The determination of aluminium in seawater and freshwater by cathodic stripping voltammetry

Dissolved aluminium in seawater and freshwater is determined by cathodic stripping voltammetry (c.s.v.) preceded by adsorptive collection of complex ions with 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone-3-sulphonic acid (DASA) on the hanging mercury drop electrode. Complexation of aluminium by DASA is rapid and no waiting period or heating of the sample is required. Optimal conditions are a DASA concentration of 10^?5 M, a solution pH of 7.1–7.3 and an adsorption potential of ?0.9 V; the c.s.v. scan is done in the differential-pulse mode. The limit of detection is 1 nM aluminium for an adsorption time of 45 s. The total time needed, including 50min deaeration and a standard addition, is 10–15 min per sample. No serious interferences were found; u.v. irradiation is recommended for samples containing high levels of organic materials.     

Determination of low levels of polymer additives migrating from polypropylene to food simulated liquids by capillary SFC and solvent venting injection

Summary Methods for the determination of specific migration of polymer additives from polypropylene to aqueous acetic acid and isooctane have been studied. The migrants were extracted from aqueous acetic acid and characterized by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with flame ionization detection (FID) and mass spectrometry (MS). The isooctane simulant was concentrated and injected directly into the SFC. Injection of extracts after incubation, using the solvent venting injection technique in the SFC, enabled additive concentrations as low as 10 ppb in 150 ml simulant to be determined, corresponding to a specific migration level of approximately 1 g additive/dm² polymer.     

Poly[3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)glyceric acid] from Stems of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Symphytum asperum</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. caucasicum</Emphasis>

Two high-molecular-weight (>1000 kDa) water-soluble preparations were isolated from stems of Symphytum asperum and S. caucasicum. Their basic component was established as poly[hydroxy-1-carboxy-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylene], analogous to that of high-molecular-weight (>1000 kDa) preparations from roots of these same plants, using IR and NMR spectral data. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 303–305, July–August, 2005. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Fabrication and characterization of high-temperature microreactors with thin film heater and sensor patterns in silicon nitride tubes

In this paper the fabrication and electrical characterization of a silicon microreactor for high-temperature catalytic gas phase reactions, like Rh-catalyzed catalytic partial oxidation of methane into synthesis gas, is presented. The microreactor, realized with micromachining technologies, contains silicon nitride tubes that are suspended in a flow channel. These tubes contain metal thin films that heat the gas mixture in the channel and sense its temperature. The metal patterns are defined by using the channel geometry as a shadow mask. Furthermore, a new method to obtain Pt thin films with good adhesive properties, also at elevated temperatures, without adhesion metal is implemented in the fabrication process. Based on different experiments, it is concluded that the electrical behaviour at high temperatures of Pt thin films without adhesion layer is better than that of Pt/Ta films. Furthermore, it is found that the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and the resistivity of the thin films are stable for up to tens of hours when the temperature-range during operation of the microreactor is below the so-called "burn-in" temperature. Experiments showed that the presented suspended-tube microreactors with heaters and temperature sensors of Pt thin films can be operated safely and in a stable way at temperatures up to 700 degrees C for over 20 h. This type of microreactor solves the electrical breakdown problem that was previously reported by us in flat-membrane microreactors that were operated at temperatures above 600 degrees C.     

Cyclization of Nitrospirobenzopyrans to Bridged Benzoxazepino[3,2-a]indoles

Condensation of 1-substituted 1,2,3,9a-tetrahydro-9H-imidazo[1,2-a]indol-2-ones with 5-nitrosalicylaldehyde afforded 1′-[(N-monosubstituted carbamoyl)methyl]indoline nitrospirobenzopyrans. Treatment of the latter with strong base led to the formation of a mixture of cis/trans-5a,13-methano-1,3-benzoxazepino[3,2-a]indoles. Results of semiempirical calculations gave evidence that such a transformation of nitrospirobenzopyrans to bicyclic indole derivatives could proceed via a single transition state, where the negatively charged carbon atom attacks the vinylic double bond of the spiropyran system.     

On-line enzymatic reaction,extraction, and chromatography of fatty acids and triglycerides with supercritical carbon dioxide

Supercritical carbon dioxide can be utilized both as an introduction solvent in capillary SFC and as a reaction medium; both possibilities are illustrated in this study. An off-line SFE unit was modified for on-line SFE-SFC. To facilitate rapid depressurization of the extraction cell and to prevent memory effects, a 6-port valve was installed at the outlet line of the extraction unit. An increased background signal was obtained when PEEK polymer was used in the construction of the extraction vessel; when stainless steel was used, the blanks improved. The synthesis of methyl esters and butyl esters of fatty acids from triglycerides in edible fat was examined using an immobilized lipase as a catalyst in on-line SFE-SFC. As a result of 30 minutes reaction – extraction time, high yields of fatty acid esters were obtained at a pressure of 150 bar and a temperature of 50°C.     

Structure and dynamic stability of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes with 1,4-disubstituted bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes

The properties of inclusion complexes of 1,4-di-R-bicyclo[2.2.2]octaves (R = H (1), Me (2), Cl (3), Br (4), and OH (5)) with cyclodextrins have been studied by NMR, microcalorimetry, and force-field computations. The compounds2 and3 (but not the other compounds) give dynamically stable 1:2 guest-host complexes with -cyclodextrin. Microcalorimetry of5 in water indicates a moderately strong 1:1 complex with - but weak complexes with - or -cyclodextrin. The behaviour depends on the subtle interplay size, polarity, hydrophobicity and type of solvent.     

Thermodynamics of complex formation in dimethyl sulfoxide with ligands coordinating via N,P, As,Sb, OR Bi : III. A comparison between aromatic and aliphatic amines and phosphines

The stabilities of the complexes formed by silver(I), cadmium(II) and zinc(II) with tri-n-butylamine and tri-n-butylphosphine have been determined in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). For the two latter metal ions, it has also been found that complexes are not formed in appreciable amounts with the triphenyl compounds Ph₃X, X = N, P and, in the case of cadmium(II), also As.From these and earlier measurements referring to DMSO as well as aqueous solutions, it was found that the stepwise stability constants increase by roughly one power of ten for each aromatic ring replaced by an aliphatic group, evidently as a consequence of the improved donor properties of the coordinating atoms. Further, for ligands of the same type, the stabilities are always markedly lower in DMSO than in aqueous solution. This is certainly due to the fact that the solvent molecules compete more strongly for the coordination sites in DMSO than in water, as reflected by the larger heats of solvation found in the former solvent for the metal ions concerned.