for tryptophan was observed upon changing of pH. Using the chiral monolithic column (100 μm id and 375 μm od), the best chiral separation was performed in 35:65% ACN/phosphate buffer (pH 8.0, 10 mM) with an applied voltage of 12 kV in CEC. SEM images showed that the chiral monolithic column has a continuous polymeric skeleton and large through‐pore structure.     

Synthesis,spectral and biological studies of organotin(IV) complexes of heteroscorpionate

A heteroscorpionate ligand, potassium hydrobis(benzoato)(salicylaldehyde)borate (KL), has been synthesized. This was converted into organotin complexes R₂SnL₂ and R₃SnL complexes by mixing and stirring with a methanolic solution/suspension of organotin chloride. The ligand and its complexes were characterized by elemental analyses and spectral studies (IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, ESI mass spectra and Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA)). Antibacterial and antifungal studies of these compounds were evaluated by the disc diffusion method at variable concentration against three species of bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillius subtillis) and two species of fungi (Asperjillius fiavus and Candida albicans). It was found that triorganotin derivatives (R₃SnL) of the ligand were more effective as compared with diorganotin derivatives (R₂SnL₂). The organotin complexes of borates were tested for their algicidal activity on the cyanobacterial strains Aulosira fertilissma, Anabaena species, Anabaena variabilis and Nostoc muscorum and showed high to moderate toxicity towards the above species. The ligand and its complexes were also tested for its pH effect on soil in vitro for a duration of more than one month and it was found that they are able to kill pests without damaging the soil quality. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Systematics of jet tomography at RHIC: √s=62.4 vs. 200 AGeV

The collision energy dependence of jet tomography is investigated within the GLV formalism. We estimate systematic uncertainties resulting from the interplay of energy loss fluctuations and the rapid increase of the parton transverse momentum slopes as √s decreases from 200 to 62.4 AGeV.