Classification of edible vegetables affected by different traffic intensities using potential curves

Heavy metals in soils have largely been used to evaluate the impact of motorised traffic in the vicinity of motorways. Also in this field of work it is of paramount importance to analyse the vegetables grown in these areas since their consumption is one of the main sources of metal intake by people; not in vain human food is directly or indirectly derived from plants. Accordingly, a set of edible vegetable samples were first analysed and, then, classified employing different multivariate chemometric techniques; among them, SIMCA and a simplified mode of potential curves. The analytical variables were selected after a comprehensive study of roadside soil pollution where Pb, Cd and Cu were found to be the main metallic pollution tracers. Different groups of vegetables were obtained which were explained as a function of both the agricultural conditions (private versus commercial) and the different traffic intensities supported by the cultivated areas.     

Preparation and characterization of polyethylene based graft copolymers. Applications in the immobilization of enzymes

In the last few years new copolymeric supports for the immobilization of biological compounds have been developed. The graft copolymer polyethylene-g.co-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, partially hydrolyzed, has shown to be a very promising support for this purpose.

The more recent work in the preparation and characterization of this copolymer, as well as the immobilization of a lipase, is reported in this paper. Branches of poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) were grafted onto low density polyethylene by using gamma radiation. The influence of the presence and absence of air, as well as the monomer concentration on the yield of grafting were evaluated.

The obtained copolymers were characterized by DSC and FTIR. The influence of the support properties on the synthesis biocatalytic activity was detected.     

Multivariate optimization and validation studies in on-line pre-concentration system for lead determination in drinking water and saline waste from oil refinery

The present paper proposes an on-line pre-concentration procedure for lead determination in drinking water and saline waste from oil refinery by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS). It is based on the sorption of lead (II) ions in a minicolumn of polyurethane foam loaded with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR) reagent. The optimization step was performed using Doehlert matrix involving the variables: sampling flow rate (SR), buffer concentration (BC), pH and eluent concentration (EC). The validation process was performed considering the parameters: linearity and other characteristics of the calibration curve, analytical features of on-line system, precision, robustness, effect of other ions in the pre-concentration system and accuracy. Using the established experimental conditions, the procedure allows lead determination with detection limit (3δ/S) of 0.4 μg l⁻¹, quantification limit (10δ/S) of 1.4 μg l⁻¹, and a precision, calculated as relative standard deviation (RSD) of 5.7 (n=8) and 2.1% (n=8) for lead concentration of 5 and 50 μg l⁻¹, respectively. The pre-concentration factor (PF) considering the ratio among the slopes of the analytical curves with and without pre-concentration is 51. The achieved recovery for lead determination in presence of several cations demonstrated that this procedure could be applied for analysis of water samples. The accuracy was confirmed by analysis of the standard reference material NIST 1640 Trace elements in natural water. The sorption process was characterized by the Langmuir isotherm. The method was applied for lead determination in drinking water collected in Salvador City, Brazil and in saline effluent samples from oil refinery. The lead content for 16 samples of drinking water analyzed varied from 0.77 to 6.98 μg l⁻¹.     

A flow injection/hydride generation system for the determination of arsenic by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A flow-injection system is described for the semi-automatic determination of arsenic (10–1000 μg l^?1) by hydride generation and inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The elements which were found to interfere were Co, Ni, Ag, Au, Bi, Te and Sn. Standard reference materials were analyzed with good accuracy. Approximately 200 injection h^?1 are possible. The detection limit is 1.4 ng arsenic.     

The location of tryptophan, N-acetyltryptophan and alpha-chymotrypsin in reverse micelles of AOT: a fluorescence study

The spectroscopic properties of alpha-chymotrypsin (alpha-Chym), L-tryptophan (Trp) and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan (NAT) solubilized in hydrated reverse micelles of sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate in iso-octane were followed by fluorescence as a function of the amount of intramicellar water and initial pH. The lack of pH dependence observed for Trp in these systems, as opposed to what occurs in bulk water, and the similarities found for the protein in both media foresee different locations of these probes. In reverse micelles, fluorescence quenching studies using acrylamide emphasize the existence of structural alterations within the protein when its global charge changes from positive (pH = 7) to negative (pH = 10). The ensemble of the data points to an interfacial location of the zwitterionic Trp, an intermediate region of less tightly bound water for the location of the anionic Trp and NAT and an almost bulk water environment for alpha-Chym.     

Measurements and analysis of excess molar volumes for the ternary mixture MTBE + 1-pentanol + decane

Summary Densities at 298.15 K and atmospheric pressure have been measured, using a DMA 4500 Anton Paar densimeter, for the ternary mixture methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE)+1-pentanol+decane and for the involved binary mixtures MTBE+1-pentanol and 1-pentanol+decane. The excess molar volumes for the binary mixture MTBE+decane was reported in an earlier work [1]. In addition, excess molar volumes were determined from the densities of the pure liquids and mixtures. Suitable fitting equations have been used in order to correlate adequately the excess molar volumes. The empirical expressions of Kohler [18], Jacob and Fitzner [19], Colinet [20], Knobeloch and Schwartz [21], Tsao and Smith [22], Toop [23], Scatchard et al. [24], Hillert [25], Mathieson and Thynne [26] were applied to estimate ternary properties from binary results.     

Effects of applied voltage on water at a gold electrode interface from ab initio molecular dynamics

Electrode–water interfaces under voltage bias demonstrate anomalous electrostatic and structural properties that are influential in their catalytic and technological applications. Mean-field and empirical models of the electrical double layer (EDL) that forms in response to an applied potential do not capture the heterogeneity that polarizable, liquid-phase water molecules engender. To illustrate the inhomogeneous nature of the electrochemical interface, Born–Oppenheimer ab initio molecular dynamics calculations of electrified Au(111) slabs interfaced with liquid water were performed using a combined explicit–implicit solvent approach. The excess charges localized on the model electrode were held constant and the electrode potentials were computed at frequent simulation times. The electrode potential in each trajectory fluctuated with changes in the atomic structure, and the trajectory-averaged potentials converged and yielded a physically reasonable differential capacitance for the system. The effects of the average applied voltages, both positive and negative, on the structural, hydrogen bonding, dynamical, and vibrational properties of water were characterized and compared to literature where applicable. Controlled-potential simulations of the interfacial solvent dynamics provide a framework for further investigation of more complex or reactive species in the EDL and broadly for understanding electrochemical interfaces in situ.

Ab initio molecular dynamics of an aqueous electrode interface reveal the electrostatic, structural, and dynamic effects of quantifiable voltage biases on water.     

New Copper(II) Complexes Containing 2-Furoic Hydrazide and 5-Nitro-2-Furoic Hydrazide Ligands: Synthesis,Thermal, Magnetic and Spectroscopic Characterization

Two new copper(II) complexes, [Cu₂(L¹)₄(H₂O)₂](SO₄)₄· 2H₂O and [Cu(L²)₂(H₂O)₂]SO₄, were isolated containing 2-furoic hydrazide and 5-nitro-2-furoic hydrazide ligands, respectively. The complexes were characterized by thermal, magnetic and spectroscopic techniques, showing a distorted tetragonal environment around the metal ion. Compound (1), containing 2-furoic hydrazide as the ligand, appears to be dimeric in the solid state, with substituted hydrazine acting as a bidentate bridging ligand. On the contrary, a monomeric species was observed with the 5-nitro-2-furoic hydrazide ligand, probably in the cis configuration, for compound (2). Magnetic measurements for the binuclear copper(II) complex (1) were carried out at low temperatures, in the 2–300 K range, and a magnetic field of 500 G, indicating that besides an intramolecular ferromagnetic interaction between the two Cu(II) centers, for which J/k = 1.07 K, further weak antiferromagnetic interactions between adjacent dimers, with Jz/k =–0.95 K, should be taken into account. However, in MeOH/H₂O solution, evidence of equilibria involving the dimer (1) and the corresponding mononuclear cis and trans species was obtained from e.p.r. spectra.     

Rapid determination of zinc and iron in foods by flow-injection analysis with flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry and slurry nebulization

A rapid method of determining zinc and iron in food by flame atomic-absorption spectrophotometry with slurry nebulization into an air-acetylene flame has been developed. A V-groove, clog-free Babington-type nebulizer, coupled to a single-line flow-injection analysis (FIA) system, was employed to introduce the slurry into the spray chamber. Under the FIA conditions described, an injection frequency of 120/hr is possible, with negligible carry-over and memory effects. The calibration graphs were obtained by using various concentrations (up to 0.1 g/ml) of white bean homogenate as standards, rather than solutions. The method has been applied to various kinds of foods, including grains, vegetables, fruits and sausage. Homogenization of semi-prepared samples to form slurries took only 4 min. Relative deviations between results by the slurry and solution methods for both elements averaged 2-3%. Detection limits by the slurry method were 0.3 mug/ml Zn and 0.6 mug/ml Fe.     

Crosslinked polyethylene foams, via EB radiation

Polyethylene foams, produced by radio-induced crosslinking, show a smooth and homogeneous surface, when compared to chemical crosslinking method using peroxide as crosslinking agent. This process fosters excellent adhesive and printability properties. Besides that, closed cells, intrinsic to theses foams, imparts opitmum mechanical, shocks and insulation resistance, indicating these foams to some markets segments as: automotive and transport; buoyancy, flotation and marine: building and insulation: packaging: domestic sports and leisure goods. We were in search of an ideal foam, by adding 5 to 15% of blowing agent in LDPE. A series of preliminary trials defined 203° C as the right blowing agent decomposition temperature. At a 22.7 kGy/dose ratio, the lowest dose for providing an efficient foam was 30 kGy, for a formulation comprising 10% of azodicarbonamide in LDPE, within a 10 minutes foaming time.