Oxygen Quenching of nπ* Triplet Phenyl Ketones: Local Excitation and Local Deactivation

We have studied the charge‐transfer‐induced deactivation of nπ* excited triplet states of benzophenone derivatives by O₂(³Σ), and the charge‐transfer‐induced deactivation of O₂(¹Δ_g) by ground‐state benzophenone derivatives in CH₂Cl₂ and CCl₄. The rate constants for both processes are described by Marcus electron‐transfer theory, and are compared with the respective data for a series of biphenyl and naphthalene derivatives, the triplet states of which have ππ* configuration. The results demonstrate that deactivation of the locally excited nπ* triplets occurs by local charge‐transfer and non‐charge‐transfer interactions of the oxygen molecule with the ketone carbonyl group. Relatively large intramolecular reorganization energies show that this quenching process involves large geometry changes in the benzophenone molecule, which are related to favorable Franck‐Condon factors for the deactivation of ketone‐oxygen complexes to the ground‐state molecules. This leads to large rate constants in the triplet channel, which are responsible for the low efficiencies of O₂(¹Δ_g) formation observed with nπ* excited ketones. Compared with the deactivation of ππ* triplets, the non‐charge‐transfer process is largely enhanced, and charge‐transfer interactions are less important. The deactivation of singlet oxygen by ground‐state benzophenone derivatives proceeds via interactions of O₂(¹Δ_g) with the Ph rings.     

Multi-multigrid solution of modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation for arbitrarily shaped molecules

A new multi-multigrid method is presented for solving the modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation based on the Kirkwood Hierarchy of equations, with Loeb's closure, on a three-dimensional grid. The results are compared with standard Poisson–Boltzmann calculations, which are known to underestimate the local concentration of counterions near charged parts of molecules, mainly due to neglect of fluctuations in the ionic concentrations. In the present study, the Kirkwood hierarchy of equations is discretized with the finite volume method and solved using multigrid techniques. The new possibility for solution of the three-dimensional modified Poisson–Boltzmann equation, for the first time within a model including a dielectric discontinuity, and within reasonable computational time, enables the calculation of higher valence ion distributions around arbitrarily shaped biological macromolecules. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 893–901, 1998     

Application of power ultrasound for azo dye degradation

Power ultrasound of 850 kHz at 60, 90 and 120 W was used for the degradation of industrial azo dyes Acid Orange 5 and 52, Direct Blue 71, Reactive Black 5 and Reactive Orange 16 and 107. The results show that power ultrasound is able to mineralize azo dyes to non-toxic end products, which was confirmed by respiratory inhibition test of Pseudomonas putida. All investigated dyes have been decolorized and degraded within 3-15 h at 90 W and within 1-4 h at 120 W, respectively. Mass spectrometric investigations show, that hydroxyl radicals attack azo dyes by simultaneous azo bond scission, oxidation of nitrogen atoms and hydroxylation of aromatic ring structures. A volumetric scale-up showed a correlation between the energy input and the absolute amount of degraded dye. Up to an energy input of about 90 W no enzymatic deactivation of laccase was observed which might be helpful for a simultaneous action of sonochemical and enzymatic treatments.     

A Novel Sensor Based on Carbon Paste Electrode Modified with Polypyrrole/Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes for the Electrochemical Detection of Cytostatic Drug Rapamycin

The electrocatalytic oxidation of rapamycin, one of the most studied immunosuppressant, cancer-preventing drug, is investigated for the first time on the surface of the modified carbon paste electrode prepared by incorporating multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and conductive polymer pyrrole using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Rapamycin exhibited a well-defined oxidation peak at +1.1 V (versus Ag/AgCl) in Briton Robinson buffer solution with a pH 4.0. Effect of the most important experimental parameters was optimized and obtained signals are linear to the concentration of rapamycin in the range from 0.1 to 20 μM with 0.06 μM limit of detection. The repeatability is calculated as ±2 % and the reproducibility as ±5 %. The possible interfering compounds were tested showing negligible effect and the sensor was successfully applied for the determination of rapamycin in commercial pharmaceutical formulations with obtained recoveries in the range from 98 % to 102 %.     

Exhaustive extraction of peptides by electromembrane extraction

This fundamental work illustrates for the first time the possibility of exhaustive extraction of peptides using electromembrane extraction (EME) under low system-current conditions (<50 μA). Bradykinin acetate, angiotensin II antipeptide, angiotensin II acetate, neurotensin, angiotensin I trifluoroacetate, and leu-enkephalin were extracted from 600 μL of 25 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.5), through a supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phosphate (DEHP) dissolved in an organic solvent, and into 600 μL of an acidified aqueous acceptor solution using a thin flat membrane-based EME device. Mass transfer of peptides across the SLM was enhanced by complex formation with the negatively charged DEHP. The composition of the SLM and the extraction voltage were important factors influencing recoveries and current with the EME system. 1-nonanol diluted with 2-decanone (1:1 v/v) containing 15% (v/v) DEHP was selected as a suitable SLM for exhaustive extraction of peptides under low system-current conditions. Interestingly, increasing the SLM volume from 5 to 10 μL was found to be beneficial for stable and efficient EME. The pH of the sample strongly affected the EME process, and pH 3.5 was found to be optimal. The EME efficiency was also dependent on the acceptor solution composition, and the extraction time was found to be an important element for exhaustive extraction. When EME was carried out for 25 min with an extraction voltage of 15 V, the system-current across the SLM was less than 50 μA, and extraction recoveries for the model peptides were in the range of 77–94%, with RSD values less than 10%.     

Simultaneous determination of 14 sulfonamides and tetracyclines in biogas plants by liquid-liquid-extraction and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

A new method for the analysis of sulfonamides and tetracyclines in heterogenic biogas plant input samples and fermentation residues is introduced. Veterinary antibiotics are only partially absorbed in the animal gut; therefore, animal manure can contain high loads of these substances. Animal manure is used for biogas generation, so antibiotics can enter the anaerobic fermentation process this way. However, only little is known about the fate of antibiotics within this process, also due to the lack of suitable analytical methods for this complex sample matrix. Therefore, we developed a method for the analysis of ten sulfonamides (sulfachloropyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfaguanidine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethazine, sulfamethoxazol, sulfamethoxypyridazin, sulfapyridine, sulfathiazole) and four tetracyclines (chlortetracycline, doxycycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline) in biogas plant input and output samples, including a single liquid-liquid-extraction step and analysis via liquid chromatography (LC) and triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. The detection limit of this method ranges from 0.01 to 0.08 mg kg^?1. Matrix calibration using antibiotic-free cattle feces and isotopic-labeled internal standards enables quantification of antibiotics in different matrices such as animal manure, dung, or fermenter outputs with recovery rates between 70 and 130 %. This makes the method suitable for investigating the fate of antibiotics in animal manure and fermentation processes. A screening of 15 German biogas plants revealed the presence of several antibiotics up to 9 mg kg^?1 (201 mg kg^?1 dry matter). During the fermentation process, elimination occurs; however, with the exception of chlortetracycline, the antibiotic content remains in the same order of magnitude.

Synthesis of protected α-alkyl lanthionine derivatives

Protected α-alkyl lanthionine derivatives were synthesized in five steps starting from a known phenyloxazoline precursor. This approach involved the synthesis of a family of substituted cyclic sulfamidates and their regioselective opening by nucleophilic attack with a protected cysteine. This efficient multistep strategy affords various α-alkylated lanthionine derivatives in high yields.