Updating the UNICHIM method for the determination of PCDD and PCDF in waste incineration plants

Summary The UNICHIM method developed in Italy for the determination of PCDD and PCDF emitted from waste incineration plants is presented. Based on the experience gained during the last four years, some modifications are proposed in order to render this analytical tool adequate for present and future needs.     

Liquid Crystalline Phases in 4-Acetyl-4′-n-Alkanoyloxy-Azobenzenes

Abstract

The preparation and melting behaviour of the homologous series of 4-acetyl-4′-n-alkanoylox-azobenzenes, CH₃-CO-C₆H₄-N?N-C₆H₄-O-CO-(CH₂) _n -CH₃, (with n ranging from zero to 16) is reported. The melting behaviour has been investigated by means of thermal microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The experimental results indicate for almost all the compounds the presence of solid state polymorphism and a type A smectic; for one compound a type B smectic phase is also present. Some homologs present, in addition, a nematic phase.     

Stereospecific synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-benzodioxans

The synthesis of cis- and trans-2-methyl-3-phenyl-1,4-benzodioxans 4 and 5 , from 1-phenyl-2-[2-(hydroxy)-phenoxy]propanols threo 2 and erythro 3 are described.     

Highly shifted LIPOCEST agents based on the encapsulation of neutral polynuclear paramagnetic shift reagents

Improved LIPOCEST MRI contrast agents with highly shifted intraliposomal water protons were prepared by entrapping neutral polynuclear Tm(III)-based paramagnetic shift reagents in phospholipidic vesicles.     

On the variational formulation for linear initial value problems

Summary The paper shows the key place of the choice of the bilinear form in order to give a variational formulation to a given problem. In particular it is shown how the use of a convolution bilinear form makes possible a variational formulation for linear initial value problems. A critical survey of the three main methods that was devised in the past to solve the same problem is done.

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Sunto. La nota mette in evidenza il ruolo fondamentale della scelta di una forma bilineare al fine di dare formulazione variazionale ad un dato problema. In particolare è mostrato come l'uso di una forma bilineare di convoluzione renda possibile la formulazione variazionale dei problemi ai valori iniziali. Si fa un esame critico dei tre principali metodi che sono stati escogitati nel passato per risolvere lo stesso problema.

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This work has been sponsored by the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche.

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Entrata in Redazione il 19 novembre 1971.     

Metal ion distribution between water and river sediment: speciation model and spectroscopic validation

Natural sediments show sequestering properties that can lead to a process of self-purification of aquatic environment from metal pollution. The study of the interaction between metal ions and sediment particles enhances what is known about the distribution and bioavailability of heavy metals in natural systems. Our contribution concerns the characterisation of the sequestering ability of a River Po sediment with regard to calcium(II), magnesium(II), cadmium(II), nickel(II) and copper(II), in fixed experimental conditions, through pH-metric and spectrometric measurements. A batch titration procedure was adopted and, in each solution, after equilibration, both pH and pM (M = Ca(II), Mg(II), Cd(II), Ni(II), Cu(II)) (via Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectroscopy, ICP-OES) values were measured. The experimental data were first processed with a specific software to evaluate the concentration and protonation constants of the sediment ligand site(s). The speciation model was then assessed, together with the values of complexation constants, for the different sediment/metal cation systems. In order to better characterise the copper(II)-sediment interaction and to obtain more information about the nature of ligand site(s) involved, EPR (Electronic Paramagnetic Resonance) measurements were also made on the dry sediment before and after reaction with copper(II) ions.     

Synthesis of Fullerene Derivatives for Incorporation in Sol-Gel Glasses

We report on the synthesis of fullerene derivatives containing a trialkoxysilane moiety that exhibit enhanced solubility in solvents commonly used for sol-gel processing. These derivatives have been successfully embedded in glassy bulk samples and thin films that show very promising optical limiting properties.