Studies of vulcanization with tetramethylthiuram disulfide and sulfur vulcanization accelerated by tetramethylthiuram disulfide of styrene–butadiene rubber in presence and absence of dicumyl peroxide

The salient features of nonelemental sulfur vulcanization by tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD) and elemental sulfur vulcanization promoted by TMTD both in presence and absence of ZnO and stearic acid have been studied. In stock containing TMTD, a higher rate constant value for dicumyl peroxide (DCP) decomposition was observed. TMTD decreases the crosslinking density due to DCP depending on its concentration. An entirely radical mechanism has been advanced in the absence of ZnO. ZnO or ZnO–stearic acid seems to alter the entire course of reaction. The rate of crosslinking increases in the presence of ZnO or ZnO–stearic acid. Moreover, crosslinks are formed additively (further supported from the activation energy data), and mixed crosslink formation has been confirmed by the methyl iodide test of the vulcanizates. Stearic acid has no effect on crosslink formation. An ionic chain mechanism has been postulated in the presence of ZnO, as suggested by British authors.     

Oscillation of higher order delay differential equations

A sufficient condition was obtained for oscillation of all solutions of theodd-order delay differential equation $$x^{(n)} (t) + \sum\limits_{i = 1}^m {p_i (t)} x(t - \sigma _{_i } ) = 0,$$ wherep _i (t) are non-negative real valued continuous function in [T ∞] for someT≥0 and σ_i,∈(0, ∞)(i = 1,2,…,m). In particular, forp _i (t) =p _i ∈(0, ∞) andn > 1 the result reduces to $$\frac{1}{m}\left( {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^m {(p_i \sigma _i^m )^{1/2} } } \right)^2 > (n - 2)!\frac{{(n)^n }}{e},$$ implies that every solution of (*) oscillates. This result supplements forn > 1 to a similar result proved by Ladaset al [J. Diff. Equn.,42 (1982) 134–152] which was proved for the casen = 1.     

Arsenic speciation in aqueous samples using a selective As(III)/As(V) preconcentration in combination with an automatable cryotrapping hydride generation procedure for monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid

Differentiation between As(III) and As(V) is accomplished using earlier developed selective preconcentration methods (carbamate and molybdate mediated (co)precipitation of As(III) and As(V) respectively) follewed by AAS detection of the (co)precipitates. Apart from this, separation of methylated arsenic species is performed by an automatable system comprising a continuous flow hydride generation unit in which monomethylarsonic acid (MMAA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA) are converted into their corresponding volatile methylarsines, monomethylarsine (MMA) and dimethylarsine (DMA) respectively. These species are cryogenically trapped in a Teflon-line stainless stell U-tube packed with a gas chromatographic solid-phase and subsequently separated by selective volatilization. A novel gas drying technique by means of a Perma Pure dryer was applied successfully prior to trapping. Detection is by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). MMAA and DMAA are determined with absolute limits of detection of 0.2 and 0.5 ng, respectively. Investigation of the behaviour of the methylarsines in the system was conducted with synthesized⁷³As labeled methylated arsenic species. It was found that MMA is taken through the system quantitatively whereas DMA is recovered for about 85%. The opumized system combined with selective As(III)/As(V) preconcentration has been tested out for arsenic speciation of sediment interstitial water from the Chemiehaven at Rotterdam. The obtained concentrations are 28.5, 26.8 and 0.60 ng·ml^–1 for As(III), As(V) and MMAA, respectively, whereas the DMAA concentration was below 0.16 ng·ml^–1.     

Radiotracer measurement of the volatilization of organic trace constituents from water

Abstract The mass-transfer coefficient for the volatilization of organic microconstituents from water can be determined by laboratory radiotracer experiments. Formulation and practical aspects are considered and illustrated by the example of a 5.10(-7) M solution of monochlorobenzene.